• Journal of Life Science
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• v.33 no.10
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• pp.808-819
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• 2023

This study was conducted to develop a selection marker for the identification of the Bacillus licheniformis K12 strain in microbial communities. The strain not only demonstrates good growth at moderate temperatures but also contains enzymes that catalyze the decomposition of various polymer materials, such as proteases, amylases, cellulases, lipases, and xylanases. To identify molecular markers appropriate for use in a microbial community, a search was conducted to identify variable gene regions that show considerable genetic mutations, such as recombinase, integration, and transposase sites, as well as phase-related genes. As a result, five areas were identified that have potential as selection markers. The candidate markers were two recombinase sites (BLK1 and BLK2), two integration sites (BLK3 and BLK4), and one phase-related site (BLK5). A PCR analysis performed with different Bacillus species (e.g., B. licheniformis, Bacillus velezensis, Bacillus subtilis, and Bacillus cereus) confirmed that PCR products appeared at specific locations in B. licheniformis: BLK1 in recombinase, BLK2 in recombinase family protein, and BLK3 and BLK4 as site-specific integrations. In addition, BLK1 and BLK3 were identified as good candidate markers via a PCR analysis performed on subspecies of standard B. licheniformis strains. Therefore, the findings suggest that BLK1 can be used as a selection marker for B. licheniformis species and subspecies in the microbiome.

• Asia-Pacific Journal of Business Venturing and Entrepreneurship
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• v.17 no.6
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• pp.25-37
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• 2022

The purpose of this study is to survey startup founders within 7 years of founding the importance and satisfaction of the components of the scale-up entrepreneurial ecosystem at the national level in Korea and analyze the direction of scale-up policy by component using IPA (importance-performance analysis). Since the perception of founders, who are the subjects of the entrepreneurial ecosystem, affects the quantity and quality of start-ups, research is needed to analyze and diagnose the perception of scale-up components. For the development of the national economy and entrepreneurial ecosystem, companies that emerge from startups to scale-up and unicorns must be produced, and for this, elements for the scale-up entrepreneurial ecosystem are needed. The results of this study are as follows. First, the importance ranking of the components of the scale-up entrepreneurial ecosystem recognized by founders was in the order of "Financial support by growth stage," "Support for customized scale-up for enterprises," "Improvement of regulations," "Funds dedicated to scale-up," "large-scale investment," and "nurturing technical talents." Second, the factors that should be intensively improved in the importance-satisfaction matrix in the future were 'Pan-Government Integration Promotion Plan', 'Scale-Up Specialized Organization Operation', 'Company Customized Scale-Up Support', 'Regulatory Improvement', and 'Building a Korean Scale-Up Model'. As a result, various and large financial capital for the scale-up entrepreneurial ecosystem, diversification of scale-up programs by business sector, linkage of start-ups and scale-up support, deregulation of new technologies and new industries, strengthening corporate-tailored scale-up growth capabilities, and providing overseas networking opportunities can be derived. In addition, it is expected to contribute to policy practice and academic work with research that derives the components of the domestic scale-up entrepreneurial ecosystem and diagnoses its perception.

• Asia-Pacific Journal of Business Venturing and Entrepreneurship
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• v.17 no.4
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• pp.115-125
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• 2022

In today's era when the concept of a lifelong job has disappeared, starting a business is an essential consideration for university students not only as an alternative factor in finding employment, but also from the perspective of the entire life. Today, most universities in Korea are operating entrepreneurship education programs, such as entrepreneurship classes as a curriculum, and start-up clubs as a non-curricular program to foster entrepreneurship among university students. In previous studies, entrepreneurship is a factor influencing the entrepreneurship intention. The purpose of this study is to empirically examine the effects of university students' entrepreneurship and the entrepreneurship intention through a entrepreneurship education program (participation in a start-up club, taking an entrepreneurship course) on entrepreneurship behavior. There are some empirical studies on whether entrepreneurship education programs such as participation in startup contests affect the entrepreneurship intention of university students, but not much compared to their importance. It is difficult to find an empirical study examining the effects of entrepreneurship and start-up education programs on entrepreneurship intention and entrepreneurship behavior in domestic and foreign studies. Therefore, in this study, one domestic university that operates a start-up club and a entrepreneurship course was selected and the online questionnaire was distributed to all current students, and the collected 127 questionnaires were used for empirical analysis As a result of the study, first, it was confirmed that initiative and risk-taking, which are sub-factors of entrepreneurship of university students, had a significant positive effect on entrepreneurial intention, respectively, and that innovation did not have a significant positive effect. Second, it was confirmed that university students' participation in a start-up club, a sub-factor of the start-up education program, had a significant positive effect on their entrepreneurial intention, and that taking a start-up course did not have a significant positive effect. Third, it was confirmed that the entrepreneurial intention of university students had a significant positive effect on entrepreneurship behavior. Fourth, it was confirmed that the entrepreneurial intention had a mediating effect between each of the factors of risk-taking, and participation in a start-up club and entrepreneurial behavior. This study suggests that university students can increase their risk-taking, increase their entrepreneurial intention by participating in a startup club, and reach a entrepreneurial behavior through this as a medium.

• Asia-Pacific Journal of Business Venturing and Entrepreneurship
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• v.17 no.2
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• pp.115-128
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• 2022

This research aims to analyze of the Effect of Army Start-up Support Program (hereinafter, ASSP) on the level of discharged or scheduled to be discharged soldier's satisfaction of their military service. In addition, this paper also seeks to elaborate on how those Army-supported programs, such as Start-up competitions, mentoring, camp, and school, can increase the level of military service satisfaction. By participating in those programs, service members can leverage their time in the military to make opportunity for their future career rather than consider it as a career break, increasing their military service satisfaction. Finally, on the basis of findings, this paper advocates for expanding Service Members startup Support Program of government agencies and municipalities and enhancing younger population's individual capabilities through ASSP. This research used ASSPs, such as Army Start-up competitions, mentoring, camp, and school, as independent variables. For controlled variables, this paper takes demographic elements such as status and career path of the participants. Our empirical analysis reveals that ASSP has a direct impact on the military service satisfaction, supported by the statistics from the hierarchical regression analysis. However, the research also suggests that individual' military service satisfaction from ASSP may differ from one another in accordance with the controlled variables such as status and career of the participants. This paper proves that ASSP can play a substantial role in enhancing service members' capabilities during their time in military and that Army fosters talent and connects itself to the nation and society. In addition, this research could contribute to increasing employment rate of and expanding Start-up support program of government agencies and municipalities for younger population by providing empirical results which advocates the latter's necessity.

• Asia-Pacific Journal of Business Venturing and Entrepreneurship
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• v.17 no.1
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• pp.13-28
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• 2022

Korean Government Budget Supports for startups have been spiked and resulted in increasing the number and scaling up Startup Accelerating managers. It have skyrocketed the strong demand for their qualified roles. However, unclear role description and gap between required role and their capability have discouraged startup manager's self-efficacy resulted in declining their full commitment and causing poor role performance. The focus of this research falls on empirical analysis to the effect of startup accelerating manager's capability characteristics on their full commitment and performance to start-up support groups. This research is expected to deliver diverse policy alternatives to build up manager's core competencies to accelerate their self-efficacy leading their full role commitments and finally pushing up policy performance. In addition, this research will found more strong literature review for the following researches in this emerging fields. This research is brought four highlighting results with respect to four research problems. First, it propose proper concept of startup accelerating manager based upon its legal entitlement. Second, it drive required core competencies of manager for successful their accountability. Third, it analyze the unique features of startup accelerating manger's capabilities against business incubation manger. Fourth, it empirically analyze in coming with government startup funding, the effect of self-efficacy including employment status, job environment, etc. on their organizational commitment and job performance. This research reveal the required unique core competencies of manger into founder sourcing ability, project managing ability, startup proving and pivoting ability, consulting ability for successful investment raising. As of this empirical research results, First, manager's ability have positively effect on their job performance, full commitment, and self-efficacy. Second, self-efficacy have a mediating effect on manager's ability, job performance, full commitment. This research derive key policy implication of requiring to build up more accelerating ability, of manager from the basics to advance level by customized and algorithm based traing program. This accelerating ability buildup program will not only surge self-efficacy of manger resulting in making full commitment and better job performance, but also devote to categorizing the unique new feature and position of manger as seed investment and supporter.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.34 no.5
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• pp.313-319
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• 2024

Cultivars or genetic resources with a black seed coat and green cotyledons are rich in lutein, which can promote eye health, and anthocyanin, known for its numerous health benefits. However, mature seeds also contain P34, 7S α' subunit, and lectin proteins, which are allergenic and degrade quality. Here, we report the breeding of a new soybean line with a black seed coat, green cotyledon, and free of P34, 7S α' subunit, and lectin proteins. A total of 157 F₂ seeds with black seed coats and green cotyledons were selected by crossing a female parent with a brown seed coat, green cotyledon, and lacking the 7S α' subunit and lectin proteins with a male parent with a black seed coat, green cotyledon, and lacking the P34 and lectin proteins. The P34 and 7S α' subunit proteins were consistent with a ratio of 9:3:3:1, indicating that they are independent of each other. From 14 F₂ seeds that were recessive (cgy1cgy1p34p34) for both proteins, one individual F₂ plant (F₃ seeds) with the desired traits-black seed coat, green cotyledon, and lacking P34, 7S α' subunit, and lectin proteins- was finally selected. The triple null genotype (absence for P34, 7S α' subunit, and lectin proteins) was confirmed in random F₃ seeds. The selected line has a black seed coat and green cotyledons, and when sown on June 14 in the greenhouse, the maturity date was approximately October 3, the height was about 68 cm, and the 100-seed weight was about 26.5 g.

• Asia-Pacific Journal of Business Venturing and Entrepreneurship
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• v.19 no.2
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• pp.141-157
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• 2024

This study analyzes the effect of enterepreneurial competencies on start-up performance through network activities for young entrepreneurs. Enterepreneurial competencies are composed of opportunity recognition competencies, marketing competencies, technical competencies, and creative competencies. A total of 354 questionnaires collected from young entrepreneurs residing in the country were used for empirical analysis. SPSS v28.0 and PROCESS macro v4.3 were analyzed based on the research model of a single-parameter single-mediated model. As a result of the analysis, first, it was found that among the enterepreneurial competencies, opportunity recognition competencies, marketing competencies, technical competencies, and creative competencies have a positive (+) significant effect on network activities. Among them, it was found that marketing competence has the greatest effect on network activities and technical competence has the least effect. Second, network activities were found to have a significant effect on start-up performance in a positive (+) direction. Third, among enterepreneurial competencies, opportunity recognition competence, marketing competence, technical competence, and creative competence were found to have a positive (+) effect on start-up performance. Among them, it was found that creative competence had the greatest effect and technical competence had the smallest effect. Fourth, network activities were found to mediate between enterepreneurial competencies and start-up performance. As for the relative effect size of the indirect effects of independent variables, it was found that marketing competence had the greatest effect on start-up performance and technology competence had the smallest effect. The academic implications of this study include investigating the significance and relationship of various variables, providing verification of theoretical frameworks related to entrepreneurship, identifying the main drivers of start-up success, and suggesting the importance of the network between enterepreneurial competencies and start-up performance. In addition, the practical implications of this study suggest the importance of marketing competencies for networking, and suggest differentiation of competencies. It emphasizes the strategic role of creative competence and provides guidance to policymakers for supporting start-ups on customized policies for fostering valuable start-ups.

• Asia-Pacific Journal of Business Venturing and Entrepreneurship
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• v.19 no.2
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• pp.215-235
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• 2024

As artificial intelligence (AI) technology is recognized as a key technology that will determine future national competitiveness, competition for AI technology and industry promotion policies in major countries is intensifying. This study aims to present implications for domestic policy making by analyzing the policies of major countries on the start-up of AI companies, which are the basis of the AI industry ecosystem. The top four countries and the EU for the number of new investment attraction companies in the 2023 AI Index announced by the HAI Research Institute at Stanford University in the United States were selected, The United States enacted the National AI Initiative Act (NAIIA) in 2021. Through this law, The US Government is promoting continued leadership in the United States in AI R&D, developing reliable AI systems in the public and private sectors, building an AI system ecosystem across society, and strengthening DB management and access to AI policies conducted by all federal agencies. In the 14th Five-Year (2021-2025) Plan and 2035 Long-term Goals held in 2021, China has specified AI as the first of the seven strategic high-tech technologies, and is developing policies aimed at becoming the No. 1 AI global powerhouse by 2030. The UK is investing in innovative R&D companies through the 'Future Fund Breakthrough' in 2021, and is expanding related investments by preparing national strategies to leap forward as AI leaders, such as the implementation plan of the national AI strategy in 2022. Israel is supporting technology investment in start-up companies centered on the Innovation Agency, and the Innovation Agency is leading mid- to long-term investments of 2 to 15 years and regulatory reforms for new technologies. The EU is strengthening its digital innovation hub network and creating the InvestEU (European Strategic Investment Fund) and AI investment fund to support the use of AI by SMEs. This study aims to contribute to analyzing the policies of major foreign countries in making AI company start-up policies and providing a basis for Korea's strategy search. The limitations of the study are the limitations of the countries to be analyzed and the failure to attempt comparative analysis of the policy environments of the countries under the same conditions.

• Asia-Pacific Journal of Business Venturing and Entrepreneurship
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• v.19 no.2
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• pp.109-124
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• 2024

The value of platform companies is rapidly increasing, exerting significant influence across industries. Identifying and fostering promising platform companies is crucial for enhancing national competitiveness. Consequently, tailored evaluation standards are necessary for such companies. This study derived investment decision factors specific to platform companies and compared the importance of each factor using Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) analysis. Key factors included platform characteristics, finance, entrepreneur (team), market, and product/service attributes. The findings revealed that platform characteristics were deemed the most crucial factor for investors. Specifically, factors such as platform size, ease of value fixation, core participant group, and data value were identified as pertinent for evaluating platform companies. Moreover, analysis distinguished between investors with prior platform investment experience and those without. Significantly, investors with platform investment experience placed greater emphasis on the value of data secured by platform Furthermore, it was observed that investors prioritized future value and growth potential over current value when investing in platform. Notably, founder/team characteristics, typically highly regarded in previous studies, ranked lower in importance in this study, highlighting a shift in focus. The discrepancy between this study's results and prior research on investment decision factors is attributed to the specificity of the questions posed. By focusing on investment decision factors for platform startups rather than generic startup inquiries, investor responses aligned more closely with platform-focused considerations. Given the burgeoning venture investment landscape, there's a growing need for detailed research on startups within specific sectors like IT, travel, and biotech. This approach can replace extensive research covering all startup types to identify investment decision factors suited to the characteristics of each individual industry.

• Asia-Pacific Journal of Business Venturing and Entrepreneurship
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• v.19 no.2
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• pp.197-214
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• 2024

This study aimed to investigate students' perceptions at science and technology specialized universities towards entrepreneurship support policies and to derive policy improvement measures by applying a bottom-up approach to reflect the requirements of the policy beneficiaries, i.e., the students. Specifically, the research explored effective execution strategies for student entrepreneurship support policies through a survey and analysis of KAIST students. The findings revealed that KAIST students recognize the urgent need for improvement in sharing policy objectives with the student entrepreneurship field, reflecting the opinions of the campus entrepreneurship scene in policy formulation, and constructing an entrepreneurship-friendly academic system for nurturing student entrepreneurs. Additionally, there was a highlighted need for enhancement in the capacity of implementing agencies, as well as in marketing and market development capabilities, and organizational management and practical skills as entrepreneurs within the educational curriculum. Consequently, this study proposes the following improvement measures: First, it calls for enhanced transparency and accessibility of entrepreneurship support policies, ensuring students clearly understand policy objectives and can easily access information. Second, it advocates for student-centered policy development, where students' opinions are actively incorporated to devise customized policies that consider their needs and the actual entrepreneurship environment. Third, there is a demand for improving entrepreneurship-friendly academic systems, encouraging more active participation in entrepreneurship activities by adopting or refining academic policies that recognize entrepreneurship activities as credits or expand entrepreneurship-related courses. Based on these results, it is expected that this research will provide valuable foundational data to actively support student entrepreneurship in science and technology specialized universities, foster an entrepreneurial spirit, and contribute to the creation of an innovation-driven entrepreneurship ecosystem that contributes to technological innovation and social value creation.