• Korean Journal of Human Ecology
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• v.22 no.6
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• pp.673-686
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• 2013

The purpose of this study is to identify consumer needs and sensory evaluation of jacquard fabrics for blind using low melting polyester. Ten kinds of jacquard fabric used for this study were developed. Developed jacquard fabrics were assessed subjectively by 164 consumers using 7-point scale of 22 consumer needs and 43 sensory descriptors. The results were briefly summarized as follows: the most important parameter to choose fabric for blind was 'Easy-use' and the other parameters are 'Lightproof', 'UV-protect', 'Design', 'Price', 'Color', 'Insulation', 'Easy-care'. The image sensibility of jacquard fabrics was explained by six factors: feminine, active, modern, traditional, pure, cozy. Higher preference was found in jacquard fabrics of clear, natural, luxurious, simple, feminine, young, cozy, graceful image. The preference was predicted 38.2% with feminine, modern, pure, cozy, traditional factors. Correlation coefficient between image sensibility factor 1 and preference was 0.437. The 3 factors (feminine, modern, pure)were selected as significant image sensibility affecting preference.

• Asia Marketing Journal
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• v.11 no.2
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• pp.97-119
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• 2009

The growth of international trade and the formation of supranational economic and political trading blocks have noticeably widened the presence on the market of products of different national origins. This has stimulated interest in explaining the Country-of-Origin (COO) role in domestic and international markets and its consequences on consumer behaviour. Since the consumer purchasing decisions can be decisive to the success of a company's strategy in domestic and foreign markets, the objective of this study is to present empirical evidence on the extent to which reputation of firms associated to a certain COO are related to consumer purchase intention. Additionally our study considers ethnocentrism as a variable that partially explains the rejection of imports products based on its foreign origin. The empirical application of the proposed model is related to the purchase of Korean automobiles which represents 5.7% of the national market share in Spain. Structural equation modelling was used to analyse the data collected from 202 personal interviews carried out in a large Spanish region. The results show that reputation of firms associated to a certain COO in an important factor to establish business relationships involving consumers and firms from different countries and increase intentions to purchase Korean products. Additionally, ethnocentric consumers prefer to purchase domestic products rather than foreign imports as an attempt to protect national economy however the negative effect of ethnocentrism is weaker than positive effect of firms reputation of a COO.

• Korean Journal of Human Ecology
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• v.16 no.6
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• pp.1197-1209
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• 2007

The advance of digital contents industry shifts the focus of consumptions; from analogue to digital ones. It gives significant impact on individual life as well as overall society and culture, and it leads to the increased consumption of digital contents. Nevertheless, current digital contents industry fails to secure the sufficient consumer protection systems including relevant rules and laws which regulate the distribution, use, and other transaction activities of digital contents and the efforts, on the part of contents providers, to provide information to consumers and to protect them. Digital contents, by its nature, is different from the existing products so that its nature is likely to cause unique consumer problems totally different from the offline transactions and the electrical transactions of existing products. This study, therefore, aims to identify the possible problems which may be incurred by consumers in their use of digital contents, specify the types of consumer damages, and provide the underlying materials to improve the systems related to digital contents and take legally complementary measures for consumer protection. To identify the types of consumer damages, this study analyzed the results from consumer counselling cases, experts opinion survey, and FGI. For consumer damage cases, this study analyzed the consumer complaints received by open consumer counselling sites of the Korea Consumer Agency and Seoul Electronic Commerce Center. For experts opinion survey, it conducted questionnaire survey of the group of experts from digital contents manufacturers or providers, and those who treated consumer damages directly. For FGI analysis, it organized a panel of students and employees who had used digital contents to understand the types of consumer damages. The results of this study can be summed up as follows. Based on the results from consumer counselling cases, experts opinion survey, and FGI analysis, the consumer damages related to digital contents can be classified, in their nature, into economic or financial damages (25 cases), emotional or psychological ones (15 cases), time-related ones (7 cases), physical ones (4 cases), and privacy-related ones (i.e. leakage of personal data)(3 cases). More specifying the types of damages, damages can be subdivided into contract-, charge-, maintenance-, use-, individual-related ones and other ones. Among them, both contract- and charge-related damages appeared only in the economic or financial damages, whereas user-specific individual damages appeared only in physical and emotional or psychological ones. On the other hand, maintenance- and use-related damages and other ones were observed in both categories of economical or financial damages and time-related ones. Use- and privacy-related damages, in particular, caused emotional or psychological damages.

• Journal of Environmental Health Sciences
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• v.41 no.5
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• pp.314-326
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• 2015

Objectives: This study was conducted to identify the ingredients used in ten consumer product categories and determine hazardous substances among these ingredients. Methods: A total of 542 commercial products in ten consumer product categories were selected. The consumer products were sticker removers, washing machine cleaners, multi-purpose cleaners, mold removers, glass cleaners, chlorinated sanitizers, air conditioner cleaners, disposal cleaners, drain cleaners and disinfectant sprays. The company list was complied from governmental records and a market survey. The respective companies were contacted for a list of ingredients found in the 542 products. Results: The corresponding companies listed 163 ingredients. According to European Union (EU) Directive 67/548/EEC, 38 of the 163 ingredients were classified as dangerous substances. Among these substances, 28 ingredients were hazardous to the skin, 15 were hazardous to the eye, and nine were hazardous if inhaled. Three ingredients were classified as CMR (carcinogenic, mutagenic or toxic for reproduction) substances: liquefied petroleum gases (LPG) with carcinogenicity and mutagenicity, and VM&P naphtha and ligroine with carcinogenicity. Conclusion: Various chemicals, including hazardous substances, were used in consumer products. Risk assessment of consumer products is required in order to protect the population from health risks.

• Journal of Distribution Science
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• v.14 no.12
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• pp.89-97
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• 2016

Purpose - In the major global markets, such as US and China, consumer ethnocentrism has been strengtened and there is a growing need for related study. This research aims to investigate the effects of national pride and national attachment on consumer ethnocentrism, using a nationally representative dataset from 2013 Korean General Social Survey. Based on the reviews of literature in social and political sciences, two dimensions of national pride were considered: national society pride which is based on positive evaluations on the nation's democracy condition or social security system, and national achievement pride which is based on positive evaluations regarding the country's achievements in the areas of technology, art, sports, and so on. Research design, data, and methodology - The authors developed a structural model in which two types of national pride, national society and achievement pride, are proposed to affect national attachment, thus influencing consumer ethnocentrism. 1,294 surveys were used for empirical analysis. The hypotheses were tested by utilizing SPSS 22.0 and AMOS 21.0. The unidimensionality of each construct and the nomological validity were supported from the results of factor analyses and correlation analysis. Results - It was found that both national society pride and national achievement pride have significant and positive effects on national attachment. Consumers who show stronger pride on the social systems or the global achievements of Korea are more likely to remain being a citizen of the country and support the country even in wrong. Also, there was a significant and positive relationship between national attachment and consumer ethnocentrism. Korean consumers who have stronger attachment to Korea tend to express higher ethnocentrism to protect Korean labor market and to promote economic development of the country. Conclusions - The findings of this study showed that companies and government need to emphasize the country's advanced social environments or global competitiveness in technology, sports, art, and so on, to boost national attachment. With a deeper understanding on the relationships among national pride, national attachment, and consumer ethnocentrism, the authors expect that both local and foreign companies in Korea will be able to develop more effective marketing strategies and to achieve sustainable competitive advantage.

• The Journal of Asian Finance, Economics and Business
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• v.8 no.12
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• pp.211-222
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• 2021

Green economy, also known as sustainable economy, is a current development trend in which consumers prefer products that are wholly or partly derived from materials of biological origin since they have become more concerned about their health and the environment in which they live. This study aims to examine consumer behavior toward bio-based products with three key goals in mind. First, it helps to understand the perception of consumers toward Bio-based products. Second, it properly helps consumers be aware of products derived from materials of biological origin so that the consumer can make purchasing decisions to protect their health and contribute to the protection of the environment. Third, the study on consumer behavior towards bio-based products will provide a more accurate view and assessment to companies looking to develop Bio-based products. Based on that, the research is carried out through surveying, collecting data from consumers, and then using the deductive approach, descriptive statistics, and quantitative method analysis. The results demonstrated that a positive relationship and a direct impact are established between the variables of Attitude and Social Norms and the Purchase Intention toward Bio-based products. Furthermore, the findings reveal that customers have positive feelings towards bio-based products in terms of trust, knowledge, and the environment.

• Korean journal of communication and information
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• v.48
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• pp.5-24
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• 2009

This study is aimed to analyze the concept of media consumer and legal principles for consumer movements protection. Based on the concept and legal principles, this research is to review the characteristics of the advertisement boycott campaign. Article 124 of the Constitution prescribes that the state should guarantee the consumer protection movements. According to the Article 4 of the Framework Act on Consumer, consumers have the fundamental right to obtain proper compensation for damages sustained due to use of goods and etc. according to prompt and fair procedure. The type of boycott can be classified into two pattern on the basis of boycott's target or object. They are primary boycott and. secondary boycott. Consumer's boycott independent of primary or secondary, are under the protection of the consumer's right. Media consumers use scarce resources to satisfy their wants and needs to acquire news information and advertising information. Their resources are time and money. Therefore, ads boycott campaign or media boycott campaign is the primary boycott. Consumer's right should be guaranteed to the maximum. The Constitution and consumer protection law should protect the practice of consumer's right, especially consumer's boycott campaign.

• Journal of Dairy Science and Biotechnology
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• v.14 no.1
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• pp.33-42
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• 1996

Food-borne illnesses remain a world-wide public heath problem, Codex food standards, codes of practice and other guidelines protect consumers from unsafe food. Codex Alimentarius helps to reach this goal by combining consumer protection with food production and trade. Codex provides reassurance to anyone anywhere that foods produced according to its codes of hygienic practice and complying with its standards are safe and nutritious and offer adequate health protection. The Codex Alimentarius Commission is a science-based, international organization. Its standards, guidelines and recommendations are recognized world-wide for their vital role in protecting the consumer and facilitation international trade. At the same time they allow food producers, processors and traders access to markets by breaking down artificial nontariff barriers to trade.

• Journal of the Korea Safety Management & Science
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• v.4 no.1
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• pp.81-92
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• 2002

The modern society is changed into mass production, complicated circulation society and mass consuming society because of the development of the fast science technology since the occurrence of the industrial revolution. Also, the human life style is changed into the abundant consumption society because of the appearance of the various products. The society change like the above provide comfortable life to us. but We are facing with danger for the bad food, illegal medicines and bad products. So, To solve the danger like the above, The Product Reliability Law be made. The both The enterprise and consumer need The Product Reliability Law to protect one's own interest. The consumer is claiming to use the product of safety of the resonable price and good quality in modern society, So, 1 studied on countermeasures of domestic enterprise to increase the competitive power of the enterprise according to Product Reliability Law

• Journal of Arbitration Studies
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• v.13 no.2
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• pp.69-102
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• 2004

This paper discusses about the e-commerce and the various types of e-commerce disputes. Through empirical examination on the dispute consideration system and by comparative analysis it is derived out of the weakness of current system and finally some suggestions for improvement. First, it is recommended that the more sophisticated knowledge concerning e-commerce should be proliferated through the existing institutions. For example, disputes for B2C could be managed by the consideration system of consumer dispute consideration in Consumer Protection Board of Korea, while B2B by the arbitration system of the Korean Commercial Arbitration Board. Second, the role of Korea Institute for Electronic Commerce established for the purpose of consideration of e-commerce disputes is much emphasized. For successful achievement, it is necessarily required to reinforce the related laws, systems, institutions and human resources. Finally, it is also suggested that the Korean Commercial Arbitration Board and Consumer Protection Board of Korea fully cover consideration and arbitration, while Korea Institute for Electronic Commerce activates its proper role of consulting and ad hoc arbitration by using electronic information. This study results are how to minimize the disputes and the method of dispute settlement. Therefore, a role of arbitration proposed and emphasized. To protect the dispute in advance, it's suggested to revise rules timely following on technical changes, and emphasized that the dispute has to lead to arbitration settlement not for consuming unnecessary time and finance for enterprises and consumers.