• Journal of Distribution Science
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• v.13 no.1
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• pp.83-91
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• 2015

Purpose - Despite the structural irrationality of multi-level transportation and the oil price rise, the domestic freight transportation market continues to grow, mirroring the rise in e-commerce and resultant increase in courier services and freight volumes. Several studies on courier services have been conducted. However, few studies or statistics have been published regarding regular freight services although they have played a role in the freight service market. The present study identifies the characteristics of regular freight service users to seek competitiveness enhancement measures specific to regular freight services. Research design, data, and methodology - IPA is a comparative analysis of the relative importance of and satisfaction with each attribute simultaneously. This study used IPA because it facilitates the process of analyzing importance and performance, deriving implications and a visual understanding of results. To enhance the competitiveness of regular freight services, this study surveyed its current users regarding the importance of the regular freight service factors. A total of 200 copies of a questionnaire were circulated and 190 copies were returned. In addition to demographics, respondents answered questions about the importance of and satisfaction with services on a 5-point Likert scale. Excluding 3 inappropriate copies, 187 out of 190 copies were analyzed. PASW Statistics 18 was used for statistical analysis. A total of 20 question items were selected for the service factors presented in the questionnaire based on the 1st pilot survey and previous studies. Results - According to the IPA performed to compare the importance of and satisfaction with service factors, both importance and satisfaction are high in the 1st quadrant, which involves the economic advantage of using regular freight services, quick arrival at destinations, weight freight handling, and less time constraints on freight receipt/dispatch. This area requires continuous management. Satisfaction is higher than importance in the 2nd quadrant, which involves the adequacy of freight, cost savings over ordinary courier services, notification on freight arrival, and freight tracking information. This area requires intensive investment and management. Satisfaction is lower than importance in the 3rd quadrant, involving the credit card payment system, courier delivery service, distance to freight handling sites, easy access to freight handling sites, and prompt problem solving. This area requires further intensive management. Both importance and satisfaction are low in the 4th quadrant, involving the availability of collection service, storage space at freight handling sites, kindness of collection/delivery staff, kindness of outlet staff, and easy delivery checks. This area is a set of variables should be excluded from priority control targets. Conclusions - Based on the IPA, service factors that need priority controls because of high importance and low satisfaction include the credit card payment system, delivery service, distance to freight handling sites, easy access to freight handling sites, and prompt problem solving. The findings need to be applied to future marketing strategies for regular freight services and for developing competitiveness enhancement programs.

• Journal of Distribution Science
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• v.10 no.8
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• pp.25-34
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• 2012

Understanding customer' lifestyles important for banks because it will guide in determining marketing policies, such as services, pricing, service delivery and promotion decisions. From the customer' lifestyle, banks will know what kind of customers' attitudes, interests and opinions, so they also will understand what the costumer' needs and what services needed by them. For Islamic banks, customers understanding are important because, nowadays, the competition of the banks is not only with other Islamic banks but also with the well-established conventional banks offering Islamic products or services The aims of this research paper are to describe what factors underline the customer's lifestyle of both Islamic and conventional bank, to segment the bank customers based on their lifestyles and investigate the profile of each segments, to compare the characteristics of the segments, and to identify marketing policies based on the characteristics. The population of the study is banking customers in Indonesia, in which the researchers have used judgment sampling as sample selection. There were 186 customers of Islamic banks and 244 customers of conventional bank as respondents in this study. Statistical methods employed were exploratory factor analysis and cluster analysis. The finding of the study shows that there are twelve factor underlining the customers' lifestyle, namely: factor of fashion conscious, internet usage, sports spectator, financial and technology optimism, price sensitivity, independent, compulsive housekeeper, new brand tryer community activities, opinion leader, credit usage, and homebody. In addition, for Islamic banking, there are two market segments, namely fashionable-independent and innovative-social segment. Based on the lifestyle characteristics, the first segment has higher level in factor of fashion conscious, homebody, independent, optimism and price conscious, which is therefore called fashionable-independent segment. On the other hand, the second cluster has higher level in factor of new brand tryer, community minded, sport spectator, credit user, internet usage, opinion leader, and compulsive housekeeper, which is therefore called the innovative-social segment. Furthermore, for conventional banking, there are also two segments, namely persuasive-optimistic and sensitive-independent segment. The first segment has higher level on some factors, namely: opinion leader, optimism, internet usage rate, credit usage level, sport spectator, and new brand tryer. On the other hand, the second cluster is characterized by higher level in factor of price conscious, confidence, community minded, homebody, fashion conscious, and compulsive housekeeper. Managerial implications for the management of Islamic banks could be identified in this study as follows. Firstly, the twelve lifestyle factors of this study could be an alternative view in observe Islamic banking customers. The domination of both the fashionable conscious and the internet usage factor show that the aspects are quite instrumental in perceiving the customer' lifestyles, in which reflects the importance of these two aspects to customers. Secondly, in serving their customers, Islamic banks need to understand the customer lifestyle, in which the lifestyle segments found in this study provide a guide of how their needs were reflected. Finally, by understanding the segments and the characteristics each segment of the conventional banks, Islamic banks could adjust their marketing strategies differently from the conventional banks.

• Journal of dental hygiene science
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• v.8 no.4
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• pp.299-304
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• 2008

Lately, national hygiene & medical environment and its demand aspect have been rapidly changing, and market opening of hygiene and medical sector is accelerating. Due to the change in labor resulting from the wide range of change in industrial structure and the steady decrease in university applicants, most of colleges and universities have been strongly urged to establish hygiene medical manpower training courses or relative courses, which leaves the medical technician training courses in 4 year universities on the robust increase. Consequently, the medical technicians, graduating from 3 year colleges without bachelor's degree due to shortage of 20 credits for acquisition of degree, have had to compete with the graduates from 4 year universities and the bachelor's degree has been in continuous demand for the medical technicians of 3 year college. In the research for recognition of Credit Bank System prevalent across the colleges, enabling the systematic acquisition of bachelor's degree, 60.9% among the respondents are aware of Credit Bank System, and 46.9% are aware that Advanced Major Course is induced in the near future. Hence, there shall be active promotions of various programs allowing acquisition of bachelor's degree in the colleges. The social change in recognition of colleges by inducement of the two programs may authorize the college to have the scholastic attainments equivalent to the 4 year university, and the political initiative shall be deliberated across over the government and the academic world.

• The Korean Journal of Financial Management
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• v.25 no.2
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• pp.33-68
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• 2008

The purpose of this paper is to test the market timing hypothesis and impact of macro economic variables on capital structure choice as well as the traditional static trade-off and pecking order theories of capital structure in a integrated framework. Through a two stage test of target capital structure and capital structure choice, none of theories was consistently supported, but most of them were partly supported. In the first stage analysis of target ratio, coefficients of firm-specific variables generally supported the predictions of pecking order theory rather than those of the static trade-off theory. However, the result of the second stage test on capital structure choice supported the hypothesis of the static trade-off theory, which claims that firms usually set and pursue the target leverage ratio. Further, the result of the seconde stage shows that a simple pecking oder theory does not hold because firms with deficit of internal fund tend to issue bonds rather than stocks to raise outside fund. Also, the result indicates that the market timing hypothesis holds because firms with over-valued stocks tend to issue stocks rather than bonds. However, contrary to Korajczyk and Levy(2003), the impact of macro economic variables such as term or credit spreads on capital structure choice was negligible, and the impact of macro economic and market timing hypothesis variables were not greater in financially unconstrained firms as Korajczyk and Levy(2003) suggested.

• Environmental and Resource Economics Review
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• v.23 no.2
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• pp.157-185
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• 2014

The Kyoto Protocol has extended its life until 2020 by the decision at COP18 in Doha, Qatar in 2012. So has the Kyoto Mechanism of CDM, JI, and ETS. Nonetheless, the sustainability of CDM projects is jeopardized by the recent rule changes in the international emissions trade market such as EU ETS and the price decrease in emission credits. In particular, the domestic CDM projects reducing non-$CO_2$ GHG emissions are being directly affected. This study examines the trend of carbon credit price change in the international market. It also examines how the rule changes in the international emissions trade market have affected domestic non-$CO_2$ CDM projects through which mechanisms. The policy implications drawn from this study is two-fold: it suggests how the government can assist the project developers in utilizing GHG emission reduction technologies and the market in promoting investment environment before the domestic ETS enters into effect in 2015; apart from possible measures within ETS, an additional measures such as bilateral carbon offset system is suggested to help the private sector reduce uncertainty in investment and increase options to choose.

• KEPCO Journal on Electric Power and Energy
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• v.2 no.1
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• pp.133-141
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• 2016

Although construction of any new nuclear power projects had not been launched since mid-1970s until recently in the USA, many new nuclear power plants have been constructed in many countries with the support of their governments mainly as part of their national energy security and electric source diversification policies. For many reasons, the nuclear power industry seemed to reclaim their renaissance from the beginning of this century and the investment in the nuclear power projects draw positive concern from the private financial sector. But the global financial crisis in 2008 and subsequent economic slow-down together with tighter bank credit regulations caused commercial banks, the main source of financing, to lose appetite for investing in new nuclear power projects. But the nuclear power economics shows that the nuclear power is viable in terms of the environmental benefit and long-term average cost compared to other power generation sources. Also doubt about nuclear power safety was much mitigated due to technology development and reinforced safety-related tests and monitoring. Therefore, the prospect for nuclear power market expansion remains positive although there are comparatively big differences among different scenarios. After Korea Electric Power Corp. won the UAE nuclear power project in December of 2009, the competition in nuclear power markets is undergoing huge changes. Competitors backed by the support of their own governments are now entering the market with many aggressive and innovative financing packages to win bids of new nuclear power projects. This report analyzed the nuclear power market prospects, competitive edges of nuclear power, risk management measures, and financing challenges and recommends alternative solutions to promote competitive edges in winning bids of new nuclear power projects.

• Journal of Digital Convergence
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• v.16 no.12
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• pp.175-183
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• 2018

This study analyzes determinants of bond returns in terms of systematic risk versus idiosyncratic risk by examining relationship among those factors. First we examined the cross-sectional determinants of corporate bond returns with Korean bond market data from 2001 to 2014. This paper uses term factor and default factor for systematic risk, and duration factor and credit rating factor for idiosyncratic risk. The empirical result shows that systematic risk can explain cross-sectional differences of bond returns rather than idiosyncratic risk which is the same result in advanced markets(US or Europe). This result is different from the previous Korean studies which showed that idiosyncratic risk is more important than systematic risk in Korean bond market. The reason for the different result may be the longer sample period which includes the most recent period. It is insisted that Korean bond market is getting more synchronized with the advanced bond market. In conclusion, this empirical result implies that Korean bond portfolio managers should focus on systematic risk, which is contrary to current system in Korean asset management industry.

• Korean small business review
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• v.41 no.4
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• pp.87-110
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• 2019

The structural and sustainable implementation of the microfinance policy is required to be successful. To this end, the government should focus on availability and accessibility of the public microfinance, away from providing the beneficial financing (financial benefits)featured by the combination of the welfare and finance in the past. In addition, the government-sponsored microfinance needs to aim for performance-oriented evaluation that leads to stabilization of financial life of ordinary people or increase of income, moving away from conventional funding based on the scale and the quantity for the poor. It is necessary to implement the following policies in order for the Moon's administration to take the government-sponsored microfinance to the next level. The government-sponsored microfinance must be in the market failure domain, but nonetheless, it is required to be managed by structural and sustainable ways so that it complies with the market principles and does not crowd out the private microfinance. Last but not least, making the best use of the capital market function can be a way to fund social enterprises or social economy enterprises. This aims to enable catalyst capital in the capital market to play a prime role for the inflow of private capital for the purpose of creating the social value.

• East Asian Journal of Business Economics (EAJBE)
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• v.6 no.3
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• pp.1-15
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• 2018

Purpose - This study investigates the effect of MNEs' characteristics on the use of foreign currency denominated debt in the context of Korean firms. This study examines the relationship between MNEs and the use of foreign debt focusing on the accessibility to the capital market in addition to the motive of hedging against foreign exchange exposure. Research design and methodology - Probit estimation is employed for estimating significant factors in determination of the use of foreign debt by firms. The dependent variable is a dummy variable to indicate whether a firm uses foreign debt or not at the end of 2004. Independent variables include foreign subsidiaries ratio, export to sale, R&D expenditure to sale, and credit rating. Results - The results show that the interaction between the level of internationalization represented by intra-regional diversification and the strategic characteristics embedded in the region of entry affects the use of foreign debt. In case of a high level of diversification within the developing region with a strong pursuit of asset exploitation, MNEs are more likely to use foreign debt, whereas a high level of diversification within the developed region with a strong pursuit of asset seeking, MNEs are less likely to use foreign debt. Conclusions - The differences between MNEs in terms of intra-regional diversification, strategic orientation, and the accessibility to capital markets as well as the hedging motive affect the use of foreign debt.

• Korean Journal of Construction Engineering and Management
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• v.19 no.2
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• pp.96-106
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• 2018

The government adopted activation policy of real estate to overcome low economic growth rate. Real estate activation plan adopted by the government raised credit limit by lowering the regulation, and reduced real estate investment cost by reducing the base rate. Also, delayed transfer tax on multi-house owner to activate real estate investment and resolved purchase right resale. Relief of real estate regulate caused increase of housing sales and price increase, and the real estate market changed to overheating aspect such as premium upon completion of lot sale in a short time. Such market atmosphere greatly increased household debs as owners own houses based on 'financial debt' instead of their income. Since 2017, real estate policy was reinforced to reduce household debts and lending rate was raised due to rise of base rate, accordingly, burden of household debt is expected to increase. This research suggested a plan for the Financial Supervisory Service to efficiently manage the financial world by analyzing the cause and problem of household debs.