• Journal of Public Diplomacy
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• v.3 no.1
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• pp.1-19
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• 2023

Objectives: This study aims to discover how the spread of K-POP and the diversification of the Korean Wave affects Korea's national reputation. K-POP stars are diversifying their interactions with fandom by creating an online space to consume various products and services related to their stars and engage in fan activities. Because of this, this study aims to examine the relevance of K-POP to national reputation through a parasocial relationship with K-POP stars by fandom forming a community and utilizing media. Methods: An online survey was conducted in English using the Amazon survey company Mechanical Turk for BTS fans living in the United States. A total of 195 people's data, excluding incomplete responses, were used for the analysis. Results: It was found that BTS fans' social media participation activities themselves did not directly affect Korea's national reputation. But the mediating effect of BTS fans' parasocial relationship was found. That is, BTS fans' social media participation activities had a positive effect on their parasocial relationships with BTS which in turn had a positive effect on their national reputation. Conlusions: The use and participation of BTS fans in social media in Korea's national reputation has no significant effect on itself, but it has been found that it affects the national reputation through forming parasocial relationships. From the study results, the parasocial relationship of K-POP fans can be used as a strategic mechanism to enhance the national image and Korea's national reputation.

• Journal of Intelligence and Information Systems
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• v.28 no.3
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• pp.237-258
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• 2022

As the global market environment changes, the domestic ICT industry has a growing influence on the world economy. This industry is regarded as an important driving force in the national economy from a technological and social point of view. In particular, small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in the ICT industry are regarded as essential actors of domestic economic development in terms of company diversity, technology development and job creation. However, since it is small compared to large-sized enterprises, it is difficult for SMEs to survive with a differentiated strategy in an incomplete and rapidly changing environment. Therefore, SMEs must make a lot of efforts to improve their own capabilities, and the government needs to provide the desirable help suitable for corporate internal resources so that they can continue to be competitive. This study classifies the types of ICT SMEs participating in government support programs, and analyzes the relationship between resources and performance creation of each type. The data from the "ICT Small and Medium Enterprises Survey" conducted annually by the Ministry of Science and ICT was used. In the first stage, ICT SMEs were clustered based on common factors according to their experiences with government support programs. Three clusters were meaningfully classified, and each cluster was named "active participation type," "initial support type," and "soloist type." As a second step, this study compared the characteristics of each cluster through profiling analysis for each cluster. The third step carried out in this study was to find out the mechanism of R&D performance creation for each cluster through regression analysis. Different factors affected performance creation for each cluster, and the magnitude of the influence was also different. Specifically, for "active participation type", "current manpower", "technology competitiveness", and "R&D investment in the previous year" were found to be important factors in creating R&D performance. "Initial support type" was identified as "whether or not a dedicated R&D organization exists", "R&D investment amount in the previous year", "Ratio of sales to large companies", and "Ratio of vendors supplied to large companies" contributed to the performance. Lastly, in the case of "soloist type", "current workforce" and "future recruitment plan", "technological competitiveness", "R&D investment", "large company sales ratio", and "overseas sales ratio" showed a significant relationship with the performance. This study has practical implications of showing what strategy should be established when supporting SMEs in the future according to the government's participation in the startup program and providing a guide on what kind of support should be provided.

• Journal of Distribution Research
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• v.17 no.5
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• pp.1-23
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• 2012

The conflict between major corporations and small and medium-sized businesses is being aggravated, the trickle down effect is not working properly, and, as the controversy surrounding the effectiveness of the business limiting system continues to swirl, the plan proposed to protect the business domain of small and medium-sized businesses, resolve polarization between these businesses and large corporations, and protect small family run stores is the suitable business type designation system for small and medium-sized businesses. The current status of carrying out this system of selecting suitable business types among small and medium-sized businesses involves receiving applications for 234 items among the suitable business types and items from small and medium-sized businesses in manufacturing, and then selecting the items of the consultative group by analyzing and investigating the actual conditions. Suitable business type designation in the service industry will involve designation with priority on business types that are experiencing social conflict. Three major classifications of the service industry, related to the livelihood of small and medium-sized businesses, will be first designated, and subsequently this will be expanded sequentially. However, there is the concern that when designated as a suitable business type or item, this will hinder the growth motive for small to medium-sized businesses, and designation all cause decrease in consumer welfare. Also it is highly likely that it will operate as a prior regulation, cause side-effects by limiting competition systematically, and also be in violation against the main regulations of the FTA system. Moreover, it is pointed out that the system does not sufficiently reflect reverse discrimination factor against large corporations. Because conflict between small to medium sized businesses and large corporations results from the expansion of corporations to the service industry, which is unrelated to their key industry, it is necessary to introduce an advanced contract method like a master franchise or local franchise system and to develop local small to medium sized businesses through a franchise system to protect these businesses and dealers. However, this method may have an effect that contributes to stronger competitiveness of small to medium sized franchise businesses by advancing their competitiveness and operational methods a step further, but also has many negative aspects. First, as revealed by the Ministry of Knowledge Economy, the franchise industry is contributing to the strengthening of competitiveness through the economy of scale by organizing existing individual proprietors and increasing the success rate of new businesses. It is also revealed to be a response measure by the government to stabilize the economy of ordinary people and is emphasized as a 'useful way' to revitalize the service industry and improve the competitiveness of individual proprietors, and has been involved in contributions to creating jobs and expanding the domestic market by providing various services to consumers. From this viewpoint, franchises fit the purpose of the suitable business type system and is not something that is against it. Second, designation as a suitable business type may decrease investment for overseas expansion, R&D, and food safety, as well negatively affect the expansion of overseas corporations that have entered the domestic market, due to the contraction and low morale of large domestic franchise corporations that have competitiveness internationally. Also because domestic franchise businesses are hard pressed to secure competitiveness with multinational overseas franchise corporations that are operating in Korea, the system may cause difficulty for domestic franchise businesses in securing international competitiveness and also may result in reverse discrimination against these overseas franchise corporations. Third, the designation of suitable business type and item can limit the opportunity of selection for consumers who have up to now used those products and can cause a negative effect that reduces consumer welfare. Also, because there is the possibility that the range of consumer selection may be reduced when a few small to medium size businesses monopolize the market, by causing reverse discrimination between these businesses, the role of determining the utility of products must be left ot the consumer not the government. Lastly, it is desirable that this is carried out with the supplementation of deficient parts in the future, because fair trade is already secured with the enforcement of the franchise trade law and the best trade standard of the Fair Trade Commission. Overlapping regulations by the suitable business type designation is an excessive restriction in the franchise industry. Now, it is necessary to establish in the domestic franchise industry an environment where a global franchise corporation, which spreads Korean culture around the world, is capable of growing, and the active support by the government is needed. Therefore, systems that do not consider the process or background of the growth of franchise businesses and harm these businesses for the sole reason of them being large corporations must be removed. The inhibition of growth to franchise enterprises may decrease the sales of franchise stores, in some cases even bankrupt them, as well as cause other problems. Therefore the suitable business type system should not hinder large corporations, and as both small dealers and small to medium size businesses both aim at improving competitiveness and combined growth, large corporations, small dealers and small to medium sized businesses, based on their mutual cooperation, should not include franchise corporations that continue business relations with them in this system.

• Journal of Korea Entertainment Industry Association
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• v.13 no.2
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• pp.27-36
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• 2019

Today, the Korean wave headed by K-pop is newly named as 'New Korean Wave' in that it has been extended to United States, Europe and Russia. K-POP, the main player of the new Korean wave, has been successful in SNS marketing channels. Furthermore, the content of K-pop has attracted the attention of the global audience. The media and public attention on the Korean Wave is meaningful because it is not merely a cultural export. It also makes Korean people feel national pride, seeing the mental influence of its culture on other regions. Moreover, the development of the cultural industry in our society, which is different from industrial or material development, is a proof that Korean society is at the center of globalization. Until the 20th century, Korean culture had been rather receptive than dominant. In other words, it was focused more on acceptance of other cultures than active creation or outflow of its own. Now, however, K-POP is not anymore copying Western culture. It is creating its own unique characters, which makes K-pop very competitive. Korean culture has been formed for a long time in Korea's unique historical background. Korean popular culture also has to establish a solid foothold in world markets through its distinctive and traditional feature. The positive consumer response to Korean pop culture will create the added value of Korean contents and their derivatives, which will heighten Korea's national image also. In other words, if traditional art and K-POP are converged and equipped with our own unique and highly artistic culture, they will take the lead in the global cultural art market. In this study, we will recognize the possibility, growth and development of K-pop culture and analyze the cases of combining K-pop and Korean traditional art. First, we have to blend traditional art and other various genres to create diverse contents, and we have to actively utilize media channels. Second, we must improve people's awareness of the copyrights of traditional art. Also, we have to mitigate the copyrights of creative dance to expand the disclosure of contents which can be utilized. Third, we have to learn about traditional arts from younger age. Fourth, we will expand traditional arts to the whole of Korean cultural policies, which can enhance the nation's cultural value and create economic benefits. These four are expected to be effective ways to preserve the identity of traditional art and at the same time, globalize Korean culture.

• The Journal of the Korea institute of electronic communication sciences
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• v.7 no.4
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• pp.693-705
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• 2012

It is increasing the necessity of technology cooperation between nations, in the world, more and more. The international cooperation for the technology development have the dissipating effect of costs and risks and encourage efficient use of the knowledge and eventually help the firms better access overseas market easily. The S&T diplomacy of Korea is, at present, on international S&T cooperation to secure technologies to strengthen base of science, technology and innovation. This tendency is closely related with the governance issue in international S&T cooperation. And This international S&T cooperation is connected with the internationalization of firms. But it is getting more difficult for a firm, especially smaller firm like Korean SME to sustain the technological advantage over any significant period. The small and medium sized enterprises as Korean SME, internationalization of R&D is difficult just to think in terms of one framework with the limited accumulation of informations and experiences. So against that situation, this paper shows a new concept 'SME co-ordinator' as the role client(or player) reinforcing international S&T cooperation, sustaining the technological advantage for Korean SME. And 'SME co-ordinator' leads Korean SME to progress 'open innovation' not 'close innovation' as well as serving adequate information about appropriate partners and capable employer to help manage the international S&T cooperation for Internationalization of Industrial R&D for Korean SME.

• Asia-Pacific Journal of Business Venturing and Entrepreneurship
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• v.14 no.6
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• pp.11-27
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• 2019

The second venture "boom" diffusion strategy can be confirmed to be focused only on financing investment and finance, including achieving 5 trillion won annually in new venture investments, creating 20 unicorns, activating M&As and creating dynamic recovery markets. Of course, existing studies show that the fund is a very important policy for corporate growth, but various policy support will be needed to effectively scale up. To overcome these limitations, the scale-up support policies already in operation are analyzed by introducing scale-up policies in advanced countries such as the U.S. and Britain. It also aims to analyze domestic scale-up policies to draw up implications for establishing more effective scale-up policies. Academically, we are very lacking in research on scale-up at home and abroad, and we propose suggestions through this comparative study of policy cases to contribute to the promotion of various studies related to the scalability aspects of future research topics related to scale-up.

• Asia-Pacific Journal of Business Venturing and Entrepreneurship
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• v.9 no.6
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• pp.79-89
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• 2014

The purpose of this study is to draw the implication for building domestic housing-related co-operatives by understanding activities of housing-related co-operatives from case study and by suggesting the start-up typology for possible domestic housing-related co-operatives and requisites for building them. According to their activities housing-related co-operatives are categorized into three types which are housing supply and operation type, maintain and improve the existing housing type, and design and performance improvement type. National housing policy should be connected to housing co-operatives indirectly. That is, the policy direction ought to be not toward controlling housing co-operatives, letting them supply more houses directly, but toward supporting voluntary co-operatives, showing them the overall housing policy blueprint. Co-operatives cannot be a panacea. Too much protection or support for co-operatives could lead to a reverse discrimination against private companies, and the co-operatives might overuse this kind of prominent position. We need to focus on the possibility of the role of co-operatives as a facilitator for local economy rather than a perfect substitute for the existing economy system.

• Archives of design research
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• v.11 no.3
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• pp.219-228
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• 1998

As automobile drivers' desires become ever diversified with the spreading phenomenon of 'characteristic automobile decorations', it is feared that the design quality may be deteriorated, while the safety be retarded in terms of performance and function. In Korea, the 'Dress-up tuning' becomes the source of the social criticism because of lack of relevant codes and professional tuning services, while automobile drivers are excessively having their automobiles overdressed ignoring the overall aesthetic aspect and functions. Under such a circumstance, this study was aimed at reviewing the practices and dress-up accessories by each automobile part of those foreign automobile makers and professional tuners who have introduced the concept of 'customizing' and developed dress-up accessories and various tuning parts only to satisfy their customers' tuning needs. It is anticipated that automobile styling would tend more to pursue a 'coordination' featuring ordinary consumers' individualistic senses, while customers' needs reflecting their life styles be more refined. Meanwhile, Korean automobile consumers have accommodated the product designs : presented within the producers' frameworks, but they are expected to pursue the design values varying according to changing structures of production, society and industry as well as the resultant design activities. In all, makers and designers are requested to be aware of such changing environment structures and thereby, explore other alternatives, or reflect seriously on the socio-cultural implications inherent in the products, namely on the production and consumption of people's favorites.

• Information Systems Review
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• v.9 no.1
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• pp.105-120
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• 2007

With the fast development of the Internet and the increasing dependence on information infrastructures, companies are faced with various information security threats such as information leakages, modifications, and information breaches. South Korea is one of the leading countries in the Internet usage, but is ranked relatively low when it comes to information security. In fact, many Korean firms have suffered financial losses and damaged corporate images from the information security breaches. However, because of the difficulties in quantifying the costs of the information security breaches, Korean companies tend to delay their investment decisions on information security. The purpose of this study is to measure the cost of information security breach and the economic value of security investment using the event study methodology. Our results show that the announcement of an information security breach negatively influenced the market value of the corresponding company. The effect was statistically significant at the significance level of p=0.05. The breached companies lose, on average, 0.86% of their market values on the day of the announcement - an average loss in market capitalization of $55 million. On the other hand, the investment on information security had no effect on the stock price or the market value of the firm.

• Journal of Korea Port Economic Association
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• v.23 no.4
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• pp.196-215
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• 2007

The Representatives of Korea & India hold The Sixth negotiation for conclusion of Korean-India CEPA(Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement) at IFANS(Institute of Foreign Affairs & National Security) in Seoul at April 4, 2007. The latest, India is paid attention by the citizen of the world as the leading country that it lead the 21C's world economic with the China, India is called one of the BRICs and Chindia countries. Now, the concern of the citizen of world inclines huge potential energy of India. It is that time, we must change our concern from Chinas to India slowly. This paper put emphasis the point that we have to move switch over the focus of our study from to India, now.