• Title/Summary/Keyword: Customer management

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Korean consumers' attitudes towards organic labels and country-of-origin of organic foods

  • Lee, Hye-Kyoung;Cho, Young-Sang
    • Journal of Distribution Science
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    • v.9 no.1
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    • pp.49-59
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    • 2011
  • Although the South Korean organic food market is in the infancy compared to other industrialized countries, Korean consumers'interest in organic food and retail stores devoting space to organic products have been rapidly increasing. Despite the fact of organic food popularity, the term "organic" is interpreted differently by individuals. As opposed to the US, Japan and the EU where have operated an integrated organic food labelling system, Korea has adopted complex organic labelling systems regulated by several different government bodies. As a result, complicated food labelling standards make consumers confused when purchasing organic foods. Furthermore, in terms of country of origin (COO), it is argued by a lot of researchers that COO effects vary from product to product and from country to country; moreover, other informational cues such as brand and price can influence COO effects. In modern society, COO labelling has been complicated, due to the sourcing, manufacturing and market locations of merchandise spread over the world. Accordingly, the evaluation of COO effects has become complex. In order to examine these issues, a quantitative research was selected to classify the commonfeatures of organic food consumers and construct statistics such as the extent to which people are aware of organic food and COO labellingvia a questionnaire which took place in two cities in Korea with a cluster sample of 161 organic food purchasers. As for the data analysis, one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA), T-tests, bivariate crosstatulations with Cramer's V were conducted,depending on the characteristics of variables and the assumptions the research data need to fit. It has been concluded that in general, Korean organic consumers comprehend the term "organic"in a closer way to the general concept rather than technical term, thus people do not appreciate environmentally labels which include organic food labels, although marital status influence the degree of label awareness, regardless of gender, age, education level and so on. Regarding COO effects on organic food, home organic products were Korean consumers'first choice over those from industrialized countries and developing nations. Specifically, in processed organic product category, domestically cultivated and processed organic products were absolutely preferred to leading national brands produced with imported ingredients and international brands. However, due to a lack of checks of ingredients' COO, consumers tend to purchase a leading national organic food brand, believing that it is a pure organic food sourced domestically. As a consequence, this research has suggested some important managerial implications and future research directions. In order to prevent consumer confusion when buying organic foods, it should be noted that consumers do not comprehend the organic food certifications, due to complicated labelling systems for organic produce and processed organic foods. Therefore, government bodies related to organic food distribution have to know consumers' perception of organic food labels and the significance of customer-oriented labels and reestablish labelling standards. Similarly, public advertising should be followed to raise public awareness of the labelling to enable customers to have the correct information. In addition, not only international marketers but also domestic marketers need to understand COO images and also the influence COO of ingredients has on the image of an organic product.

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Exploratory Study on the Phenomena of Entrepreneurship Education in Food and Agriculture Sectors Focused on Educational Provider Based on the Grounded Theory Approach (근거이론 접근법을 이용한 교육 공급자 관점 농식품 분야 창업교육 현상의 탐색연구)

  • Kim, Young Lag;Seol, Byung Moon
    • Asia-Pacific Journal of Business Venturing and Entrepreneurship
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    • v.13 no.5
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    • pp.73-86
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    • 2018
  • Recently, the trend is an increase in prep and existing entrepreneurs returning to farming, people who take over the business and work on a secondary inauguration, and those who are in the field of processed food or exposing farm arisen from the activation of the sixth industry. However, the fact is that majority of an agricultural education is about production process technology education of farm product and processed food under a government-affiliated organization, so the education for start-up, management, or marketing are scarcely proceeding. Rapidly changing customers' demands and trends, agricultural product and food market opening cause a crisis in the field of agrifood. To turn this crisis into opportunity, return farmers need to be fully qualified as an entrepreneur and enterpriser, so that they improve their business mind-set such as plaining, manufacturing and marketing items in a customer perspective, and have ability to take action against imported goods. Also there is a necessary education to change recognition and enhance their ability as an entrepreneur. This study gives a proposal that an agricultural education should expand and strengthen for practician in the field of agrifood to inspire mind-set, change recognition, and enhance their ability as an entrepreneur, and aim at basically figuring out reality of current agricultural education which has not been systematically studied yet, and also establishing theories associated with that. This study is composed of present state, content, drawback, improvement plan of the current agricultural education intended for five of education managers and instructors who provided various education about inception towards farmers, returning farmers, and prep entrepreneurs who have already started up or get ready to do the business in agrifood field.

A Study on the delivery of brand image information to consumers by telecom companies' SI(Store Identity) (through comparing SI between Korea telecom companies and foreign famous telecom companies) (통신회사의 SI(Store Identity)가 소비자의 브랜드 이미지 정보전달에 관한 연구(한국통신회사 SI와 해외의 유명 통신회사SI 비교를 통하여))

  • Kim, Jong Sung
    • Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society
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    • v.14 no.6
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    • pp.2639-2644
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    • 2013
  • The renewal cycle, which newly decorates stores, has been shortened, as the marketing competition between telecommunication companies has been extended to the stores, due to the rapid increase of mobile phone users and fast replacement cycle of products. The store renewal made by major telecommunication companies, including signboard, has been pushed in order for telecommunication companies to give strong impression about their own brand identity to consumers. Consumers want stores not only to sell cheap and high quality products but also to provide customer experience, by which customers can feel store, product and service and accept them. Especially, since the competition between telecommunication companies is getting tough, it is the current trend that the number of stores is increasing much, and telecommunication companies are recently renewing their stores, with the concept of SI(Store Identity), which changes store image into the incorporated image including interior and exterior, rather than just replacing CI(Corporate Identity), when they renew stores. It can be said that SI(Store Identity) is an important factor, by which companies consistently design visual factors such as interior and sign, and then apply them to the interior and exterior of the stores, and thereby give good store image to consumers, and ultimately have great effect on the increase of sales volume. This kind of activity can be image-controlled by companies' Identity Management, and it can be a very important factor in terms of marketing. In this study, it has an objective to compare and analyze SI of domestic telecommunication companies and foreign telecommunication companies, and then suggest effective SI direction.

The Effect Strategic Alliances on the Performance in Container Liner Shipping Companies (컨테이너 정기선사의 전략적 제휴 특성이 재무적 성과와 비재무적 성과에 미치는 영향)

  • Lim, Jong-Sub
    • Journal of Distribution Science
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    • v.14 no.6
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    • pp.99-106
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    • 2016
  • Purpose - The antecedent to the relationship between the effect of the characteristics of strategic alliances and the performance of container liner shipping companies has been investigated in this study as container liner shipping companies' strategic alliances. It affects positively and negatively home, partner, and the third parties' performance in container liner shipping companies. Extensive literature reviews on shipper's strategic alliances reveal that strategic alliances in financial and non-financial performance of container liner shipping companies show the performance such as economic effects, business performance, global supply chain management performance, customer satisfaction, and forward integration and backward integration performance. The purpose of this study is to test empirically that the relationship between the characteristics of strategic alliances and financial and non-financial performance in container liner shipping companies. Structured equation modeling and confirmatory factor analysis were used to test the hypothesis using AMOS statistics program. Most previous researches focused on the relationship between the characteristics of strategic alliances and alliance types. There are few empirical studies that focus on business performance data because it is difficult to collect data in container liner shipping companies. However, this research measures financial and non-financial performance differently compared with the previous researches focusing on the characteristics of strategic alliances and alliance types measurements. Research design, data, and methodology - The conceptual model for the study is based on the studies of Lim (2010), Chen & Zhen (2009), and Wang & Meng (2014). The model is built around the factors of characteristics of strategic alliances and business performance. Cost, marketing, and service factors are regarded as proxy for the characteristics of strategic alliances. The financial and non-financial performance are regarded as proxy for the performance of strategic alliances. Based on the analysis of one hundred cases such as forwarder, shipper, and liner shipping companies, this study uses structural equation modeling to verify the effects of the characteristics of strategic alliances on business performance. Conclusions - This study provides container liner shipping companies to get some policy and practical implications in terms of the characteristics of strategic alliances and business performance. First, the cost factor for alliances characteristics has a positively significant influence on the financial and non-financial performance of strategic alliances. The cost factor relationship between high and low performance group does not have a significant difference on the performance of strategic alliances. Second, the marketing factor of alliances characteristics has a positively significant influence on the financial and non-financial performance of strategic alliances. The high performance group's marketing factor has a great non-financial performance than low performance group, but the low performance group's marketing factor has a grater financial performance than high performance group factor does. Third, the service factor of alliances characteristics has a negative influence on the non-financial performance of strategic alliances. The high performance group's service factor has a great non-financial performance than low performance group. Based on the findings from this study, related implications and future avenues deserve to be discussed.

An Analysis of Purchase Behaviors of Department Store Users based on Types of Preference for Luxury Brands (백화점 이용고객의 명품브랜드 선호도 유형에 따른 구매행태 분석)

  • Sun, Zhong-Yuan;Na, Seung-Hwa
    • Journal of Distribution Science
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    • v.11 no.10
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    • pp.5-15
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    • 2013
  • Purpose - With the increase in fervor to purchase luxury brands, new social problems have arisen, such as excessive preoccupation with luxury brands and high preference for forged luxury goods. Therefore, the issues related to luxury brands, termed "Luxury Syndrome," have emerged as an area of great interest for researchers and practitioners. However, previous studies neglect to categorize this preference for luxury brands. Therefore, this study aims to identify the different purchasing behaviors of consumers using the types of luxury brands preferences as parameters. Research design, data, and methodology - This study arranges a causal relationship model assuming that purchase behaviors positively (+) affect typified preference for luxury brands and purchase intentions. We administered a questionnaire survey to the purchasers who bought luxury brands from department stores to secure additional data necessary to verify the hypotheses in this study. We then processed the data using SPSS 19.0. We further analyzed the basic data using frequency and descriptive statistical analysis, and verified the measurement tools through feasibility and reliability analyses. Moreover, this study uses multiple regression analysis to verify the hypotheses. Further, this study tests the path effect between luxury brand purchase attitude and purchase behavior, with non-intrinsic preference and intrinsic preference as the mediating variables. Results - Based on the results, the impact of tendencies of conspicuous consumption and self-monitoring on non-intrinsic preference was significantly positive (+), while the impact of tendencies of pursuit of a reference group, conspicuous consumption, and self-monitoring on intrinsic preference and purchase intentions was significantly positive (+). Further, non-intrinsic and intrinsic preferences positively (+) influence purchase intentions and the impact of non-intrinsic preference took an absolute portion. However, the tendency of dependence on brands negatively (-) impacts purchase intentions. The results showed that self-monitoring and conspicuous consumption tendencies have greater effect on purchase intention, which is mediated by non-intrinsic preference. In contrast, reference group following tendency has a greater effect on purchase intention, which is mediated by intrinsic preference. Conclusions - Based on the results, the study verifies that the consumption of luxury brands in Korea has not yet entered the settling period. The tendency for conspicuous consumption and the tendency for pursuit of the reference group were relatively important aspects for the consumers who prefer luxury brands non-intrinsically and intrinsically, respectively. Especially, it was found that the purchase intentions for forged brands originate from the tendency to depend on brands. Based on these findings, this study suggests the measures to develop and mature the luxury brands market, and reinforce marketing performance at the three levels, that is, government, distributors, and manufacturers. The luxury brands manufacturers should devote themselves to the production and design of products to catch the attention of mature consumers of luxury brands. The luxury brands distributors should then raise the level of Customer Relationship Management (CRM) for opinion leaders. Finally, the Government should prepare effective policies for the development of luxury brands and provide a variety of economic support.

Survey on Status of Operation of After-School Science Activities in Elementary School - Focus on Elementary School Parents' Perception in Gyeonggi Province (초등학교 방과후 과학관련 특기적성 운영 실태 조사 - 경기지역 초등학교 학부모 인식을 중심으로)

  • Park, ChulSun;Kwon, Nanjoo
    • Journal of Science Education
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    • v.38 no.3
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    • pp.490-508
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    • 2014
  • The objective of this study is to describe the status of operation of after-school science activities in elementary school and offer suggestions for the activation of such programs by targeting parents who participated in an open class, and examining their recognition of the program. To achieve this, announcement sheets for after-school science activities in 809 elementary schools in Gyeonggi-do were collected to examine the class names, class fees, material costs, and management status of class hours. In addition, 36 parents who participated in an open class were targeted, and their recognition of the program was analyzed using the results of a questionnaire. A draft of the questionnaire was developed by revising and complementing the 2013 customer satisfaction survey of the living science class of the Korea Foundation for the Advancement of Science & Creativity. The final questionnaire was completed by consulting 1 science education professor and 12 Master's candidates in science education for advice on the validity of the questionnaire content and terminology. The collected data were analyzed using a statistical program. Based on the results of the study, the following suggestions are proposed for the activation of after-school science activities in elementary school. First, the needs of education consumers (parents) should be identified and reflected persistently to activate after-school science activities in elementary school. Second, a science program that reflects the demand and choice of education consumers (parents) needs to be developed for the continuous activation of after-school science activities in elementary school.

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The Relationship between Offline Trust and Online Transaction in Internet Banking (인터넷 뱅킹에서 오프라인 신뢰와 온라인 거래의 관계)

  • Lee, Woong-Kyu
    • Asia pacific journal of information systems
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    • v.17 no.2
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    • pp.29-47
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    • 2007
  • Owing to the rapid growth of using the Internet, not only click-and-mortar companies but also brick-and-mortar ones have been expanding their distribution channels into online, Moreover, since online channels are more attractive than offline ones in control and maintenance, switching customers into online ones is emerged as one of very important managerial issues in a view of reduction of cost as well as expansion of services. However, the switched customers should be faced by uncertainties which could not have been experienced in offline. Specifically, in online channels, buyers and sellers are separated temporally and spacially and there are always so many kinds of threat for security as well as not enough systems and conventions for them yet. Therefore, trust has been considered as one of the most critical mechanisms for resolution of such uncertainties in online transactions. However, it is not easy to build and maintain the relationships in online since most of them are virtual and indirect generally. Therefore, in order to switch offline customers into online ones, it is very important to make strategies based on identification of the relationship between online transaction and offline trust which has been built in offline business. Generally offline trust, which has been built independent of online, could not include trust for online-dependent activities such as payment security during or after transactions, while most of online trust include it. Therefore, a customer with high offline trust does not always perceive high security and assure safe transactions. Accordingly, while online trust, where technical capabilities for online security is one of main bases, includes control trust implicitly or explicitly, offline trust does not. However. in spite of such clear discrimination and independence between offline trust and perceived security, there can be the significant dependency between these two beliefs. The customers with high offline trust believe that the company would do some activities for online security for customers' safe transactions since it has been believed of doing well for customers' trust. Theoretically, users' perception of security is interpreted as a kind of control trus, which is trust for company's technical control capacities in order to resolve technical uncertainties in online. Therefore, the relationship between two beliefs can be considered as transference from offline trust to another type trust. that is, control trust. The objective of this study is to analyze the effect of offline trust on online transaction uses mediated by perceived security. For this purpose, we suggest a research model based on technology acceptance model (TAM). Reuse intention is adopted as a dependent variable and TAM is modified by adding perceived risk (PR) as well as two beliefs of using Internet banking, perceived usefulness (PU) and perceived ease of use (PEOU). Moreover, perceive security (PS) is adopted as an external variable for PR and PU, while offline trust (OT) is an antecedent of PS. For an empirical test, sampling from 108 visitors to the banks in Daegu, Korea, we analyze our model by partial least square (PLS) approach. In result, our model is shown to explain 51.4% of the variance in reuse intention and all hypothesis are supported statistically. A theoretical implication of this study is to identify a role of PS between offline trust and reuse intention of using online transaction services. According to our result, PS can be considered as a mediation variable for bridging between two different concepts: trust that explains social aspects of customers and companies, and TAM that explains customers' reuse intention.

Determinants and Performance of Port Logistics Service Quality (항만물류서비스품질의 결정요인과 성과분석)

  • Park, Jung-Hee;Woo, Su-Han
    • Journal of Korea Port Economic Association
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    • v.31 no.3
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    • pp.15-39
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    • 2015
  • This paper investigates the determinants of port service quality from a resources-based approach. The research model is derived from the relevant literature in port management, service quality, and resource-based theory. It is hypothesized that tangible and intangible resources contribute to port service quality, which in turn leads to the enhancement of reputation and loyalty to ports. To test this, a questionnaire survey is undertaken on three major ports in Korea: Busan, Incheon, and Gwangyang; the collected data are then analyzed using partial least squares. It is suggested that both tangible resources and intangible resources have a positive influence on general service quality and that general service quality has a positive influence on customer satisfaction, thus improving port reputation and loyalty. The contribution to the literature is that resource-based theory is applied to a port service quality model and the model is verified. In addition, an augmented model is adopted to examine the effect of individual resources on service quality. It is also possible for port managers to use the constructs to monitor their resources and develop more specific strategies to gain reputation and loyalty from customers.

A Study on Effects of Internal Marketing on Secretaries' Job Satisfaction and Organizational Commitment in IT Companies (IT기업의 내부마케팅이 비서직의 직무만족과 조직몰입에 미치는 영향에 관한 연구)

  • Kim, Kyung-Hwa
    • Journal of the Korea Society of Computer and Information
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    • v.16 no.6
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    • pp.187-194
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    • 2011
  • The purpose of this study was to analyze the effects of internal marketing on job satisfaction and organizational commitment of secretaries working in IT based companies. Especially, to analyze the effects of internal marketing on secretaries in IT companies, this study has adopted job specialization rather than the comprehensive market point of internal customers. Through the analysis, the following results were obtained: firstly, internal marketing factors such as effectiveness of communication, various compensation systems, and chance of educational training have positive effects on job satisfaction and organizational commitment. Secondly, job satisfaction has no impact on organizational commitment. To be able to satisfy external customers through internal marketing, communication skills has be to improved between the workers in the company, and also various compensation systems and educational training should be provided more extensively. The secretary in the company is considered a vital link between the company and customer service. In this view, the result of this study is expected to provide some managerial strategies to decision maker in the company to establish a way to increase the satisfaction and needs of internal customers in applying internal marketing.

Convergence Study on Relationship between Workplace Violence and Mental Health for Subway Workers (지하철 근로자의 직장 내 폭력과 정신건강과의 관련성에 대한 융복합 연구)

  • Choi, Suk-Kyong
    • Journal of Digital Convergence
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    • v.14 no.11
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    • pp.379-388
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    • 2016
  • This study was aimed at identifying the actual state of workplace violence based on a survey conducted to 876 subway workers in Seoul and determining the relationship between workplace violence and mental health of workers. Data were collected via web site, using a structured questionnaire and for the analysis of the data, a multiple linear regression analysis was carried out by the statistical program SPSS 20.0. According to the results, the perpetrators of violence turned out to be "passengers" in all types of workplace violence: physical violence, verbal violence, sexual harassment and disregard for personality. As for the relationship between workplace violence and the mental health of the workers, statistically significant differences were shown between all the above mentioned workplace violence types and sub-areas of mental health. Also, as for the impact of workplace violence on the mental health of the workers, significant differences were found in physical violence, sexual harassment and disregard for personality, with 8.3 percent of explanatory power. Based on these findings, the study suggests the establishment and the application of customer interaction guidelines to protect subway workers from workplace violence along with specific measures customized for each work environment to prevent violence.