• KDI Journal of Economic Policy
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• v.13 no.2
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• pp.69-96
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• 1991

Economic circumstances of enterprise began to change after a series of democratization measures in 1987. Accompanied with it, competitive advantage of enterprise began to change as well. By that time Korean enterprises had a competitive advantage based on low wages of labor. Abrupt and steady upsurge in wage, however, weakened competitive advantage based on low wages, upward revaluation of won currency caused by surplus in BOP strengthened upward trend in price increase of export products. An urgent problem in Korea economy is, therefore, to find 'new' competitive advantage. For the time being preserving competitiveness based on cost advantage must inevitably remain our basic strategy in industrial policy. While cost advantage in the past referred to low wage level, this cost advantage must have foundation on the improvment in producing technology, which will increase labor productivity and decrease unit cost of products. Besides, other measure to improve competitiveness can be considered such as increasing the extent of production automation, self-development of new products, and spread and strengthening subcontracting system among various enterprises. In this paper we tried to perceive how subcontracting system as a form of intercompany division of labor operates and to which direction this system proceeds responding to the recent changes in economic circumstances. Speaking more concretly, we tried to perceive how large the gap of bargaining power between mother-company and subcontracting company is and how effectively subcontracting company's technical power contributes to mother-company. Facing up to weakeening of competitiveness, how stably is the partnership between mother-company and subcontracting company established and what measures are being prepared to retore the weakened competitiveness. In conclusion the result of investigation through the questionaire on subcontracting system is positive, from which we can infer the optimistic view of restoring Korean economy's competitiveness.

• KSCE Journal of Civil and Environmental Engineering Research
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• v.33 no.1
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• pp.347-354
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• 2013

In the recent global construction environment, EPC contracts that integrate planning, design, procurement, and construction have been widely used for industrial facilities. Similarly, as the importance of the engineering capability such as project management consulting(PMC) and front end engineering design(FEED) has been increased, design-build contracts also have been gradually adopted for infrastructure projects. Whereas, the Korean infrastructure industry has fragmentary features which mainly emphasize on the construction sector. Therefore, this study aims at developing strategies for enhancing the engineering capability and for balancing the competitiveness between engineering and construction sectors in the Korean infrastructure industry. To this end, the authors first carried out market analysis for both global and domestic market. Then, a structured survey and expert in-depth interviews were sequentially performed in order to reflect practitioners' perspectives and needs for institutional strategies. As a result, five strategies drawn from this study are as follows: 1) rearranging the government's roles for supporting the engineering sector; 2) establishing institutional bases being compatible with global standards; 3) fostering value-added workforce for undertaking complex tasks; 4) constructing an consortium between an engineering association and general contractors; and 5) building a nationwide collaborative networks for overseas market expansion.

• Journal of the Korean Society for Railway
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• v.19 no.3
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• pp.363-372
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• 2016

This study identifies influence factors for Korean railway export and analyzes the importance and competitiveness of the factors. This study also suggests policy directions for each factor and analyzes the current situation of the Korean railway industry. All influence factors identified in this study turned out to have high levels of importance. Influence factors with higher importance levels for each field are as follows: man-power/experience and skill/technology in the engineering field; price, information and man-power/experience in the construction field; and information, technology, and price in the manufacturing field. However, the level of competitiveness of the factors turned out to be low. This study also suggested policy directions for each influence factor: overall, they turned out to have high levels of importance. Policy directions with high importance for each field are as follows: strengthening overseas' human network, training/educating experts for overseas projects, and accumulating experiences through Official Development Assistance projects in the fields of engineering and construction; and cost reduction and strategical cooperation with foreign companies in the manufacturing field. However, interviewees' satisfaction levels for each policy area turned out to be low. Finally, policy measures for Korean railway export for each influence factor were suggested.

• Journal of Navigation and Port Research
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• v.30 no.3 s.109
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• pp.219-226
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• 2006

To correspond actively to international economy, shipping and port environment change, world main ports have converged in competitiveness raising. However, existing researches have been intensively analyzed port competitiveness on among ports. So, this study analyzes the relations between the main factors of port selection and port competition players: central government, port authority, terminal operators, shipping companies, etc. This paper has a purpose that each port competition player makes a competitive strategy in accordance with this study. First, this study reviewed shipping and port market's environment change and port selection decision factors to correspond to these environment changes and on the basis of this review analyzed relativity between component port competition players and port competition factors. However, port authorities and terminal operators appeared high relevance about in side of expense, service, facilities etc. Because port authorities offered incentive to pull many shipping companies to their ports and terminal operators managed port authorities' ports. But we could deduce high relevance according to other market players' properties without port authorities and terminal operators. Port marketing strategy establishment among port competition players is available on the basis of these factors.

• Journal of the Korea Society of Computer and Information
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• v.19 no.4
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• pp.131-138
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• 2014

The purpose of this paper is to study the effects of the competitiveness of intermediate goods and enterprise's core competency on customer value and enterprise performance. And it is surely meaningful to investigate the intermediate product competitiveness with the variable of interest to recent corporate values and corporate customers with business performance by exploring their relationships. This research focuses on the intermediate goods competitive dimension and the company's core competency, and then several models are proposed. The research model is based on the existing core competencies of the conceptual model, which consists of intermediate goods competitive, core competencies, product innovation, product reliability, customer value and corporate performance. The automobile company in China and Korea are focused in this paper; empirical analysis method is applied to examine the relationships in these areas. The concept of core competencies in the existing competitive enterprises in product and process is defined as the relative advantage. Eight hypotheses are introduced for statistical hypothesis testing. Employees and typical intermediate products in automotive companies in China and Korea are investigated.

• International Commerce and Information Review
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• v.16 no.5
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• pp.151-178
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• 2014

The objective of the present case study is to analysis how effectively Hilti, which is a former family firm owned and managed by a family in Liechtenstein as a tiny european country, a land sandwiched between Switzerland and Austria, has made a global market success. Liechtenstein has $160km^2$ land and about 36,000 residents. Despite its small size of country, however, Hilti Corporation doesn't view its location as a liability in its business strategy. Hilti is a global leading provider of professional power tools in building, mining, civil engineering etc. Also, Hilti is a firm with a clear vision to become the leading industry partner for construction professionals and building installations through customer focus, high quality equipment, and tools and systems specially designed for specific jobs. This study considered Hilti as a good case, which verifies that born-conditions, endogenous factors according to Michael Porters diamond model does not decisive role more for international competitiveness of firms. Lessons from Hilti are that in order to obtain and sustain the global competitiveness of small and medium-sized firms in Korean manufacturing sector under high production cost, they have to do actively innovative. Also they can give to customers newer and higher customer-values than competitors in abroad give. The case summarizes that the strategy of Hilti for the global market success is comprised of several factors: Technological and organizational innovation, and a clear customer-value oriented business strategy and its implementation. Innovation and its integration into marketing for the customers value creation is central to Hilti's Success. The present case study is expected to provide insights and implication for many firms in Korea that are seeking to secure global presence and market success.

• Journal of Korea Port Economic Association
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• v.31 no.1
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• pp.51-68
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• 2015

Recently, it has been emphasized that 'marine special economic zone' need to be designated and developed. Therefore, the purpose of this paper is to analyse on successful growth factors of 'marine special economic zone'. This study deals with the terms of three connection success factors which are a firm's subjective factors, a industrial environment factors, and a governmental policy factors. According to analysis results of the three successful growth factors, a firm's subjective factors(4.11 score) are scored at the most ones of the three successful growth factors, to be compared with a industrial environment factors(3.89 score). with a government policy factors(3.72 score). Therefore, first of all, it is important to enhance competitiveness of 'marine special economic zone' through as follows, a firm's subjective factors : (1) to procure concentrated market strategy and real market capacity, (2) to promote customer service, (3) to procure speedy satisfaction of customer needs and confidence, (4) to enhance competitiveness through standing in a trio of connection growth model. And, the next, we have to enhance competitiveness of 'marine special economic zone' through considering a industrial environment factors, that is, sustainable growth of marine industry, clustering of marine industry, expansion of infrastructure, etc., and a government policy factors, that is, leading law improvement and policy of leading 'marine special economic zone' designation and development, etc.,

• Proceedings of the KSR Conference
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• 2010.06a
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• pp.921-932
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• 2010

Metropolitan railway headway is calculated and decided by external conditions such as appropriate level of service and competitiveness rather than passenger demand for the peak time which is based on transport passenger capability of train. On contrast of inter-city urban railways, train time intervals of sub-urban metropolitan railway were fixed more than 20 mins in the peak time which results in low level of convenience. Big gap of headway brings a vicious circle of deteriorating competitiveness and decreasing the number of customers. Also this time gap of train interval results in stagnation of passenger demand, and makes it difficult to reduce headway. This thesis is a basic research to identify headway problems and their solutions of metropolitan railway. This thesis suggests passenger demand and the calculated standard for setting the headway, and reviews the level of passenger crowdedness, the numbers of coach for each train and time-competitiveness. At the last, thesis suggests the need for making headway by means of train services throughout benefit & cost analysis. And it also recommends the improved calculating method of setting up headway considering the different train headway standards by regional situation, flexibility in the number of coaches for a train, government policy to activate railway business and the need for setting up the standard for train service level.

• Journal of the Korean Regional Science Association
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• v.15 no.2
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• pp.155-187
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• 1999

The East Asian Region has experienced remarkable economic growth and transformation of interurban networking over the past three decades, and urban competiti veness for a networking hub in this region has become a critical issue confronting cities. Competitiveness of the Seoul capital region for a networking hub in Northeast Asia is outstripped by other competing cities in East Asia, notwithstanding its geo-politically and geo-economically advantageous location in this region. In this paper, we aim to appraise the Seoul capital region's competitiveness in terms of logistics distribution, financial function and logistics distribution, financial function and agglomeration of transnational corporations (especially of RHOs and other managerial functions), and to advance the networking strategies of the region for a Northeast Asia hyb. As a result of analysis, we suggest that the Seoul capital region be developed as a Northeast Asian center for regional headquarters or leading global corporations and financial services for being a strategic nodal point in Northeast Asia in the 21st century. A recent survey shows that where to locate an RHQ is influenced by various factors, such as potential market and manufacturing site in the city's hinterland, quality of life, such things as culture, health, safety, education, a well-educated, English-speaking population, reliable air transport, state-of-the-art communications, and an active policy to offer foreign companies generous incentives. The Seoul capital region, which is located at a strategic nodal point advantageous as a springboard for its Northeast Asian hinterland, cannot meet the other conditions mentioned above. To overcome these drawbacks in attracting transnational capital and to create competitiveness as a strategic hub of RHQs in Northeast Asia, it is urgent to initiate a structural reform of the Korean economy, politics, and overall society, to minimize the regulation of FDI, and to provide various incentives for foreign investment. Moreover, we propose the construction of an 'International Business Town' in the Seoul capital region, as a medium to intermediate these strategies and to shape them in a spatial scale. The projected 'International Business Town(IBT)' will be a 'free city' open to international business in which liberal economic activities are guaranteed by special legislation and administration, infrastructures needed for international and improved accessibility to the airport are furnished, and the preference of foreign high-income investors for cultural and living environment are satisfactorily met. IBT is conspicuously differentiated from a raft of other cities' incentives in that it combines deregulation and incentive programs to attract the investment of transnational capital, with a spatial program of offering an urban environment preferred by the high-income investors for cultural and living environment are satisfactorily met. IBT is conspicuously differentiated from a raft of other cities' incentives in that it combines deregulation and incentive programs to attract the investment of transnational capita, with a spatial program of offering an urban environment preferred by the high-income and managerial class. Furthermore, it can be an excellent way of overcoming the xenophobia that has spread among the Korean population by concentrating foreign businesses and their lifestyles in a specific foreign businesses and their lifestyles in a specific zone. In conclusion, 'International Business Town', in line with other legislative and administrative incentive programs, will function as a driving force to make the Seoul capital regional more competitive as a regional business hub in Northeast Asia.

• Journal of the Korean Regional Science Association
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• v.13 no.2
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• pp.55-74
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• 1997

This paper investigates the spatial characteristics of networks, which arise as a firm's strategy to enhance its competitiveness to cope with the changing economic environments characterized by technological changes and increasing competitiveness. The theoretical framework in this study proposes that networks emerge as a firm's strategies to promote its competitiveness through the vertical/horizontal disintegration of the production system. Futhermore, regional industries of networks. The study examines the types of cooperation and the spatial boundary of the computer industry networks in Korea. Questionnaire survey was conducted on 1, 128 computer companies which had more than 10 employees, with 126 questionnaires being used for analysis. In addition, newpaper articles were used to supplement the foregoing work on network characteristics. The review of these articles covers the period from Jan. 1994 to June 1996. Major findings of this study are as follows: The spatial range of cooperative networks varies according to the specific characters of cooperation(R & D, production, and seles). Intralocal networks are being developed in Kangnam and Youido area, the computer industry agglomeration clusres of Seoul. There are the regional differnces in the agents and contents of cooperation. In intra-national R & D and production networks, regional differnces in agglomeratins and non-agglomerations are not detercted. Most networks of this type are found between large firms and small firms. In contrast, foregn R & D and production networks, which are operated mostly by large firms, are found in Kangnam, Youido, and CBD. Intra-national and foreign productino networks are also focused in Kangnam, Youido, and CBD. Small firms are playing an active role in making this type of cooperation possible. In the perspective of localization-globalization, Korean computer industry can be analyzed in two respects: industrial and regional. The localization of small firms and the localization-globalization of large firms' networks are being developed in industrial contexts, while the localization-globalization of agglomerations and the localization of non-agglomerations networks are being developed in regional contexts. As networks for the localization-globalization of industry are growing in agglomerations, interfirm networks could be related to trends in the formation or intensification of industrial agglomerations. industrial agglomeration areas function as a facilitator of localization through subcontracts, intraregional network and interregional network. They also facilitate globalization via foregn networks. In non-agglomeratin areas, localization networks, which are connected with agglomeration areas via subcontracting, interregional R & D. or production cooperation.