• Asia pacific journal of information systems
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• v.18 no.2
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• pp.41-72
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• 2008

The purpose of this study is the investigation of the effects of user participation, network effect, social influence, and usefulness on stickiness and continued use on Internet communities. In this research, stickiness refers to repeat visit and visit duration to an Internet community. Continued use means the willingness to continue to use an Internet community in the future. Internet community-based companies can earn money through selling the digital contents such as game, music, and avatar, advertizing on internet site, or offering an affiliate marketing. For such money making, stickiness and continued use of Internet users is much more important than the number of Internet users. We tried to answer following three questions. Fist, what is the effects of user participation on stickiness and continued use on Internet communities? Second, by what is user participation formed? Third, are network effect, social influence, and usefulness that was significant at prior research about technology acceptance model(TAM) still significant on internet communities? In this study, user participation, network effect, social influence, and usefulness are independent variables, stickiness is mediating variable, and continued use is dependent variable. Among independent variables, we are focused on user participation. User participation means that Internet user participates in the development of Internet community site (called mini-hompy or blog in Korea). User participation was studied from 1970 to 1997 at the research area of information system. But since 1997 when Internet started to spread to the public, user participation has hardly been studied. Given the importance of user participation at the success of Internet-based companies, it is very meaningful to study the research topic of user participation. To test the proposed model, we used a data set generated from the survey. The survey instrument was designed on the basis of a comprehensive literature review and interviews of experts, and was refined through several rounds of pretests, revisions, and pilot tests. The respondents of survey were the undergraduates and the graduate students who mainly used Internet communities. Data analysis was conducted using 217 respondents(response rate, 97.7 percent). We used structural equation modeling(SEM) implemented in partial least square(PLS). We chose PLS for two reason. First, our model has formative constructs. PLS uses components-based algorithm and can estimated formative constructs. Second, PLS is more appropriate when the research model is in an early stage of development. A review of the literature suggests that empirical tests of user participation is still sparse. The test of model was executed in the order of three research questions. First user participation had the direct effects on stickiness(${\beta}$=0.150, p<0.01) and continued use (${\beta}$=0.119, p<0.05). And user participation, as a partial mediation model, had a indirect effect on continued use mediated through stickiness (${\beta}$=0.007, p<0.05). Second, optional participation and prosuming participation significantly formed user participation. Optional participation, with a path magnitude as high as 0.986 (p<0.001), is a key determinant for the strength of user participation. Third, Network effect (${\beta}$=0.236, p<0.001). social influence (${\beta}$=0.135, p<0.05), and usefulness (${\beta}$=0.343, p<0.001) had directly significant impacts on stickiness. But network effect and social influence, as a full mediation model, had both indirectly significant impacts on continued use mediated through stickiness (${\beta}$=0.11, p<0.001, and ${\beta}$=0.063, p<0.05, respectively). Compared with this result, usefulness, as a partial mediation model, had a direct impact on continued use and a indirect impact on continued use mediated through stickiness. This study has three contributions. First this is the first empirical study showing that user participation is the significant driver of continued use. The researchers of information system have hardly studies user participation since late 1990s. And the researchers of marketing have studied a few lately. Second, this study enhanced the understanding of user participation. Up to recently, user participation has been studied from the bipolar viewpoint of participation v.s non-participation. Also, even the study on participation has been studied from the point of limited optional participation. But, this study proved the existence of prosuming participation to design and produce products or services, besides optional participation. And this study empirically proved that optional participation and prosuming participation were the key determinant for user participation. Third, our study compliments traditional studies of TAM. According prior literature about of TAM, the constructs of network effect, social influence, and usefulness had effects on the technology adoption. This study proved that these constructs still are significant on Internet communities.

• Journal of Technology Innovation
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• v.25 no.2
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• pp.153-179
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• 2017

Korean government has granted fixed indirect cost rates to several exceptional R&D programs which is lower than the predetermined rate by the government. It has been needed to evaluate the validity of exceptional R&D programs and determine the optimal indirect costs rate of the programs. This study analyzes the cost structure and explores drivers of indirect costs of exceptional R&D programs and evaluates the validity of current indirect costs rates. Finally, we propose the formulas for indirect costs rates of exceptional R&D programs. We analyze the cost structure of the exceptional R&D programs. Equipments and material costs are 50% in infra building program. Scholarship to students is 43% in HRD program. Equipments and material costs are 50% and R&D activity costs are 31% in international R&D program. Main cost components of evaluation program are salary(37%), R&D execution costs(21%) and R&D activity costs(19%). We propose three formulas of indirect costs for exceptional programs. 1) The cost items with exceptionally large amount are excluded in the base of formula for indirect costs. 2) Fixed indirect cost rate is applied for specific R&D programs. 3) Upper bound is set for the cost items with exceptionally large amount in the calculation of indirect costs rate. Our proposal is expected to contribute to the improvement of the efficiency of national R&D programs.

• KSCE Journal of Civil and Environmental Engineering Research
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• v.36 no.6
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• pp.1075-1082
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• 2016

In order to calculate the optimum installation interval between a speed hump and hump type crosswalk that are installed continuously in succession, this study examined the speed of a vehicle that passes different intervals between speed humps and hump type crosswalks from the approach section of a roundabout having a maximum speed limit of 30km/h; analyzed the effects of speed humps and hump type crosswalks installed continuously in succession on vehicle driving speed; and simulated the optimum installation height of hump type crosswalk. As a result, the following conclusion was drawn. First, it was found that the optimum interval between a speed hump and hump type crosswalk, which are the representative traffic calming techniques for reducing vehicle speed, to control vehicle speed under 30km/h is 30m. Second, as a result of comparing the deceleration of a vehicle that pass hump type crosswalks, it was found that if the installation interval is 65 m and above, a speed hump and hump type crosswalk had no effect. Therefore, it is desirable that the maximum installation interval between a speed hump and hump type crosswalk for controlling vehicle speed within a fixed road section should not exceed 65m. Third, the analysis showed that the optimum installation height of hump type crosswalk is 6-8cm in case vehicle speed at the approach section is 20km/h or lower, 8-10cm in case of 30km/h, and 10cm in case of 30km/h or higher, respectively. Fourth, even at a road section on which a speed hump and hump type crosswalk are installed, speed reduction effects may sometimes be insignificant due to a driver's studying effect, traffic conditions and so on. Thus, it is judged that speed reduction effects will be greater if several traffic calming techniques such as speed hump, chicane, and choker are applied at the same time. Therefore, in case of applying traffic calming techniques for the purpose of reducing vehicle speed in order to promote pedestrian safety, the composite application of several techniques should be considered.

• Journal of Korea Technology Innovation Society
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• v.20 no.2
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• pp.334-367
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• 2017

The ICT industry has been the main driver of Korea's economy with international competitiveness and is expected to be the growth engine that will revitalize the currently depressed economy. A broad range of different perspectives and opinions on the industry exist in Korea and overseas. Some of these are stereotypes, not all of which are based on objective evidence. Stereotypes refer to widely-held fixed opinions on a specific group and do not necessarily have negative connotations. However, they should not be viewed lightly because they can substantially affect decision-making process. In this regard, this study sought to review the stereotypes of ICT industry and identify objective and relative stereotypes. In the study, a decision-tree analysis was conducted on a survey result of 3,300 small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in order to identify Korean ICT companies' characteristics that distinguish them from other technology companies. The decision-tree analysis, a data mining process based on machine learning, took a total of 291 variables into account in 10 subjects such as: corporate business in general, technology development activities as well as organization and people in technology development. Identifying the variables that distinguish ICT companies from other technology companies with the decision-tree analysis, the study then came up with a list of objective stereotypes of ICT companies. The findings from the stereotypes of Korean ICT companies are as follows. First, the companies are in need of technology policies that help R&D planning and market penetration. Second, policies must better support the companies working to sell new products or explore new business. Third, the companies need policies that support secure protection of development outcomes and proper management of IP rights. Fourth, the administrative procedures related to governmental support for ICT companies' R&D projects must be simplified. It is hoped that the outcome of this study will provide meaningful guidance in establishment, implementation and evaluation of technology policies for ICT SMEs, particularly to policymakers or researchers in relevant government agencies who determine R&D policies for ICT SMEs.

• Journal of Korean Society of Transportation
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• v.29 no.5
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• pp.121-138
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• 2011

More affordable and available cutting-edge technologies (e.g., wireless vehicle communication) are regarded as a possible alternative to the fixed infrastructure-based traffic information system requiring the expensive infrastructure investments and mostly implemented in the uninterrupted freeway network with limited spatial system expansion. This paper develops an advanced decentralized traveler information System (ATIS) using vehicle-to-vehicle (V2V) communication system whose performance (drivers' travel time savings) are enhanced by three complementary functions (autonomous automatic incident detection algorithm, reliable sample size function, and driver behavior model) and evaluates it in the typical $6{\times}6$ urban grid network with non-recurrent traffic state (traffic incident) with the varying key parameters (traffic flow, communication radio range, and penetration ratio), employing the off-the-shelf microscopic simulation model (VISSIM) under the ideal vehicle communication environment. Simulation outputs indicate that as the three key parameters are increased more participating vehicles are involved for traffic data propagation in the less communication groups at the faster data dissemination speed. Also, participating vehicles saved their travel time by dynamically updating the up-to-date traffic states and searching for the new route. Focusing on the travel time difference of (instant) re-routing vehicles, lower traffic flow cases saved more time than higher traffic flow ones. This is because a relatively small number of vehicles in 300vph case re-route during the most system-efficient time period (the early time of the traffic incident) but more vehicles in 514vph case re-route during less system-efficient time period, even after the incident is resolved. Also, normally re-routings on the network-entering links saved more travel time than any other places inside the network except the case where the direct effect of traffic incident triggers vehicle re-routings during the effective incident time period and the location and direction of the incident link determines the spatial distribution of re-routing vehicles.

• Journal of Hospice and Palliative Care
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• v.21 no.1
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• pp.23-32
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• 2018

Purpose: Little is known regarding the extent to which dying patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) receive life-sustaining procedures and palliative care in U.S. hospitals. We examine hospital cost trends and the impact of palliative care utilization on the use of life-sustaining procedures in this population. Methods: Retrospective nationwide cohort analysis was performed using National Inpatient Sample (NIS) data from 2005 and 2014. We examined the receipt of both palliative care and intensive medical procedures, defined as systemic procedures, pulmonary procedures, or surgeries using the International Classification of Diseases, 9th revision (ICD-9-CM). Results: We used compound annual growth rates (CAGR) to determine temporal trends and multilevel multivariate regressions to identify factors associated with hospital cost. Among 77,394,755 hospitalizations, 79,314 patients were examined. The CAGR of hospital cost was 5.83% (P<0.001). The CAGRs of systemic procedures and palliative care were 5.98% and 19.89% respectively (each P<0.001). Systemic procedures, pulmonary procedures, and surgeries were associated with increased hospital cost by 59.04%, 72.00%, 55.26%, respectively (each P<0.001). Palliative care was associated with decreased hospital cost by 28.71% (P<0.001). Conclusion: The volume of systemic procedures is the biggest driver of cost increase although there is a cost-saving effect from greater palliative care utilization.

• Food Science and Preservation
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• v.21 no.5
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• pp.618-626
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• 2014

The physicochemical characteristics and consumer perceptions of two Fuji cultivars (Fuji and Royal Fuji) with six different size groups (3D: 30~39, 4D: 40~49, 5D: 50~59, 6D: 60~69, 7D: 70~79, and 8D: 80~89 apples/15 kg) were investigated to identify the ideal size and the drivers of consumer acceptability of apples. For the physicochemical characteristics, the weight, volume, specific volume, L, a, and b colors, hardness, pH, acidity, and brix of apples were measured. A total of 100 consumers were asked to mark the intensity of the characteristics (size, redness, glossiness, surface roughness, apple odor, apple flavor, sweetness, sourness, hardness, crunchiness, and toughness) to determine the ideal characteristics of apples before they were asked to taste the apple products. The consumers evaluated the apple samples in terms of their appearance, odor, flavor, texture, and overall acceptability; the consumers' intent to purchase such apples and willingness to pay for them; and the intensity of the aforementioned characteristics. Compared to the ideal characteristics of apples, the actual apple samples were rated low in their apple odor, apple flavor, acidity, sweetness, hardness, and crispness. The ideal size of the apples was between 4D and 5D. Their overall acceptability was highly affected by their flavor, followed by their texture, odor, and appearance. The acceptability of the appearance was highly correlated with the glossiness (r = 0.80), volume, weight, redness (r = 0.73), and size (r = 0.72). The consumer acceptability of the apples increased with the decreased pH and the increased Brix, hardness, and color b values of the peeled apples. The apple flavor, sweetness, hardness, crispiness, juiciness, and toughness during mastication were noted as sensory drivers of consumer acceptability.

• The Journal of Korean Medicine Ophthalmology and Otolaryngology and Dermatology
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• v.10 no.1
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• pp.367-382
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• 1997

The author analyzed 46 cases of allergic rhinitis patients, who were treated in the Kwang-ju Oriental Medical Hospital of Wonkwang University from January 1997 to April 1996. I've examined the 46 cases in the view of age and sex distribution, seasonal distribution, distribution of the job, duration of the disease, past history, family history, distribution of complicated signs, the degree of recovery about the total patient, the relationship of the ages and the remedial value, the relationship of the duration of disease and the remedial value. The following results are obtained. 1. The ratio of under teenagers was $32.61\%$(15 cases), teenagers was $30.43\%$(11 cases), 2th decade was $17.39\%$(8 cases), 3th decade was $17.39\%$(8 cases), 4th decade was $4.35\%$(2 cases), 5th decade was $2.17\%$(1 case), over sixty was $2.17\%$(1 case). 2. The ratio of the male was $58.70\%$(27 cases) and femal was $41.30\%$(19 cases). 3. The ratio of spring was $21.74\%$(10 cases), summer was $8.70\%$(4 cases), fall was $43.48\%$(20 cases), winter was $43.48\%$(20 cases) and unknown was $10.87\%$(5 cases). 4. The ratio of the students was $45.65\%$(21 cases), house-wives was $15.22\%$(7 cases), office men was $10.87\%$(5 cases), farmers was $4.35\%$(2 cases), driver was $2.17\%$(1 case) and unemployed was $21.74\%$(10 cases). 5. The ratio of the under six months was $8.70\%$(4 cases), under 1 year was $17.39\%$(8 cases), under 3 years was $32.60\%$(15 cases), over 3 years was $41.31\%$(19 cases). 6. The ratio of atopic dermatitis was $32.61\%$(15 cases), allergic dermatitis was $21,74\%$(10 cases), the asthma was $17.39\%$(8 cases), digestion disorder was $6.52\%$(3 cases) and etc. 7. The ratio of paternal line was $21.74\%$(10 cases), maternal line was $13.04\%$(6 cases), paternal and maternal lines was $4.35\%$(2 cases), brother or sisters was $13.04\%$(6 cases) and non-significant was $47.83\%$(22 cases). 8. The ratio of sneezing was $100\%$(46 cases) , nasal discharge was $100\%$(46 cases), nasal obstruction was $86.96\%$(40 cases), pruritus was $45.65\%$(21 cases), headache was $13.04\%$(6 cases), asthma was $10.87\%$(5 cases), digestion disorder was $6.52\%$(3 cases), light phovia was $6.52\%$(3 cases), tears was $4.35\%$(2 cases), nosebreeding was $2.17\%$(1 case). 9. The total remedial value of the 46 patients was revealed $52.17\%$. 10. The remedial value of under teenagers, teenagers were higher than the total remedial value($52.17\%$). 11. The remedial value of under 6 months, under 1 year were higher than the total remedial value($52.17\%$). These results demonstrated that in the point of remedial view, the patients who were younger and shorter of the duration of disease, would be well recovered.

• Proceedings of the Korean Institute of Navigation and Port Research Conference
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• 2018.11a
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• pp.225-227
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• 2018

This research paper examines the history and present of 'temporary passengers' prescribed in Paragraph 9 of Article 5 of the Ships Safety Act Enforcement Regulations and suggests improvement plans referring to the examples of legislation of other countries. In 2015, Ministry of Ocean and Fisheries made authoritative interpretation that Paragraph 9 of Article 5 of the Ships Safety Act Enforcement Regulations, which prescribes special cargo drivers such as agricultural, marine or livestock vehicles as temporary passengers, is applied only to passenger ships and not to cargo ships such including Ro-Ro cargo ships. As the authoritative interpretation of the Ministry does not agree with not only the traditional interpretational methodology but also the interpretational methodology that are commonly used today, it lacks logical basis and looks unpersuasive. Paragraph 9 of Article 5 of the Ships Safety Act Enforcement Regulations can be applied not only on passenger ships but also on cargo ships. Also in case of Ro-Ro cargo ships, it is logically contradictory and against fairness not to acknowledge special cargo vehicle drivers as temporary passengers when there is no problem with safe navigation and safety of passengers on board even when the sailor, the sailor's family and the ship owner may be acknowledged as temporary passengers. To avoid unnecessary disputes and lawsuits, improvement plans using theory of legislation through statutory reform is more desirable. Therefore, the P aragraph should be amended to "Supercargo who deals with cargo that requires special care due to the characteristics of the cargo, such as transportation vehicles for agricultural products, marine products, livestock, explosives or flammable materials (drivers can serve as supercargos)" to reflect the distinct characteristics of cargo and ship navigation in Korea including the current distribution system, while setting an objective standard based on common sense of ordinary people and not on arbitrary interpretation.

• Proceedings of the Korean Institute of Information and Commucation Sciences Conference
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• 2017.05a
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• pp.463-466
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• 2017

The purpose of this paper is to develop a module capable of all-directional driving different from conventional wheeled robots, and to solve the problems of the conventional mobile robot with side driving performance degradation, It is possible to overcome the disadvantages such as an increase in the time required for the unnecessary driving. The all - direction spherical wheel drive module for driving a ball - balancing robot is required to develop a power transfer mechanism and a driving algorithm for driving the robot in all directions using three rotor casters. 3DoF (Axis) A driver with built-in forward motion algorithm is embedded in the module and a driving motor module with 3DoF (axis) for driving direction and speed is installed. The movement mechanism depends on the sum of the rotation vectors of the respective driving wheels. It is possible to create various movement directions depending on the rotation and the vector sum of two or three drive wheels. It is possible to move in different directions according to the rotation vector field of each driving wheel. When a more innovative all-round spherical wheel drive module for forward movement is developed, it can be used in the driving part of the mobile robot to improve the performance of the robot more technically, and through the forward-direction robot platform with the drive module Conventional wheeled robots can overcome the disadvantage that the continuous straightening performance is lowered due to resistance to various environments. Therefore, it is necessary to use a full-direction driving function as well as a cleaning robot and a mobile robot applicable in the Americas and Europe It will be an essential technology for guide robots, boarding robots, mobile means, etc., and will contribute to the expansion of the intelligent service robot market and future automobile market.