• Journal of Korea Entertainment Industry Association
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• v.15 no.2
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• pp.169-178
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• 2021

The Korean girl group "Kara" has suffered the trilemma of its de facto failure to debut, the crisis of team breakup, and the CEO crisis of the agency. But the group has made an outstanding achievement in the history of Korean pop music after overcoming all odds. Their success strategy has never been disclosed by insiders involved in Kara's total music projects. This study has been carried out in the analysis of the strategy to provide academic implications and to honor the contribution of the late CEO Ho-yeon Lee and Kara's key member Ha-ra Gu. Therefore, between Nov. and Dec. 2020, we conducted in-depth interviews with managers, composers, stylists and Ha-ra Gu(Only in 2019, before her death) who took part in the project. The research model is set up by combining Porter's Competitive Advantage Strategy and the music value chain model into categories of "Product Innovation Differentiation (PD)" (producing, album production, performance activities) and "Marketing Differentiation (MD)" (market targeting, image specialization, promotion and communication). The analysis showed that the PD focused on complete rediscovered harmonization and revalued members' personality and sincerity with peppy songs and dainty dances as well as emission of "bright energy" which caused healing effects instead of mimicking other star singers recklessly. In terms of MD, they selected Japan's 10-20s as their main market, increasing intimacy with fans and media with the image of cute+pretty+classy+sexy. The result suggests that Poter's differentiation can function as a meaningful strategy frame in the fostering, hit, and revival of idol groups. In addition, it reaffirmed that spontaneous and passionate activities of early-stage or celebrity fan may serve as a valid catalyst for realizing differentiation, as Kara's caller of Japanese actor Gekidan Hitori caused a strong "priming effect" that drove Kara's unexpected wonderful success in Japan.

• Asia Marketing Journal
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• v.10 no.2
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• pp.1-29
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• 2008

The objective of our study is to provide an exploratory model for forecasting sales take-off timing of a product in the context of multi-national markets. We evaluated the usefulness of key predictors such as multiple market information, product attributes, price, and sales for the forecasting of sales take-off timing by applying the suggested model to monthly sales data for PDP and LCD TV provided by a Korean electronics manufacturer. We have found some important results for global companies from the empirical analysis. Firstly, innovation coefficients obtained from sales data of a particular product in other markets can provide the most useful information on sales take-off timing of the product in a target market. However, imitation coefficients obtained from the sales data of a particular product in the target market and other markets are not useful for sales take-off timing of the product in the target market. Secondly, price and product attributes significantly influence on take-off timing. It is noteworthy that the ratio of the price of the target product to the average price of the market is more important than the price ofthe target product itself. Lastly, the cumulative sales of the product are still useful for the prediction of sales take-off timing. Our model outperformed the average model in terms of hit-rate.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Clothing and Textiles
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• v.28 no.12 s.138
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• pp.1632-1643
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• 2004

The competitiveness of the domestic cosmetics market will improve more rapidly when efficient market segmentation is secured, qualitative information about each of the segmented markets is gathered, and adequate marketing strategies to meet the demands of each segmented markets is established. Therefore, continuous studies are needed to secure qualitative information for market segmentation. In order to find out whether the domestic cosmetics market could be segmented according to consumers' shopping orientation, the present study analyzed cosmetics purchasing behavior, complaint behavior, and demographic characteristics of each consumer group classified according to their shopping orientation. The study was implemented by a normative-descriptive survey method using a questionnaire. Three groups of consumers were identified according to their shopping orientation: price-oriented group, information-oriented group, and brand-oriented group. It was confirmed that the groups, classified according to shopping orientation, have significantly different demographic, purchasing, and complaint behavior. Therefore, shopping orientation should be carefully considered in the segmentation of the cosmetics market.

• The Journal of the Korea Contents Association
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• v.12 no.5
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• pp.154-162
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• 2012

We can expect an effective color marketing to build up a positive industrial image as it is easy for consumer to approach due to the ability of colors to affect human consciousness and sub-consciousness more than any other factor. The purpose of this research is to draw attention to the importance of color communication and to find strategies to elevate the brand image by surveying the degree of influence color communication has when forming a brand image. In order to conduct effective research, we executed theoretical and collaborative analysis through research materials and documents. If you take a look at the outcome of this research, brands that brings credibility and likability to its customers are not brands that uses color communication, but brands that utilize marketing strategies that build up credibility for quite some time. Also, preference over colors are distinctive. It turned out to be that the color of a brand logo that one likes has very little to do with one's favorite color. When people choose a brand, they are choosing the brand not because of the color of the brand logo, but its credibility and likability that the brand offers. It proves that the color of the brand logo has nothing to do with the colors that people prefer. The relationship between the color that consumers prefer and the image and emotional color that forms brand image is negligible. However, since research shows that there was a relationship between the color you prefer and the emotional color that forms brand images, it seems to be important to figure out what color customers prefer rather than the color that shows customers' self image. Unlike existing color communication research, through this research, we would like to know how to utilize the color communication strategically in the forming of brand images and take a look at the relationship between customers' preferences and the image of each brand logo's emotional color.

• Journal of Distribution Science
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• v.11 no.4
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• pp.61-72
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• 2013

Purpose - It is widely accepted that the process of developing marketing strategy is composed of three steps: market segmentation, target market selection and positioning. However, mass marketing strategy based on cost reduction through economies of scale and standardized products, can be also an effective strategic option. Many marketing scholars including Theodore Levitt emphasize the importance of applying the mass production concept to various industries including service industries. Especially, in times of economic downturn, the capability of providing consumers with low-priced, value products can be an important source of competitive advantage, as well as the ability of providing high-priced premium products. Marketers should decide whether they will implement mass marketing strategy or target marketing strategy. The present study theoretically shows that firms should understand the target customers' price elasticity as well as the firm's cost structure in order to make such a strategic decision. Research design, data, and methodology - Instead of implementing an empirical study, this study provides a theoretical(mathematical) investigation on the effect of consumers' price elasticity on a firm's optimal price level, profit, sales volume, revenue, and cost. The results are mostly deduced from derivative calculations and several graphs are utilized to represent the results on the relationships between the variables under study. Results - The analytical results suggest that it is more profitable for a firm to adopt the segment/target marketing strategy (more specifically the differentiation strategy) when the degree of consumers' heterogeneity is high and the proportion of the fixed cost in the total cost is low. On the other hand, if the degree of consumers' heterogeneity is low and the fixed cost is high, it is better to adopt the mass marketing strategy or the cost leadership strategy. The strategy of concentrating on a single target market will be effective when consumers' needs are highly heterogeneous but the fixed cost is high. Any of the three types of generic strategies proposed my Porter(1980, 1985) can be applied when both the consumers' heterogeneity and the fixed cost are low. This study also proposes the contribution-margin-based method for developing the optimal pricing strategy. Conclusions - One of the primary roles of marketers is to find a proper compromise between the two conflicting goals of maximizing customer satisfaction and minimizing cost. In order to do so, he or she should understand the characteristics of the target customers as well as the cost structure of the firm. In addition to the theoretical analyses, this study discusses several business cases and explains how superior companies find the optimal compromise position between these two goals and dominate the market. One of the radical changes recently taking place in business arena is the reduction of production and distribution costs of both physical goods and information due to the advancement and the wide diffusion of information technology. The cost reduction combined with lowered priced elasticity incurred by customized products and services, will enable many firms to adopt the mass customization strategy.

• Culinary science and hospitality research
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• v.21 no.3
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• pp.116-129
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• 2015

In order to maximize customer satisfaction and provide differentiated customer-oriented marketing strategies, it is important to understand the essence of consumer behavior and characteristics of their market segmentation. Therefore, this study explored the relationships among five different food-related lifestyle (i.e., health, fashion, taste, economy and safety oriented), positive emotion, and satisfaction. An analysis of 338 samples drawn from college students who visited coffeehouse at least once in the previous months was performed. The results revealed that, taste, economy, and safety oriented lifestyle significantly affected positive emotion, and positive emotion significantly affected satisfaction. The findings highlight the significant role of coffeehouse customer food-related lifestyle toward positive emotion in the formation of satisfaction, and therefore generate theoretical and practical implications for the coffeehouse industry.

• Management & Information Systems Review
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• v.37 no.4
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• pp.175-193
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• 2018

As a new type of business model in the market competition situation of tour companies, this study has developed to the online form of the travel industry to the business form which is the combination of the electronic commerce function and the mobile service process in the provision of the simple web-site, This study explores the difficulties of change for the development of the travel industry from the point of view that recognition is not a simple marketing strategy diversification means but a change of recognition as a business model for expanding new markets or creating new markets. The factors affecting the choice of online travel agent (OTA) and the factors that influence the choice of online travel agency were analyzed. Were used for the empirical survey. The purpose of this study is to investigate the factors influencing the choice of online travel agents who have experience with or experience using online travel agency (OTA), what factors are important to them, and how they differ in importance when visiting again. The results of this study are as follows: First, there was a significant difference between the first and second visitors of online travel agencies. The results of this study were as follows: Attitude toward resolving complaints, convenience of change and cancellation, delivery of tickets and documents, convenience of complaints, The emphasis should be on establishing and strengthening service environments such as the speed of updating the latest information, the simplicity of the booking procedure, the degree of satisfaction of the past, the ability of employees to handle their work, the safety of various payment methods and settlement, The results of this study are as follows: First, the satisfaction of the online travel agency is influenced by the selection factors of the selected online tour agency, and the A/S such as the convenience of prompt delivery, Environmental factors contributed to satisfaction. It is suggested that the systematic service structure such as customer satisfaction and ease of use is a necessary marketing strategy for survival and development of online travel agencies. It is suggested that the marketing concentration strategy with the first visitors as the target market is effective and this is a part of the marketing strategy for the survival of online travel agencies.

• KIPS Transactions on Software and Data Engineering
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• v.2 no.8
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• pp.535-542
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• 2013

Since case-based reasoning(CBR) has many advantages, it has been used for supporting decision making in various areas including medical checkup, production planning, customer classification, and so on. However, there are several factors to be set by heuristics when designing effective CBR systems. Among these factors, this study addresses the issue of selecting appropriate neighbors in case retrieval step. As the criterion for selecting appropriate neighbors, conventional studies have used the preset number of neighbors to combine(i.e. k of k-nearest neighbor), or the relative portion of the maximum similarity. However, this study proposes to use the absolute similarity threshold varying from 0 to 1, as the criterion for selecting appropriate neighbors to combine. In this case, too small similarity threshold value may make the model rarely produce the solution. To avoid this, we propose to adopt the coverage, which implies the ratio of the cases in which solutions are produced over the total number of the training cases, and to set it as the constraint when optimizing the similarity threshold. To validate the usefulness of the proposed model, we applied it to a real-world target marketing case of an online shopping mall in Korea. As a result, we found that the proposed model might significantly improve the performance of CBR.

• Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society
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• v.20 no.8
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• pp.456-471
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• 2019

Consumers' growing interest in the environment has recently led them to recognize the importance of their dietary life and sustainable consumption. Thus, there is an increasing necessity to identify consumers' response on the relationship between the consumption of functional food and their interest in helping environment. This research was conducted to analyze consumers' behaviors as related to Spirulina, an eco-friendly functional food brand, by subdividing markets according to consumers' food lifestyle. The results showed that consumers were categorized into 3 types (high involvement in diet, pursuit of safety in diet, and pursuit of convenience in diet), and there was a significant difference in the consumption behaviors of the functional food according to the 3 types. Their positive attitude towards functional food and interest in the environment led to changes of their actual purchasing behavior by increased purchase of Spirulina. Also, consumers who displayed high environmental involvement showed a more favorable attitude towards functional food. Therefore, to expand the market of eco-friendly functional food, it is necessary to subdivide the market and target the consumers who are highly involved with protecting the environment, and to execute marketing strategies for eco-friendly products, in order to increase the consumers' awareness about eco-friendly functional food.

• Journal of Service Research and Studies
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• v.14 no.1
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• pp.108-123
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• 2024

In particular, as the current educational institutions are becoming more competitive, universities need to make efforts to survive the fierce competition by improving their service qualities. In this situation, this study was conducted to confirm the effect of international students' evaluation of university service quality on university loyalty through university satisfaction and service engagements, And several implications can be suggested as follows. First, the dimensions of university service quality were identified as important factors that had a great influence on the university satisfaction of international students. Among the service quality dimensions, support services related to international students were found to be the most important variable in university satisfaction. The school's efforts to solve the inconvenience of international students and the grievances of students who feel difficulties that their own students do not feel are considered a very important factor in the satisfaction of international students. Second, it was found that international students' class engagement or friendship engagement can be increased through satisfaction with the school, and eventually, the increased engagements affect university loyalty. In particular, it has been verified that for international students, the loyalty of the school can be increased by establishing friendships with students from various countries and participating in various school programs. Finally, according to the purposes of studying abroad, the difference was confirmed between the groups studying for academic development and better employment and the group employed for overseas experience and immigration.