• Asia pacific journal of information systems
• /
• v.23 no.3
• /
• pp.131-154
• /
• 2013

New internet technologies have created a revolutionary new platform which allows consumers to make decision about product price and quality quickly and provides information about themselves through the transcript of online reviews. By expressing their feelings toward products or services on virtual opinion platforms, users extend their influence into cyberspace as electronic word-of-mouth (e-WOM). Existing research indicates that an impact of eWOM on the consumer decision process is influential. For both academic researchers and practitioners, investigating this phenomenon of information sharing in online website is essential given the increasing number of consumers using them as sources of purchase decisions. It is worthwhile to examine the extent to which opinion seekers are willing to accept and adopt online reviews and which factors encourage adoption. Discerning the most motivating aspects of information adoption in particular, could help electronic marketers better promote their brand and presence on the internet. The objectives of this study are to investigate how online WOM influences a persons' purchase decision by discovering which factors encourage information adoption. Especially focused on the self-efficacy, this research investigates how self-efficacy affects on information usefulness and adoption of online information. Although people are exposed to same review or comment about product or service, some accept the reviews while others do not. We notice that accepting online reviews mainly depends on the person's preference or personal characteristics. This study empirically examines this issue by using cognitive dissonance theory. Specifically, in the movie industry, we address few questions-is always positive WOM generating positive effect? What if the movie isn't the person's favorite genre? What if the person who is very self-assertive so doesn't take other's opinion easily? In these cases of cognitive dissonance, is always WOM generating same result? While many studies have focused on one direct of WOM which indicates positive (or negative) informative reviews or comments generate positive (or negative) results and more (or less) profits, this study investigates not only directional properties of WOM but also how people change their opinion towards product or service positive to negative, negative to positive through the online WOM. An experiment was conducted quantitatively by using a sample of 168 users who have experience within the online movie review site, 'Naver Movie'. Users were required to complete a survey regarding reviews and comments taken from the real movie page. The data reflected user's perceptions of online WOM information that determined users' adoption level. Analysis results provide empirical support for the proposed theoretical perspective. When user can't agree with the opinion of online WOM information, in other words, when cognitive dissonance between online WOM information and users' preference occurs, perceived self-efficacy significantly decreases customers' perception of usefulness. And this perception of usefulness plays an important role in determining users' intention to adopt online WOM information. Most of researches have been concentrated on characteristics of online WOM itself such as quality or vividness of information, credibility of source and direction of online WOM, etc. for describing effect of online WOM, but our results suggest that users' personal character (e.g., self-efficacy) plays decisive role for acceptance of online WOM information. Higher self-efficacy means lower possibility to accept the information that represents counter opinion because of cognitive dissonance, whereas the people that have lower self-efficacy are willing to accept the online WOM information as true and refer to purchase decision. This study suggests a model for understanding role of direction of online WOM information. Also, our result implicates the importance of online review supervision and personalized information service by confirming switching opinion negative to positive is more difficult than positive to negative through the online WOM information. This implication would help marketers to manage online reviews of their products or services.

• Neonatal Medicine
• /
• v.18 no.1
• /
• pp.70-75
• /
• 2011

Purpose: Recently, the incidence of preterm and low birth weight infants (LBWI) is increasing, even though the birth rate is continuously low in Korea. Despite that change, there continues to be a deficit of beds in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU). This study is based on the 2009 Korean Statistical Information Service that examined the development of a Korean NICU service and the survival rate of preterm infants by regionally analyzing the rate of total live births, preterm infants, LBWI, and NICU beds in Korea. Methods: Data were obtained from the Korean Health Insurance Review and Assessment Service and Korean Statistical Information Service. We confirmed the regional total live birth rate, number of LBWI, and preterm infants and NICU numbers, and all of the results were compared to the average value to determine deficient areas of NICU beds. Results: There were 25,374 (5.7%) preterm infants and 21,954 (4.9%) LBWI in the total number of live births (444,849) in 2009, and regions of high proportion compared to the mean value were Busan, Daegu, and Ulsan. Total NICU beds totaled 1,284, and regions of high rates preterm infants and LBWI per 1 NICU bed compared to the mean value were Incheon, Daegu, Ulsan, etc. The NICU holding rate was 87.5% (1,284/1,468), which was increased from 2005. However, there were still shortages of 184 NICU beds (12.5%), especially in Gyeonggi-do, which lacked 157 beds. Conclusion: High risk neonates difficult to transfer, and they need immediate and continuous treatment. As a result, a foundation of well-balanced, national NICU regionalization is necessary. This study suggested that more NICU facilities must be implemented, and clinicians should realize the continuing deficiency of NICU beds in cities and provinces.

• Journal of Nutrition and Health
• /
• v.35 no.4
• /
• pp.480-488
• /
• 2002

This study was performed to document the association between obesity, a major risk factor for chronic diseases, and dietary pattern in Korean elderly. The subjects were 595 men and women aged 60-89 years. The subjects were classified into 4 groups based on BMI: under weight, BMI < 18.5, normal weight, 18.5 $\leq$ BMI 22.9; overweight, 23.0 BMI 24.9; and obese BMI $\geq$ 25.0. Dietary intakes by 24-hr recall, blood pressure, anthropometric parameters and health eating index (HEI) were measured. Underweight group was excluded for data analysis doe to small number of subjects, and age-adjusted measurements were compared among normal, overweight and obese groups. The mean anthropometric values for males and females were 23.7 and 24.8 kg/$m^2$ for BMI, 0.90 and 0.86 for WHR and 140.7 and 138.8 mmHg for SBP, respectively. The mean intakes of energy, Ca, vitamin A, vitamin B$_2$, and vitamin E did not meet Korean RDA for elderly. Intakes of fat and cholesterol were low: the percent energy from fat for male and female subjects were 19.1% and 18.1% and mean cholesterol intakes were 208 mg and 152 mg, respectively. Judging by HEI score, dietary quality was better in females than in male subjects. The mean BMI of normal, over and obese groups were 21.4, 23.9, 26.7 kg/$m^2$ in male subjects and 21.6, 23.9, 27.1 kg/$m^2$ in female subjects. WHR, SBP and TSF were increased with increasing BMI No association was found between BMI and nutrient intakes and/or food consumption pattern. However, a tendency was shown that the overweight group reported higher intakes in most nutrients compared to normal and obese groups. This study implies that with increasing BMI, anthropometric risk factors, such as WHR, TSF, and blood pressure were Increased, however, no significant differences were found in nutrient intakes and food patterns. Energy and fat intakes do not seem to be a cause for obesity in Korean elderly.

• Journal of Korean Society of Forest Science
• /
• v.87 no.2
• /
• pp.131-144
• /
• 1998

Understanding of the reasons why users in recreation settings select particular trails may provide useful information for effective recreation resources management. This study investigated the present use of the major trails in Mudeung-san Provincial Park and the major influential factors on trail selection. This study was conducted in Mudeung-san Provincial Park stretching over Hwasun-gun and Damyang-gun of Chonnam Province and Kwang-ju city during August in 1996. Data were collected through on-site survey and mail-back questionnaire. 519(44.2%) out of 1173 survey samples were used for analysis. Reasons for selecting a particular trail were classified into 8 major factors. In overall, the order of the importance degree of the factors was 1) aesthetics of landscape, 2) safety(from physical and crime), 3) conditions for health, 4) quietness, 5) familiarity, 6) on the way to the destination, 7) convenience/social, 8) others' intention. There were differences in the degree of importance of each factor depending on trails, users' characteristics(eg., gender, age, group size, visit experience, etc.) and users' behavioral patterns. Recreation motivations were classified into 5 major factors. The order of the importance degree of the factors was 1) contacting with nature, 2) self-training, 3) solitude, 4) social interaction, 5) appreciating cultural properties. Regardless of trails, 'contacting with nature' was the most important factor, and the degree of importance in the other 4 motivational factors showed only a little differences in order according to the trails. There were correlations between major factors for trail selection and recreation motivations. The results of this study may provide foundational information for establishing effective management strategies through better understanding of the present use of trails and influential factors on trail selection. It can be used for reducing the present social and ecological problems caused by use concentration on certain trails and providing users with better quality of diverse recreational experiences. This study discussed the findings, and suggested some management strategies based on these information.

• Journal of Korean Academy of Nursing
• /
• v.16 no.3
• /
• pp.38-66
• /
• 1986

Based on the statistical data of FKMIS during five years from 1981 to 1985, the major findings of studying on the treatments of employee's modical insurance covered people were made as follows. 1. During five years, the total number of trratment case was increased 25.14% annually, and so doubled. The consultation rate was increased from 2.086 to 2.856, showng annual increase of 8.17% and total increase of 36.91%. In the cafe, of in-patient, the rate was from 0.056 to 0.602, . showing annual increase of 2.58%. And in out-patient, the rate was from, 2.030 to 2.794, showing annual increase of 8.31%. The male: female ratio of treatment case was changed from 1 : 1.1 to 1 : 1.2. 2. Case of chronic disease was on the increase .every year. The ratio of medical expenditure of that disease to the total medical expenditure was increased from 22.99% in 1984 to 25.0% in 1985. 3. As a whole, the consultation rate of circulatory disease was increased from 26.10 in 1981 to 46.53 in 1985, showing an nual increase of 15.55 %. The rate of in-patient was increased from 2.06 to 2.94, showing annual increase of 9.30%. The rate of out-patient wag from. 24.04 to 43.59, showing annual increase of 16.04%. 4. The duration (days) of circulatory disease in 1985 by types is as follows. In the case of in-patient, rheumatic fever rheumatic heart disease, (22. 67), ischaemic disease (17.39), cerebrovascular disease (17.18), disease of pulmonary circulation and other from of heart disease (15.82), hypertensive disease (13.18), other disease of circulatory disease(11.55). In the case of out-patient, visiting day (11.57 day) and medical expenditure per case (7,853 won) is lower than that of other diseases (4.39 day, 4,361 won). 5. Cases of circulatory chronic disease were two times as many as those of non-chronic disease. Incidence of the out-patient was shown higher than that of in-patient. In the case of duration per case, the chronic disease(12.92 days) was longer that of non-chronic disease (9.8 day). 6. The male: female ratio of chronic rheumatic heart disease is 34.56 : 65.44 (in-patient) and 34. 67 : 65.33 (out-patient). The consultation rate(case per 1,000 persons) was increased from 1.11 in 1983 to 1.30 in 1985, showing annual increase of 8.22 %. The duration, visiting day, was decreased slightly, but medication day wasincreased from 13.93 in 1983 to 16.72 in 1985, showing annual increase of 9.56%. 7. The male: female ratio of hypertensive disease (case) was 39.36 : 60.64(in-patient) and 40.67 : 59.33 (out-patient). The consultation rate was increased from 19.59 in 1983 to 25.36 in 1985, showing annual increase of 13.78%. Duration, visting day was decreased slightly, but medication day was increased from 11.82 in 1983 to 12.77 in 1985, showing annual increase of 3.94%. 8. The male： female ratio of chronic pulmonary-ischaemic heart disease (case) was 48.90 : 51.10 (in-patient) and 43.66 : 56.34 (out-patient). The consultation rate of chronic pulmonary-ischaemic heart disease was increase from 0.69 in 1983 to 1. 12 in 1985, showing annual increase of 27.40％. Duration, visiting day, was decreased from 2.67 in 1983 to 2.36 in 1985, and medication day was decreased from 0.69 in 1983 to 1.12 in 1985, showing annual decrease of 2.09%. 9. The male: female ratio of cerebrovascular disease (case) was 47.90 : 52.10 (in-patient) and 52.28 : 47.72 (out: patient). The consulatation rate was increased from 2.12 in 1983 to 2.89 in 1985, showing annual increase of 16.76%, Duration, visiting day, was decreased slightly, but medication day was increased from 12. 67 in 1983 to 13.85 in 1985, showing annual increase of 4.55%. 10. In case of artery and capillary disease, the male: female ratio of case was 61.80 : 38.20 (in-patient) and 51.77 : 48.23 (out-patient). But durntion, visiting day, was increased from 3.45 in 1983 to 3.60 in 1985, showing annual increase of 2.15 % and the medication day was increased from 10. 06 to 10.18, showing annual increase of 0.59%.

• Journal of Nutrition and Health
• /
• v.39 no.6
• /
• pp.560-571
• /
• 2006

The purpose of this study was to determine composition of food groups appropriate for the evaluation of the quality of total diet or food guide, using the data from the 1998 National Health and Nutrition Survey. Twenty-four-hour-dietary recalls of total 1,110 Korean adolescents aged 13 - 19 years (male 543, female 567) were analyzed for food group consumed (Dietary Diversity Score, DDS), intake patterns of food group, mean index of nutritional quality (mINQ) and nutrient adequacy ratio (NAR). Considering Korean food pattern different from the Americans, this study is to check if Korean 5 food groups with both of oil & sugar group and vegetable & fruit group, and a minimum amount of 30 g in grain group and 15 g in meat group modified from Kant's minimum amount, 15 g in grain and 30 g in meat, could also be appropriate for the diet evaluation of Korean adolescents. Combination of food group and minimum food intake per each food group used in the first trial were categorized into 6 kinds of types: 1) American 5 food groups with Kant's minimum amount as control or 2) American 5 food groups with modified Kant's minimum amount 3) Korean 5 food groups excluded by sugar with the modified amount 4) Korean 5 food groups with modified amount 5) American food groups added oil group with the modified amount 6) American food groups added oil & sugar group with the modified amount. In case of oil group or oil and sugar group, 5 g was quoted for the minimum amount. Correlation between DDS and indices of other diet quality in each type of food group composition were analyzed and the best food group composition was traced by comparing the correlation coefficients of DDS and mINQ or MARs at ${\alpha}\;<\;0.01$. There was no meaningful difference in weight length index of the subjects of eating or not-eating oil or oil & sugar, while the values of mINQ showed higher in the subjects eating oil but no difference in the subjects eating oil & sugar, compared to the group not-eating, respectively. In comparison of type 1 and type 2, correlation between DDS and indices of other diet quality showed higher in type 1 using Kant's amount. And comparing the type of a combined group of fruit & vegetable (type 3 and 4) and the type of separated group of fruit and vegetable (type 5 and 6). six groups of separated vegetable and fruit showed the higher correlation of DDSs and indices of diet quality. In case of being classified into six groups with oil, DDS showed correlation of r = 0.293 with INQ. While, being classified into six groups with oil & sugar instead of oil only, DDS showed correlation of r = 0.249 with INQ. Accordingly the type 5 with oil is regarded as the better food group type than the type 6 with oil & sugar. Since better result was shown in the composition of six groups with Kant's minimum amount, the comparative analysis on both of type1 with oil and oil & sugar was finally performed. Then oil added type 1 showed higher correlation of DDS and indices of diet quality. These result indicated that it would be more appropriate to use six food groups with separate vegetable and fruit including oil group (oil-added type 1) rather than oil & sugar group for evaluation of dietary quality of Korean adolescents using DDS.

• Asia-Pacific Journal of Business Venturing and Entrepreneurship
• /
• v.13 no.4
• /
• pp.211-216
• /
• 2018

This study was intended to analyze the effects of the selection of excellent design product by the KIDP(Korea Institute of Design Promotion) on the business performance of the company focused on the start-up with relatively low competitiveness. According to the statistics of KIDP in 2013, a design accounted for 27.53% of the factors affecting the sales of products and a design was the most important factor among the factors affecting the sales of products for the small sized company in terms of the scale of company. In addition, looking at the trend by industry in the data collected for this study, the technology-based industry showed a relatively higher growth rate than the retail industry and other industries. In this study, the author surveyed 186 companies of the companies that recognized the importance of design in difficult management conditions and received excellent design product certificate from KIDP(2013, 2014 and 2015) and empirically verified whether there was any difference in business performance between the start-ups with a business history of less than 7 years and the ongoing firms with a business history of more than 7 years. To evaluate the value of design, we used analytical method of measuring related values by comparison between groups. In addition, we also analyzed the difference in business performance(sales) between manufacturing companies, where the role of design was relatively large, and non-manufacturing companies among companies that received the excellent design product certificate. We have established a study hypothesis that the selection of excellent design product by the KIDP would have more positive effect on the business performance(sales) of the start-up compared to the ongoing firm, and conducted an empirical analysis by comparing both the year before and the year after the selected year. As a result, we found that the selection of excellent design product by the KIDP has a positive effect on the business performance of the start-up, and the selection of excellent design product has a significant effect on the difference in business performance between manufacturing and non-manufacturing companies. This study was conducted in the hope that the government actively supports the design-related policies so that the selection of excellent design product become an important indicator of the business performance of the start-up, and thus the design management will be a way to enhance the competitiveness of the start-up.

• Journal of the Korean Association of Geographic Information Studies
• /
• v.21 no.1
• /
• pp.35-45
• /
• 2018

Image data collected by an airborne hyperspectral camera system have a great usability in coastal line mapping, detection of facilities composed of specific materials, detailed land use analysis, change monitoring and so forh in a complex coastal area because the system provides almost complete spectral and spatial information for each image pixel of tens to hundreds of spectral bands. A few approaches after classifying by a few approaches based on SAM(Spectral Angle Mapper) supervised classification were applied for extracting optimal land cover information from hyperspectral images acquired by CASI-1500 airborne hyperspectral camera on the object of a coastal area which includes both land and sea water areas. We applied three different approaches, that is to say firstly the classification approach of combined land and sea areas, secondly the reclassification approach after decompostion of land and sea areas from classification result of combined land and sea areas, and thirdly the land area-only classification approach using atmospheric correction images and compared classification results and accuracies. Land cover classification was conducted respectively by selecting not only four band images with the same wavelength range as IKONOS, QuickBird, KOMPSAT and GeoEye satelllite images but also eight band images with the same wavelength range as WorldView-2 from 48 band hyperspectral images and then compared with the classification result conducted with all of 48 band images. As a result, the reclassification approach after decompostion of land and sea areas from classification result of combined land and sea areas is more effective than classification approach of combined land and sea areas. It is showed the bigger the number of bands, the higher accuracy and reliability in the reclassification approach referred above. The results of higher spectral resolution showed asphalt or concrete roads was able to be classified more accurately.

• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
• /
• v.50 no.7
• /
• pp.622-628
• /
• 2007

Purpose : While pediatric observation units (POU) have become a common practice in hospitals throughout developed countries, there has been no report about POUs in Korea so far. The aims of this study were to analyze our one-year's experience of the POU and to decide which disease entities are suitable for the POU. Methods : All children admitted from March 2006 to February 2007 to the POU at the Department of Pediatrics in Our Lady of Mercy Hospital were included in this study. Data were collected from retrospective reviews of their medical records. Results : There were a total of 1,076 POU admissions. Median age of patients was 2.4 years and median length of hospital stay 14.0 hours. The most common diagnoses were gastroenteritis (42.7%), pharyngotonsillitis (19.1%), bronchiolitis (7.8%), pneumonia (5.5%) and febrile seizure (5.2%). Overall, 7.5% of the POU patients required subsequent inpatient admissions due to hospital stays of longer than 48 hours. The disease entities that were most likely to require inpatient admission were pneumonia (17.0%), febrile seizure (12.5%) and asthma (11.5%). Diseases that allowed successful discharge from the POU were gastroenteritis (4.6%), upper respiratory tract infection (5.8%), such as otitis media and pharygnotonsillitis and seizure disorder (6.4%). Compared with the previous year when the POU was not in operation, there was a statistically significant reduction in the average length of hospital stays (from 4.69 to 3.75 days), as well as a rise in the bed turnover rate (from 78.8 to 98.2 patients/bed). Conclusion : Our study shows that the POU is efficient for the management of children with certain acute illnesses. Based on this study, we suggest that the POU be used as a new modality which links between the outpatient, inpatient, and emergency departments in the field of pediatrics in Korea.

• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
• /
• v.51 no.12
• /
• pp.1329-1335
• /
• 2008

Purpose : This study aimed to determine the best cutoff line for insulin-like growth factor (IGF)-I and insulin-like growth factor binding protein (IGFBP)-3 to discriminate between growth hormone deficiency (GHD) patients and the control group. Methods : Two hundred thirty subjects with normal controls (129 boys and 101 girls, aged 7-15 years), 14 patients with complete GHD (12 boys and 2 girls), and 17 patients with partial GHD (9 boys and 8 girls) were studied. IGF-I serum concentrations were measured by radioimmunoassay (RI), and IGFBP-3 concentrations were measured by immunoradiometric assay (IRMA). Results : The receiver operating characteristic (ROC) plot analysis showed that the best IGF-I and IGFBP-3 cutoff line was at -1 standard deviation (SD). By comparing IGF-I serum levels of GHD children within 1 SD of normal control, we determined the sensitivity (S) (87.5-100%) and specificity (Sp) (80-84.6%) according to the age group. For IGFBP-3, we determined the following values: S (58.7-85.7%) and Sp (79.2-85.5%). Eleven of 14 patients with complete GHD (78.5%) and 16 of 17 patients with partial GHD (94.1%) had IGF-I concentrations equal to or below -1 SD of the control group mean. Ten of 12 complete GHD children (83.3%) and 13 of 17 partial GHD children (76.5%) had IGFBP-3 concentrations equal or below -1 SD of the control group mean. Conclusion : We conclude that the measurement of IGF-I and IGFBP-3 concentrations might provide essential supplementary data in the diagnostic evaluation of patients with GHD. Our results support the need to use cutoff lines based on below -1 SD of the control.