• Title/Summary/Keyword: Development lead-time

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Effect of the Configuration of Contact Type Textile Electrode on the Performance of Heart Activity Signal Acquisition for Smart Healthcare (스마트 헬스케어를 위한 심장활동 신호 검출용 접촉식 직물전극의 구조가 센싱 성능에 미치는 영향)

  • Cho, Hyun-Seung;Koo, Hye-Ran;Yang, Jin-Hee;Lee, Kang-Hwi;Kim, Sang-Min;Lee, Jeong-Hwan;Kwak, Hwy-Kuen;Ko, Yun-Su;Oh, Yun-Jung;Park, Su-Youn;Kim, Sin-Hye;Lee, Joo-Hyeon
    • Science of Emotion and Sensibility
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    • v.21 no.4
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    • pp.63-76
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    • 2018
  • The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of contact type textile electrode structure on heart activity signal acquisition for smart healthcare. In this study, we devised six contact type textile electrodes whose electrode size and configuration were manipulated for measuring heart activity signals using computerized embroidery. We detected heart activity signals using a modified lead II and by attaching each textile electrode to the chest band in four healthy male subjects in a standing static posture. We measured the signals four times repeatedly for all types of electrodes. The heart activity signals were sampled at 1 kHz using a BIOPAC ECG100, and the detected original signals were filtered through a band-pass filter. To compare the performance of heart activity signal acquisition among the different structures of the textile electrodes, we conducted a qualitative analysis using signal waveform and size as parameters. In addition, we performed a quantitative analysis by calculating signal power ratio (SPR) of the heart activity signals obtained through each electrode. We analyzed differences in the performance of heart activity signal acquisition of the six electrodes by performing difference and post-hoc tests using nonparametric statistic methods on the calculated SPR. The results showed a significant difference both in terms of qualitative and quantitative aspects of heart activity signals among the tested contact type textile electrodes. Regarding the configurations of the contact type textile electrodes, the three-dimensionally inflated electrode (3DIE) was found to obtain better quality signals than the flat electrode. However, regarding the electrode size, no significant difference was found in performance of heart signal acquisition for the three electrode sizes. These results suggest that the configuration method (flat/3DIE), which is one of the two requirements of a contact type textile electrode structure for heart activity signal acquisition, has a critical effect on the performance of heart activity signal acquisition for wearable healthcare. Based on the results of this study, we plan to develop a smart clothing technology that can monitor high-quality heart activity without time and space constraints by implementing a clothing platform integrated with the textile electrode and developing a performance improvement plan.

Case study on flood water level prediction accuracy of LSTM model according to condition of reference hydrological station combination (참조 수문관측소 구성 조건에 따른 LSTM 모형 홍수위예측 정확도 검토 사례 연구)

  • Lee, Seungho;Kim, Sooyoung;Jung, Jaewon;Yoon, Kwang Seok
    • Journal of Korea Water Resources Association
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    • v.56 no.12
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    • pp.981-992
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    • 2023
  • Due to recent global climate change, the scale of flood damage is increasing as rainfall is concentrated and its intensity increases. Rain on a scale that has not been observed in the past may fall, and long-term rainy seasons that have not been recorded may occur. These damages are also concentrated in ASEAN countries, and many people in ASEAN countries are affected, along with frequent occurrences of flooding due to typhoons and torrential rains. In particular, the Bandung region which is located in the Upper Chitarum River basin in Indonesia has topographical characteristics in the form of a basin, making it very vulnerable to flooding. Accordingly, through the Official Development Assistance (ODA), a flood forecasting and warning system was established for the Upper Citarium River basin in 2017 and is currently in operation. Nevertheless, the Upper Citarium River basin is still exposed to the risk of human and property damage in the event of a flood, so efforts to reduce damage through fast and accurate flood forecasting are continuously needed. Therefore, in this study an artificial intelligence-based river flood water level forecasting model for Dayeu Kolot as a target station was developed by using 10-minute hydrological data from 4 rainfall stations and 1 water level station. Using 10-minute hydrological observation data from 6 stations from January 2017 to January 2021, learning, verification, and testing were performed for lead time such as 0.5, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6 hour and LSTM was applied as an artificial intelligence algorithm. As a result of the study, good results were shown in model fit and error for all lead times, and as a result of reviewing the prediction accuracy according to the learning dataset conditions, it is expected to be used to build an efficient artificial intelligence-based model as it secures prediction accuracy similar to that of using all observation stations even when there are few reference stations.

Analyzing the User Intention of Booth Recommender System in Smart Exhibition Environment (스마트 전시환경에서 부스 추천시스템의 사용자 의도에 관한 조사연구)

  • Choi, Jae Ho;Xiang, Jun-Yong;Moon, Hyun Sil;Choi, Il Young;Kim, Jae Kyeong
    • Journal of Intelligence and Information Systems
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    • v.18 no.3
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    • pp.153-169
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    • 2012
  • Exhibitions have played a key role of effective marketing activity which directly informs services and products to current and potential customers. Through participating in exhibitions, exhibitors have got the opportunity to make face-to-face contact so that they can secure the market share and improve their corporate images. According to this economic importance of exhibitions, show organizers try to adopt a new IT technology for improving their performance, and researchers have also studied services which can improve the satisfaction of visitors through analyzing visit patterns of visitors. Especially, as smart technologies make them monitor activities of visitors in real-time, they have considered booth recommender systems which infer preference of visitors and recommender proper service to them like on-line environment. However, while there are many studies which can improve their performance in the side of new technological development, they have not considered the choice factor of visitors for booth recommender systems. That is, studies for factors which can influence the development direction and effective diffusion of these systems are insufficient. Most of prior studies for the acceptance of new technologies and the continuous intention of use have adopted Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) and Extended Technology Acceptance Model (ETAM). Booth recommender systems may not be new technology because they are similar with commercial recommender systems such as book recommender systems, in the smart exhibition environment, they can be considered new technology. However, for considering the smart exhibition environment beyond TAM, measurements for the intention of reuse should focus on how booth recommender systems can provide correct information to visitors. In this study, through literature reviews, we draw factors which can influence the satisfaction and reuse intention of visitors for booth recommender systems, and design a model to forecast adaptation of visitors for booth recommendation in the exhibition environment. For these purposes, we conduct a survey for visitors who attended DMC Culture Open in November 2011 and experienced booth recommender systems using own smart phone, and examine hypothesis by regression analysis. As a result, factors which can influence the satisfaction of visitors for booth recommender systems are the effectiveness, perceived ease of use, argument quality, serendipity, and so on. Moreover, the satisfaction for booth recommender systems has a positive relationship with the development of reuse intention. For these results, we have some insights for booth recommender systems in the smart exhibition environment. First, this study gives shape to important factors which are considered when they establish strategies which induce visitors to consistently use booth recommender systems. Recently, although show organizers try to improve their performances using new IT technologies, their visitors have not felt the satisfaction from these efforts. At this point, this study can help them to provide services which can improve the satisfaction of visitors and make them last relationship with visitors. On the other hands, this study suggests that they managers along the using time of booth recommender systems. For example, in the early stage of the adoption, they should focus on the argument quality, perceived ease of use, and serendipity, so that improve the acceptance of booth recommender systems. After these stages, they should bridge the differences between expectation and perception for booth recommender systems, and lead continuous uses of visitors. However, this study has some limitations. We only use four factors which can influence the satisfaction of visitors. Therefore, we should development our model to consider important additional factors. And the exhibition in our experiments has small number of booths so that visitors may not need to booth recommender systems. In the future study, we will conduct experiments in the exhibition environment which has a larger scale.

Crop Injury (Growth Inhibition) Induced by Herbicides and Remedy to Reduce It (제초제(除草劑) 약해발생(藥害發生) 양상(樣相)과 경감대책(輕減對策))

  • Kim, K.U.
    • Korean Journal of Weed Science
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    • v.12 no.3
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    • pp.261-270
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    • 1992
  • Many herbicides that are applied at the soil before weed emergence inhibit plant growth soon after weed germination occurs. Plant growth has been known as an irreversible increase in size as a result of the processes of cell divison and cell enlargement. Herbicides can influence primary growth in which most new plant tissues emerges from meristmatic region by affecting either or both of these processes. Herbicides which have sites of action during interphase($G_1$, S, $G_2$) of cell cycle and cause a subsequent reduction in the observed frequency of mitotic figures can be classified as an inhibitor of mitotic entry. Those herbicides that affect the mitotic sequence(mitosis) by influencing the development of the spindle apparatus or by influencing new cell plate formation should be classified as causing disruption of the mitotic sequence. Sulfonylureas, imidazolinones, chloroacetamides and some others inhibit plant growth by inhibiting the entry of cell into mitosis. The carbamate herbicides asulam, carbetamide, chlorpropham and propham etc. reported to disrupt the mitotic sequence, especially affecting on spindle function, and the dinitroaniline herbicides trifluralin, nitralin, pendimethalin, dinitramine and oryzalin etc. reported to disrupt the mitotic sequence, particularly causing disappearence of microtubles from treated cells due to inhibition of polymerization process. An inhibition of cell enlargement can be made by membrane demage, metabolic changes within cells, or changes in processes necessary for cell yielding. Several herbicides such as diallate, triallate, alachlor, metolachlor and EPTC etc. reported to inhibit cell enlargement, while 2, 4-D has been known to disrupt cell enlargement. One potential danger inherent in the use of soil acting herbicides is that build-up of residues could occur from year to year. In practice, the sort of build-up that would be disastrous is unikely to occur for substances applied at the correct soil concentration. Crop injury caused by soil applied herbicides can be minimized by (1) following the guidance of safe use of herbicides, particularly correct dose at correct time in right crop, (2) by use of safeners which protect crops against injury without protecting any weed ; interactions between herbicides and safeners(antagonists) at target sites do occur probably from the following mechanisms (1) competition for binding site, (2) circumvention of the target site, and (3) compensation of target site, and another mechanism of safener action can be explained by enhancement of glutathione and glutathione related enzyme activity as shown in the protection of rice from pretilachlor injury by safener fenclorim, (3) development of herbicide resistant crops ; development of herbicide-resistant weed biotypes can be explained by either gene pool theory or selection theory which are two most accepted explanations, and on this basis it is likely to develop herbicide-resistant crops of commercial use. Carry-over problems do occur following repeated use of the same herbicide in an extended period of monocropping, and by errors in initial application which lead to accidental and irregular overdosing, and by climatic influence on rates of loss. These problems are usually related to the marked sensitivity of the particular crops to the specific herbicide residues, e.g. wheat/pronamide, barley/napropamid, sugarbeet/ chlorsulfuron, quinclorac/tomato. Relatively-short-residual product, succeeding culture of insensitive crop to specific herbicide, and greater reliance on postemergence herbicide treatments should be alternatives for farmer practices to prevent these problems.

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Design and Implementation of an Execution-Provenance Based Simulation Data Management Framework for Computational Science Engineering Simulation Platform (계산과학공학 플랫폼을 위한 실행-이력 기반의 시뮬레이션 데이터 관리 프레임워크 설계 및 구현)

  • Ma, Jin;Lee, Sik;Cho, Kum-won;Suh, Young-kyoon
    • Journal of Internet Computing and Services
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    • v.19 no.1
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    • pp.77-86
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    • 2018
  • For the past few years, KISTI has been servicing an online simulation execution platform, called EDISON, allowing users to conduct simulations on various scientific applications supplied by diverse computational science and engineering disciplines. Typically, these simulations accompany large-scale computation and accordingly produce a huge volume of output data. One critical issue arising when conducting those simulations on an online platform stems from the fact that a number of users simultaneously submit to the platform their simulation requests (or jobs) with the same (or almost unchanging) input parameters or files, resulting in charging a significant burden on the platform. In other words, the same computing jobs lead to duplicate consumption computing and storage resources at an undesirably fast pace. To overcome excessive resource usage by such identical simulation requests, in this paper we introduce a novel framework, called IceSheet, to efficiently manage simulation data based on execution metadata, that is, provenance. The IceSheet framework captures and stores each provenance associated with a conducted simulation. The collected provenance records are utilized for not only inspecting duplicate simulation requests but also performing search on existing simulation results via an open-source search engine, ElasticSearch. In particular, this paper elaborates on the core components in the IceSheet framework to support the search and reuse on the stored simulation results. We implemented as prototype the proposed framework using the engine in conjunction with the online simulation execution platform. Our evaluation of the framework was performed on the real simulation execution-provenance records collected on the platform. Once the prototyped IceSheet framework fully functions with the platform, users can quickly search for past parameter values entered into desired simulation software and receive existing results on the same input parameter values on the software if any. Therefore, we expect that the proposed framework contributes to eliminating duplicate resource consumption and significantly reducing execution time on the same requests as previously-executed simulations.

Analysis of Experiments for the Rules of Material Change Unit in 9th Grade Science Textbooks and the Development of Experiments Applying Small-Scale Chemistry (9학년 과학교과서 물질변화에서의 규칙성 단원 실험 분석과 Small-Scale Chemistry를 적용한 실험 개발)

  • Ryu, Ran-Yeong;Kim, Dong-Jin;Hwang, Hyun-Sook;Park, Se-Yeol;Lee, Sang-Kwon;Park, Kuk-Tae
    • Journal of the Korean Chemical Society
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    • v.55 no.3
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    • pp.529-540
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    • 2011
  • The purpose of this study was to analyze experiments for the rules of material change unit in 9th grade science textbooks and develop experiments applying small-scale chemistry (SSC). For this study, experimental methods for the precipitation experiment, water electrolysis experiment, decomposition of hydrogen peroxide experiment presented in the 9 science textbooks were analyzed. Problems and improvements that were needed were extracted by 13 science teachers performing the experiments. Experiments applying SSC were developed based on the improvements needed. Afterwards, 19 pre-service science teachers performed both the developed SSC experiments and the science textbooks' experiments. A questionnaire about merits and demerits of the experiments applying SSC was performed. According to the results of this study, most of the 9th grade science textbooks included the lead iodide precipitation experiment, water electrolysis experiment by Hoffman voltameter, and decomposition of hydrogen peroxide experiment using catalytic manganese dioxide. Improvements were needed on the quantity of reagents, time for performing experiments, and scale of experimental apparatus. Merits of the developed experiments applying SSC which used small amount of reagents were safety, easy waste material disposal, short reaction time, and reproducible experimental results. Demerits of the experiments applying SSC were difficulty in observing, decreased achievement, and lack of skill in handling small-scale apparatus. Therefore, if the experiments developed applying SSC were to be utilized in 9th grade science experiments, it will be possible to use less reagent and be able to teach and carry out reproducible experiments at the same time. Also, the reproducible experiments based on SSC will help students under stand the scientific concepts for the rules of material change unit.

Toward a Social Sciences Methodology for Electronic Survey Research on the Internet or Personal Computer check (사회과학 연구에 있어 인터넷 및 상업용 통신망을 이용한 전자설문 조사방법의 활용)

  • Hong Yong-Gee;Lee Hong-Gee;Chae Su-Kyung
    • Management & Information Systems Review
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    • v.3
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    • pp.287-316
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    • 1999
  • Cyberspace permits us to more beyond traditional face-to-face, mail and telephone surveys, yet still to examine basic issues regarding the quality of data collection: sampling, questionnaire design, survey distribution, means of response, and database creation. This article address each of these issues by contrasting and comparing traditional survey methods(Paper-and-Pencil) with Internet or Personal Computer networks-mediated (Screen-and-Keyboard) survey methods also introduces researchers to this revolutionary and innovative tool and outlines a variety of practical methods for using the Internet or Personal Computer Networks. The revolution in telecommunications technology has fostered the rapid growth of the Internet all over the world. The Internet is a massive global network and comprising many national and international networks of interconnected computers. The Internet or Personal Computer Networks could be the comprehensive interactive tool that will facilitate the development of the skills. The Internet or Personal Computer Networks provides a virtual frontier to expand our access to information and to increase our knowledge and understanding of public opinion, political behavior, social trends and lifestyles through survey research. Comparable to other technological advancements, the Internet or Personal Computer Networks presents opportunities that will impact significantly on the process and quality of survey research now and in the twenty-first century. There are trade-offs between traditional and the Internet or Personal Computer Networks survey. The Internet or Personal Computer Networks is an important channel for obtaining information for target participants. The cost savings in time, efforts, and material were substantial. The use of the Internet or Personal Computer Networks survey tool will increase the quality of research environment. There are several limitations to the Internet or Personal Computer Network survey approach. It requires the researcher to be familiar with Internet navigation and E-mail, it is essential for this process. The use of Listserv and Newsgroup result in a biased sample of the population of corporate trainers. However, it is this group that participates in technology and is in the fore front of shaping the new organizations of interest, and therefore it consists of appropriate participants. If this survey method becomes popular and is too frequently used, potential respondents may become as annoyed with E-mail as the sometimes are with mail survey and junk mail. Being a member of the Listserv of Newsgroup may moderate that reaction. There is a need to determine efficient, effective ways for the researcher to strip identifiers from E-mail, so that respondents remain anonymous, while simultaneously blocking a respondent from responding to a particular survey instrument more than once. The optimum process would be on that is initiated by the researcher : simple, fast and inexpensive to administer and has credibility with respondents. This would protect the legitimacy of the sample and anonymity. Creating attractive Internet or Personal Computer Networks survey formats that build on the strengths of standardized structures but also capitalize on the dynamic and interactive capability of the medium. Without such innovations in survey design, it is difficult to imagine why potential survey respondents would use their time to answer questions. More must be done to create diverse and exciting ways of building an credibility between respondents and researchers on the Internet or Personal Computer Networks. We believe that the future of much exciting research is based in the Electronic survey research. The ability to communicate across distance, time, and national boundaries offers great possibilities for studying the ways in which technology and technological discourse are shaped. used, and disseminated ; the many recent doctoral dissertations that treat some aspect of electronic survey research testify to the increase focus on the Internet or Personal Computer Networks. Thus, scholars should begin a serious conversation about the methodological issues of conducting research In cyberspace. Of all the disciplines, Internet or Personal Computer Networks, emphasis on the relationship between technology and human communication, should take the lead in considering research in the cyberspace.

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A Coexistence Model in a Dynamic Platform with ICT-based Multi-Value Chains: focusing on Healthcare Service (ICT 기반 다중 가치사슬의 동적 플랫폼에서의 공존 모형: 의료서비스를 중심으로)

  • Lee, Hyun Jung;Chang, Yong Sik
    • Journal of Intelligence and Information Systems
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    • v.23 no.1
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    • pp.69-93
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    • 2017
  • The development of ICT has leaded the diversification and changes of supplies and demands in markets. It also caused the creations of a variety of values which are differentiated from those in the existing market. Therefore, a new-type market is created, which can include multi-value chains which are from ICT-based created markets as well as the existing markets. We defined the platform as the new-type market. In the platform, the multi-value chains can be coexisted with multi-values. In true market, when a new-type value chain entered into an existing market, it is general that it can be conflicted with the existing value chain in the market. The conflicted problem among multi-value chains in a market is caused by the sharing of limited market resources like suppliers, consumers, services or products among the value chains. In other words, if there are multi-value chains in the platform, then it is possible to have conflictions, overlapping, creations or losses of values among the value chains. To solve the problem, we introduce coexistence factors to reduce the conflictions to reach market equilibrium in the platform. In the other hand, it is possible to lead the creations of differentiated values from the existing market and to augment the total market values in the platform. In the early era of ICT development, ICT was introduced for improvement of efficiency and effectiveness of the value chains in the existing market. However, according to the changed role of ICT from the supporter to the promotor of the market, ICT became to lead the variations of the value chains and creations of various values in the markets. For instance, Uber Taxi created a new value chain with ICT-based new-type service or products with new resources like new suppliers and consumers. When Uber and Traditional Taxi services are playing at the same time in Taxi service platform, it is possible to create values or make conflictions among values between the new and old value chains. In this research, like Uber and traditional taxi services, if there are conflictions among the multi-value chains, then it is necessary to minimize the conflictions in the platform for the coexistence of multi-value chains which can create the value-added values in the platform. So, it is important to predict and discuss the possible conflicted problems between new and old value chains. The confliction should be solved to reach market equilibrium with multi-value chains in the platform. That is, we discuss the possibility of the coexistence of multi-value chains in the platform which are comprised of a variety of suppliers and customers. To do this, especially we are focusing on the healthcare markets. Nowadays healthcare markets are popularized in global market as well as domestic. Therefore, there are a lot of and a variety of healthcare services like Traditional-, Tele-, or Intelligent- healthcare services and so on. It shows that there are multi-suppliers, -consumers and -services as components of each different value chain in the same platform. The platform can be shared by different values that are created or overlapped by confliction and loss of values in the value chains. In this research, as was said, we focused on the healthcare services to show if a platform can be shared by different value chains like traditional-, tele-healthcare and intelligent-healthcare services and products. Additionally, we try to show if it is possible to increase the value of each value chain as well as the total value of the platform. As the result, it is possible to increase of each value of each value chain as well as the total value in the platform. Finally, we propose a coexistence model to overcome such problems and showed the possibility of coexistence between the value chains through experimentation.

Distributors' Preference for the Flextime System (유통업체 종사자의 유동근무제에 대한 선호성향에 대한 연구)

  • Lee, Won-Haeng
    • Journal of Distribution Science
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    • v.10 no.4
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    • pp.13-20
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    • 2012
  • The "flextime" system, which was initially designed to maintain a balance between work and personal life, has recently received much attention as an alternative form of work, enabling employees to fully exert their creativity. Most studies show that the effects of flextime on performance, productivity, attitude toward the organization, absenteeism, and turnover differ between managerial and non-managerial workers. This suggests that workers' personal characteristics affect their preference for flextime by directly or indirectly influencing its result variables. As most Korean companies have not adopted the flextime system, little research has been conducted on it in Korea. Recently, Korean companies have been discussing flextime as one of several measures for enhancing international competitiveness. Therefore, this study aims to offer a theoretical framework for the introduction of the system by analyzing the effects of the precedent factors on the preference for flextime. Though not statistically significant, a higher preference for flextime is noted among workers over the age of 36. Older workers usually are more conservative and less adaptable to change but here the older Korean workers may be anxious and resistant. Additional research on workers in different types of businesses using improved research methods will lead to more meaningful results. Married workers display a lower preference to flextime than single workers. In Korea, the current atmosphere focused on a happy home encourages married workers to prefer regular work hours, enabling them to go to and from work on a regular schedule. This means that normal working hours, from morning to evening, are preferred as it is the most suitable system for families. However, this is not so in the case of single workers. Unmarried singles tend to prefer flextime for investing in self-development toward future prosperity, over the benefits of regular working-hours. Flextime is designed to meet their needs to some extent as it is helpful in maintaining a balance between work life and self-development. If flextime is selected, workers can spend mornings on self-development and work in the afternoons. Therefore, when flextime is introduced in Korea, it would be desirable to start with unmarried workers, to increase corporate creativity and productivity and develop individual potential. In particular, when the five-day workweek, the main concern for companies and labor unions, is adopted, synergy with flextime could be expected and a gradual implementation of flextime will be effective. Gender difference shows similar results to marital status with male workers displaying a higher preference for flextime. It is inferred that male workers' attitudes toward flextime are more favorable than female workers' because flextime enables self-development and work life to coexist. A relatively weak, though statistically significant, correlation exists between control position and flextime preference with inner-control-oriented workers displaying favorable attitudes toward flextime. Generally, inner-control-oriented workers tend to attribute the consequences caused by any person or partner relationship to themselves. Thus, when a new system is introduced they are likely to have less reluctance and fear than outer-control-oriented workers, because they think it is important to deal with the new system. A weak but slight correlation exists between the desire for achievement and flextime preference. People who have a higher desire for achievement are willing to consider the new system, especially if significant success is reasonably expected. This result is derived from a reasonable judgment that flextime offers an individual the time for self-development while the organization benefits from the resulting creativity and performance enhancements. Although not the primary analysis, a high correlation is found between control position and the desire for achievement, which is consistent with the results of previous research. The regression analysis not only supports the preceding ANOVA and correlation analysis but also shows the existence of a causal relationship. Married workers have a weak preference for flextime, which is consistent with the results of the preceding ANOVA. Relative to men, women have a weak preference for flextime. No statistically significant correlation was noticed for age. Inner-control-oriented workers prefer flextime more than outer-control-oriented workers as the former view the consequences of change to be their own responsibility. However, the preference for flextime seems to be weak. As expected, people with a higher desire for achievement have a stronger preference for flextime, presumably because the greater the desire for achievement, the stronger the spirit of challenging an uncertain future. No significant correlation exists between job satisfaction and flextime preference.

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Changes in Agricultural Extension Services in Korea (한국농촌지도사업(韓國農村指導事業)의 변동(變動))

  • Fujita, Yasuki;Lee, Yong-Hwan;Kim, Sung-Soo
    • Journal of Agricultural Extension & Community Development
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    • v.7 no.1
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    • pp.155-166
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    • 2000
  • When the marcher visited Korea in fall 1994, he was shocked to see high rise apartment buildings around the capitol region including Seoul and Suwon, resulting from rising demand of housing because of urban migration followed by second and third industrial development. After 6 years in March 2000, the researcher witnessed more apartment buildings and vinyl house complexes, one of the evidences of continued economic progress in Korea. Korea had to receive the rescue finance from International Monetary Fund (IMF) because of financial crisis in 1997. However, the sign of recovery was seen in a year, and the growth rate of Gross Domestic Products (GDP) in 1999 recorded as high as 10.7 percent. During this period, the Korean government has been working on restructuring of banks, enterprises, labour and public sectors. The major directions of government were; localization, reducing administrative manpower, limiting agricultural budgets, privatization of public enterprises, integration of agricultural organization, and easing of various regulations. Thus, the power of central government shifted to local government resulting in a power increase for city mayors and county chiefs. Agricultural extension services was one of targets of government restructuring, transferred to local governments from central government. At the same time, the number of extension offices was reduced by 64 percent, extension personnel reduced by 24 percent, and extension budgets reduced. During the process of restructuring, the basic direction of extension services was set by central Rural Development Administration Personnel management, technology development and supports were transferred to provincial Rural Development Administrations, and operational responsibilities transferred to city/county governments. Agricultural extension services at the local levels changed the name to Agricultural Technology Extension Center, established under jurisdiction of city mayor or county chief. The function of technology development works were added, at the same time reducing the number of educators for agriculture and rural life. As a result of observations of rural areas and agricultural extension services at various levels, functional responsibilities of extension were not well recognized throughout the central, provincial, and local levels. Central agricultural extension services should be more concerned about effective rural development by monitoring provincial and local level extension activities more throughly. At county level extension services, it may be desirable to add a research function to reflect local agricultural technological needs. Sometimes, adding administrative tasks for extension educators may be helpful far farmers. However, tasks such as inspection and investigation should be avoided, since it may hinder the effectiveness of extension educational activities. It appeared that major contents of the agricultural extension service in Korea were focused on saving agricultural materials, developing new agricultural technology, enhancing agricultural export, increasing production and establishing market oriented farming. However these kinds of efforts may lead to non-sustainable agriculture. It would be better to put more emphasis on sustainable agriculture in the future. Agricultural extension methods in Korea may be better classified into two approaches or functions; consultation function for advanced farmers and technology transfer or educational function for small farmers. Advanced farmers were more interested in technology and management information, while small farmers were more concerned about information for farm management directions and timely diffusion of agricultural technology information. Agricultural extension service should put more emphasis on small farmer groups and active participation of farmers in these groups. Providing information and moderate advice in selecting alternatives should be the major activities for consultation for advanced farmers, while problem solving processes may be the major educational function for small farmers. Systems such as internet and e-mail should be utilized for functions of information exchange. These activities may not be an easy task for decreased numbers of extension educators along with increased administrative tasks. It may be difficult to practice a one-to-one approach However group guidance may improve the task to a certain degree.

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