• Title/Summary/Keyword: ECONOMIC EFFICIENCY

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Space Usage and Satisfaction with Privacy in General Hospital Inpatients (종합병원 입원환자의 공간사용 및 프라이버시 만족도)

  • Choi, In Young;Park, Hey Kyung
    • Korea Science and Art Forum
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    • v.36
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    • pp.391-400
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    • 2018
  • To ensure a user-centered treatment environment, hospital construction needs an approach that is not centered on functional aspects such as efficiency or economic feasibility but on the consideration of needs as reflected in user psychology and behavior. Patients who are physically and psychologically vulnerable experience psychological pressure when they are placed in an unfamiliar environment. Most of existing studies however focus on the evaluation of the physical environment, without paying attention to the psychological or behavioral approach to anxiety and stress that patients may experience in a special environment that a hospital may be to them. This study examines general hospital inpatients to understand the usage of major space available and their satisfaction with privacy. This study provides useful primary information needed for the user-centered design of general hospital for improved patient health and welfare. For the purpose of the study, literature review, site investigation, and survey were conducted. Major functional space and privacy in general hospitals were studied, and the site investigation was performed to identify the plans and their status. Survey was also performed to understand the usage of functional space and satisfaction with such space usage as well as satisfaction with privacy. The findings were as follows: (1) Space usage was rated as average in general. It was found that patients used their rooms and lobby on a daily basis. By age, the usage was highest in the group in their 40s; the usage was relatively lower in the groups in their 30s or younger. (2) Space satisfaction was above average, indicating that patients were fairly satisfied. Satisfaction was highest in the lobby space designed with distinct features. By case, satisfaction was highest in Case B, characterized by its wide horizontal space in the rural settings. (3) Satisfaction with privacy in hospital was average, indicating that the demand for privacy was relatively higher but what patients receive in return was lower than their expectation. It was also found that satisfaction with privacy was a crucial element that affected the overall satisfaction with hospital.

Case Analysis on Platform Business Models for IT Service Planning (IT서비스 기획을 위한 플랫폼 비즈니스 모델 사례 분석연구)

  • Kim, Hyun Ji;Cha, yun so;Kim, Kyung Hoon
    • Korea Science and Art Forum
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    • v.25
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    • pp.103-118
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    • 2016
  • Due to the rapid development of ICT, corporate business models quickly changed and because of the radical growth of IT technology, sequential or gradual survival has become difficult. Internet-based new businesses such as IT service companies are seeking for new convergence business models that have not existed before to create business models that are more competitive, but the economic efficiency of business models that were successful in the past is wearing off. Yet, as reaching the critical point where the platform value becomes extremely high for platforms via the Internet is happening at a much higher speed than before, platform-ization has become a very important condition for rapid business expansion for all kinds of businesses. This study analyzes the necessity of establishing platform business models in IT service planning and identifies their characteristics through case analyses of platform business models. The results derived features First, there is a need to ensure sufficient buyers and sellers, and second, platform business model should provide customers with distinctive value of the only platforms are generating. third, the common interests between platform-driven company and a partner, participants Should be existing. Fourthly, by expanding base of participants and upgrades, expansion of adjacent areas we must have a continuous scalability and evolution must be sustainable. While it is expected that the identified characteristics will cause tremendous impacts to the establishment of platform business models and to the graphing of service planning, we also look forward to this study serving as the starting point for the establishment of theories of profit models for platform businesses, which were not mentioned in the study, so that planners responsible for platform-based IT service planning will spend less time and draw bigger schemes in building planning drafts.

Evaluation of Antenna Pattern Measurement of HF Radar using Drone (드론을 활용한 고주파 레이다의 안테나 패턴 측정(APM) 가능성 검토)

  • Dawoon Jung;Jae Yeob Kim;Kyu-Min Song
    • Journal of Korean Society of Coastal and Ocean Engineers
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    • v.35 no.6
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    • pp.109-120
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    • 2023
  • The High-Frequency Radar (HFR) is an equipment designed to measure real-time surface ocean currents in broad maritime areas.It emits radio waves at a specific frequency (HF) towards the sea surface and analyzes the backscattered waves to measure surface current vectors (Crombie, 1955; Barrick, 1972).The Seasonde HF Radar from Codar, utilized in this study, determines the speed and location of radial currents by analyzing the Bragg peak intensity of transmitted and received waves from an omnidirectional antenna and employing the Multiple Signal Classification (MUSIC) algorithm. The generated currents are initially considered ideal patterns without taking into account the characteristics of the observed electromagnetic wave propagation environment. To correct this, Antenna Pattern Measurement (APM) is performed, measuring the strength of signals at various positions received by the antenna and calculating the corrected measured vector to radial currents.The APM principle involves modifying the position and phase information of the currents based on the measured signal strength at each location. Typically, experiments are conducted by installing an antenna on a ship (Kim et al., 2022). However, using a ship introduces various environmental constraints, such as weather conditions and maritime situations. To reduce dependence on maritime conditions and enhance economic efficiency, this study explores the possibility of using unmanned aerial vehicles (drones) for APM. The research conducted APM experiments using a high-frequency radar installed at Dangsa Lighthouse in Dangsa-ri, Wando County, Jeollanam-do. The study compared and analyzed the results of APM experiments using ships and drones, utilizing the calculated radial currents and surface current fields obtained from each experiment.

Importance and requirements for dental prosthesis order platform services: a survey of dental professionals (치과 보철물 거래 플랫폼 서비스의 중요성과 요구사항: 치과 전문가 설문조사)

  • Gyu-Ri Kim;Keunbada Son;Du-Hyeong Lee;So-Yeun Kim;Myoung-Uk Jin;Kyu-Bok Lee
    • Journal of Dental Rehabilitation and Applied Science
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    • v.39 no.3
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    • pp.105-118
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    • 2023
  • Purpose: This study aimed to gain better understanding of the importance of dental prosthesis order platform services and to identify the essential elements for their enhancement and wider adoption among dental professionals. Materials and Methods: A survey was conducted to assess the perspectives of dentists, dental technicians, dental hygienists, and dental industry professionals toward dental prosthesis ordering and associated platform services (a total of 53 respondents). The questionnaire was devised after an expert review and assessed for reliability using Cronbach's alpha coefficient. Factor analysis revealed that 57 factors across five categories accounted for 88.417% of the total variance. The survey was administered through an online questionnaire platform, and data analysis was conducted using a statistical software, employing one-way analysis of variance and Tukey's honestly significant difference test (α = 0.05). Results: The essential elements identified were accurate information input, effective communication, delivery of distortion-free impressions, convenience in data transmission and storage, development of stable and affordable platform services (P < 0.05). Furthermore, significant differences were observed in the importance of these items based on age, dental profession, and career experience (P < 0.05). Conclusion: The dental prosthesis ordering platform services, the requirements of dental personnel were stability, economic efficiency, and ease of transmitting and storing prosthesis data. The findings can serve as important indicators for the development and improvement of dental prosthesis order platform services.

Study on the Mechanical Stability of Red Mud Catalysts for HFC-134a Hydrolysis Reaction (HFC-134a 가수분해를 위한 Red mud 촉매 기계적 안정성 향상에 관한 연구)

  • In-Heon Kwak;Eun-Han Lee;Sung-Chan Nam;Jung-Bae Kim;Shin-Kun Ryi
    • Clean Technology
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    • v.30 no.2
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    • pp.134-144
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    • 2024
  • In this study, the mechanical stability of red mud was improved for its commercial use as a catalyst to effectively decompose HFC-134a, one of the seven major greenhouse gases. Red mud is an industrial waste discharged from aluminum production, but it can be used for the decomposition of HFC-134a. Red mud can be manufactured into a catalyst via the crushing-preparative-compression molding-firing process, and it is possible to improve the catalyst performance and secure mechanical stability through calcination. In order to determine the optimal heat treatment conditions, pellet-shaped compressed red mud samples were calcined at 300, 600, 800 ℃ using a muffle furnace for 5 hours. The mechanical stability was confirmed by the weight loss rate before and after ultra-sonication after the catalyst was immersed in distilled water. The catalyst calcined at 800 ℃ (RM 800) was found to have the best mechanical stability as well as the most catalytic activity. The catalyst performance and durability tests that were performed for 100 hours using the RM 800 catalyst showed thatmore than 99% of 1 mol% HFC-134a was degraded at 650 ℃, and no degradation in catalytic activity was observed. XRD analysis showed tri-calcium aluminate and gehlenite crystalline phases, which enhance mechanical strength and catalytic activity due to the interaction of Ca, Si, and Al after heat treatment at 800 ℃. SEM/EDS analysis of the durability tested catalysts showed no losses in active substances or shape changes due to HFC-134a abasement. Through this research, it is expected that red mud can be commercialized as a catalyst for waste refrigerant treatment due to its high economic feasibility, high decomposition efficiency and mechanical stability.

An Overview of the Rationale of Monetary and Banking Intervention: The Role of the Central Bank in Money and Banking Revisited (화폐(貨幣)·금융개입(金融介入)의 이론적(理論的) 근거(根據)에 대한 고찰(考察) : 중앙은행(中央銀行)의 존립근거(存立根據)에 대한 개관(槪觀))

  • Jwa, Sung-hee
    • KDI Journal of Economic Policy
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    • v.12 no.3
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    • pp.71-94
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    • 1990
  • This paper reviews the rationale of monetary and banking intervention by an outside authority, either the government or the central bank, and seeks to delineate clearly the optimal limits to the monetary and banking deregulation currently underway in Korea as well as on a global scale. Furthermore, this paper seeks to establish an objective and balanced view on the role of the central bank, especially in light of the current discussion on the restructuring of Korea's central bank, which has been severely contaminated by interest-group politics. The discussion begins with the recognition that the modern free banking school and the new monetary economics are becoming formidable challenges to the traditional role of the government or the central bank in the monetary and banking sector. The paper reviews six arguments that have traditionally been presented to support intervention: (1) the possibility of an over-issue of bank notes under free banking instead of central banking; (2) externalities in and the public good nature of the use of money; (3) economies of scale and natural monopoly in producing money; (4) the need for macro stabilization policy due to the instability of the real sector; (5) the external effects of bank failure due to the inherent instability of the existing banking system; and (6) protection for small banknote users and depositors. Based on an analysis of the above arguments, the paper speculates on the optimal role of the government or central bank in the monetary and banking system and the optimal degree of monetary and banking deregulation. By contrast to the arguments for free banking or laissez-faire monetary systems, which become fashionable in recent years, monopoly and intervention by the government or central bank in the outside money system can be both necessary and optimal. In this case, of course, an over-issue of fiat money may be possible due to political considerations, but this issue is beyond the scope of this paper. On the other hand, the issue of inside monies based on outside money could indeed be provided for optimally under market competition by private institutions. A competitive system in issuing inside monies would help realize, to the maxim urn extent possible, external economies generated by using a single outside money. According to this reasoning, free banking activities will prevail in the inside money system, while a government monopoly will prevail in the outside money system. This speculation, then, also implies that the monetary and banking deregulation currently underway should and most likely will be limited to the inside money system, which could be liberalized to the fullest degree. It is also implied that it will be impractical to deregulate the outside money system and to allow market competition to provide outside money, in accordance with the arguments of the free banking school and the new monetary economics. Furthermore, the role of the government or central bank in this new environment will not be significantly different from their current roles. As far as the supply of fiat money continues to be monopolized by the government, the control of the supply of base money and such related responsibilities as monetary policy (argument(4)) and the lender of the last resort (argument (5)) will naturally be assigned to the outside money supplier. However, a mechanism for controlling an over-issue of fiat money by a monopolistic supplier will definitely be called for (argument(1)). A monetary policy based on a certain policy rule could be one possibility. More importantly, the deregulation of the inside money system would further increase the systemic risk inherent in the current fractional banking system, while enhancing the efficiency of the system (argument (5)). In this context, the role of the lender of the last resort would again become an instrument of paramount importance in alleviating liquidity crises in the early stages, thereby disallowing the possibility of a widespread bank run. Similarly, prudential banking supervision would also help maintain the safety and soundness of the fully deregulated banking system. These functions would also help protect depositors from losses due to bank failures (argument (6)). Finally, these speculations suggest that government or central bank authorities have probably been too conservative on the issue of the deregulation of the financial system, beyond the caution necessary to preserve system safety. Rather, only the fullest deregulation of the inside money system seems to guarantee the maximum enjoyment of external economies in the single outside money system.

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Effect of Strength Increasing Sizes on the Quality of Fiberboard (섬유판(纖維板)의 증강(增强)사이즈제(齊)가 재질(材質)에 미치는 영향(影響))

  • Shin, Dong So;Lee, Hwa Hyoung
    • Journal of Korean Society of Forest Science
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    • v.30 no.1
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    • pp.19-29
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    • 1976
  • The fiberboard and paper mills in this country are much affected by the price hikes and shortage of phenolic resins, since phenolic acid as a raw material depends on imported good. It is prerequisite to fiberboard industry to help replace with other sized and stabilize the prices and supply of them, improving the quality of boards. Thus, the present study was carried out to examine the effect of strength increasing sized such as urea formaldehyde resin (anion and cation type) and urea melamine copolymer resin, on the quality of the wet forming hardboard, and comparing them with two types of proprietary modified melamine resins, and ordinary size, phenol resin. The Asplund pulp was prepared from wood wastes mixed with 20 percent of lauan and 80 percent of pines as a fibrous material. After sizing agents were added at a pH of 4.5 for 10 minutes with alum in the beater, the stock was made in the form of wet sheet, prepared, and then performed by hot pressing cycle: $180^{\circ}C$, $50-6-5kg/cm^2$, 1-2-7 minutes. The properties of hardboard were examined after air conditioning. The results obtained are summarized as follows: 1. There is a significant difference in specific gravity among hardboards that were treated with strength increasing resins, but no difference is effected by the increase in the resin content. In the case of modified melamine resin, its specific gravity is highest. The middle group comprises cation type of urea resin, anion type of urea resin, and acid colloid of urea-melamine copolymer resin. The lowest is phenolic resin. 2. The difference of the moisture content of hardboard both by the resins and by the amount of each resin applied is significant. The moisture content of hardboard becomes lower along with the increase of each resin content, but there is no difference between 2 and 3 percent. 3. For water absorption, there is a significant difference both in the adhesives used and in the amount of paraffin wax emulsion. The water resistance becomes higher inn proportion to the content of the paraffin wax emulsion. To satisfy KS F standards of the water resistance, a proprietary modified melamine resin (p-6100) and modified cation type of urea resin (p-1500) do not require any paraffin wax emulsion, but in the case of anion type of urea resin, cation type of urea resin, and urea-melamine copolymer resin, 1 percent of paraffin wax emulsion is needed, and 2 percent of paraffin wax emulsion in the case of phenolic resin. 4. The difference of flexural strength of hardboard both by the resins and by the amount of each resin is significant. Modified melamine resin shows the highest degree of flexural strength. Among the middle group are urea-melamine copolymer resin, p-1500, anion type of urea resin, and cation type of urea resin. Phenolic resin is the lowest. The cause may be attributable to factors combined with the pressing temperature, sizing effect, and thermal efficiency of press platens heated electrically. 5. Considering the economic advantages and properties of hardboard, it is proposed that urea-melamine copolymer resin and cation type of urea resin be used for the development of the fiberboard industry. It is desirable to further develop the modified urea-melamine copolymer resin and cation type of urea resin through continuous study.

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Effect of Domestic Clay Minerals on Growth Performance and Carcass Characteristics in Growing-Fattening Hanwoo Steers (육성비육 거세한우에 대한 점토광물 급여가 성장 및 도체특성에 미치는 영향)

  • Kang, S.W.;Kim, J.S.;Cho, W.M.;Ahn, B.S.;Ki, G.S.;Son, Y.S.
    • Journal of Animal Science and Technology
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    • v.44 no.3
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    • pp.327-340
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    • 2002
  • This study was conducted to investigate the effects of domestic clay minerals on feed efficiency, meat quantity, meat quality and economic traits in 24 head of Hanwoo steers(166.1kg in body weight) for 540 days from six to 24 months in age. Feeding trial was conducted with 4 treatment(six heads/treatment) which were T1(Control), T2(Control+Kaolinite), T3(Control+Bentonite), T4(Control+Illite). The results obtained are summarized as follows; The range of average daily gains were 0.682 to 0.713, 0.669 to 0.714, 0.690 to 0.840 and 0.699 to 0.756kg in growing, fattening, finishing and over-all period, respectively, and the gains were high in T1 for growing and fattening period but in clay mineral groups for finishing and over-all period, especially it was high in Illite and Bentonite groups. Concentrates and TDN intakes per unit of kg gains were lower in clay mineral groups than in control and was lower especially in Bentonite groups. In carcass characteristics, dressed carcass and fresh meat and retailed cut percent were not apparently difference by treatments, and yield index was 69.3, 68.9, 68.8 and 68.6 in T3, T2, T4 and T1, respectively. Marbling scores were 5.1, 4.6, 4.4 and 3.3 in T3, T2, T4 and T1, respectively, and the range of shear force by treatment was from 3.51 to 6.02kg/cm2. and were improved with significant difference(P<0.05) in clay mineral groups than in control. Also in palatability traits, panel test scores of juiciness, tenderness and flavor were improved in clay mineral feeding groups, especially the flavor was improved with highly significant difference(P<0.01) in clay mineral groups than in control. In total fatty acid contents, the rate of SFA(saturated fatty acid) in longissimus muscle of beef was higher in the order of T2, T3, T1 and T4 while the rate of MUFA(monounsaturated fatty acid) was high in the order of T4, T3, T1 and T2. The content of oleic acid which is major influential factor at the flavor of beef was higher in Illite groups than in any other groups. In composition of amino acids in longissimus muscles of beef, the rate of essential amino acids was high in the order of T1, T2, T3 and T4. and the rate of amino acids in clay mineral groups was smaller than in control.In chemical component in Gom-Tang(soup of bone) made by Hanwoo steer’s leg-bone, the ranges of crude protein, ether extract, and crude ash was 0.81 to 1.24, 0.17 to 0.35 and 0.07 to 0.09%, respectively. In mineral composition, the ranges of Ca, P, Na and Mg was 14.01 to 15.77, 11.45 to 16.40, 37.92 to 49.99 and 0.26 to 0.46ppm, respectively. Chemical composition were not apparently different but mineral composition was increased in clay mineral groups than in control. Income by treatments was 967,096 to 1,524,055 Won per head for 540 days and income of clay mineral groups in comparison with control’s increased by 23.7 to 57.6 percent, and especially it was higher in bentonite and(or) Illite groups than others. According to the above results it may be concluded that clay mineral to growing-fattening Hanwoo steers can be improved the meat quantity, meat quality and income. Especially the effect of bentonite and illite is large and can be recommended for usage to improve animal performance as feed additives of growing-fattening Hanwoo steers.

The Causes of Conflict and the Effect of Control Mechanisms on Conflict Resolution between Manufacturer and Supplier (제조-공급자간 갈등 원인과 거래조정 방식의 갈등관리 효과)

  • Rhee, Jin Hwa
    • Journal of Distribution Research
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    • v.17 no.4
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    • pp.55-80
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    • 2012
  • I. Introduction Developing the relationships between companies is very important issue to ensure a competitive advantage in today's business environment (Bleeke & Ernst 1991; Mohr & Spekman 1994; Powell 1990). Partnerships between companies are based on having same goals, pursuing mutual understanding, and having a professional level of interdependence. By having such a partnerships and cooperative efforts between companies, they will achieve efficiency and effectiveness of their business (Mohr and Spekman, 1994). However, it is difficult to expect these ideal results only in the B2B corporate transaction. According to agency theory which is the well-accepted theory in various fields of business strategy, organization, and marketing, the two independent companies have fundamentally different corporate purposes. Also there is a higher chance of developing opportunism and conflict due to natures of human(organization), such as self-interest, bounded rationality, risk aversion, and environment factor as imbalance of information (Eisenhardt 1989). That is, especially partnerships between principal(or buyer) and agent(or supplier) of companies within supply chain, the business contract itself will not provide competitive advantage. But managing partnership between companies is the key to success. Therefore, managing partnership between manufacturer and supplier, and finding causes of conflict are essential to improve B2B performance. In conclusion, based on prior researches and Agency theory, this study will clarify how business hazards cause conflicts on supply chain and then identify how developed conflicts have been managed by two control mechanisms. II. Research model III. Method In order to validate our research model, this study gathered questionnaires from small and medium sized enterprises(SMEs). In Korea, SMEs mean the firms whose employee is under 300 and capital is under 8 billion won(about 7.2 million dollar). We asked the manufacturer's perception about the relationship with the biggest supplier, and our key informants are denied to a person responsible for buying(ex)CEO, executives, managers of purchasing department, and so on). In detail, we contact by telephone to our initial sample(about 1,200 firms) and introduce our research motivation and send our questionnaires by e-mail, mail, and direct survey. Finally we received 361 data and eliminate 32 inappropriate questionnaires. We use 329 manufactures' data on analysis. The purpose of this study is to identify the anticipant role of business hazard (environmental dynamism, asset specificity) and investigate the moderating effect of control mechanism(formal control, social control) on conflict-performance relationship. To find out moderating effect of control methods, we need to compare the regression weight between low versus. high group(about level of exercised control methods). Therefore we choose the structural equation modeling method that is proper to do multi-group analysis. The data analysis is performed by AMOS 17.0 software, and model fits are good statically (CMIN/DF=1.982, p<.000, CFI=.936, IFI=.937, RMSEA=.056). IV. Result V. Discussion Results show that the higher environmental dynamism and asset specificity(on particular supplier) buyer(manufacturer) has, the more B2B conflict exists. And this conflict affect relationship quality and financial outcomes negatively. In addition, social control and formal control could weaken the negative effect of conflict on relationship quality significantly. However, unlikely to assure conflict resolution effect of control mechanisms on relationship quality, financial outcomes are changed by neither social control nor formal control. We could explain this results with the characteristics of our sample, SMEs(Small and Medium sized Enterprises). Financial outcomes of these SMEs(manufacturer or principal) are affected by their customer(usually major company) more easily than their supplier(or agent). And, in recent few years, most of companies have suffered from financial problems because of global economic recession. It means that it is hard to evaluate the contribution of supplier(agent). Therefore we also support the suggestion of Gladstein(1984), Poppo & Zenger(2002) that relational performance variable can capture the focal outcomes of relationship(exchange) better than financial performance variable. This study has some implications that it tests the sources of conflict and investigates the effect of resolution methods of B2B conflict empirically. And, especially, it finds out the significant moderating effect of formal control which past B2B management studies have ignored in Korea.

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A Conceptual Review of the Transaction Costs within a Distribution Channel (유통경로내의 거래비용에 대한 개념적 고찰)

  • Kwon, Young-Sik;Mun, Jang-Sil
    • Journal of Distribution Science
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    • v.10 no.2
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    • pp.29-41
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    • 2012
  • This paper undertakes a conceptual review of transaction cost to broaden the understanding of the transaction cost analysis (TCA) approach. More than 40 years have passed since Coase's fundamental insight that transaction, coordination, and contracting costs must be considered explicitly in explaining the extent of vertical integration. Coase (1937) forced economists to identify previously neglected constraints on the trading process to foster efficient intrafirm, rather than interfirm, transactions. The transaction cost approach to economic organization study regards transactions as the basic units of analysis and holds that understanding transaction cost economy is central to organizational study. The approach applies to determining efficient boundaries, as between firms and markets, and to internal transaction organization, including employment relations design. TCA, developed principally by Oliver Williamson (1975,1979,1981a) blends institutional economics, organizational theory, and contract law. Further progress in transaction costs research awaits the identification of critical dimensions in which transaction costs differ and an examination of the economizing properties of alternative institutional modes for organizing transactions. The crucial investment distinction is: To what degree are transaction-specific (non-marketable) expenses incurred? Unspecialized items pose few hazards, since buyers can turn toalternative sources, and suppliers can sell output intended for one order to other buyers. Non-marketability problems arise when specific parties' identities have important cost-bearing consequences. Transactions of this kind are labeled idiosyncratic. The summarized results of the review are as follows. First, firms' distribution decisions often prompt examination of the make-or-buy question: Should a marketing activity be performed within the organization by company employees or contracted to an external agent? Second, manufacturers introducing an industrial product to a foreign market face a difficult decision. Should the product be marketed primarily by captive agents (the company sales force and distribution division) or independent intermediaries (outside sales agents and distribution)? Third, the authors develop a theoretical extension to the basic transaction cost model by combining insights from various theories with the TCA approach. Fourth, other such extensions are likely required for the general model to be applied to different channel situations. It is naive to assume the basic model appliesacross markedly different channel contexts without modifications and extensions. Although this study contributes to scholastic research, it is limited by several factors. First, the theoretical perspective of TCA has attracted considerable recent interest in the area of marketing channels. The analysis aims to match the properties of efficient governance structures with the attributes of the transaction. Second, empirical evidence about TCA's basic propositions is sketchy. Apart from Anderson's (1985) study of the vertical integration of the selling function and John's (1984) study of opportunism by franchised dealers, virtually no marketing studies involving the constructs implicated in the analysis have been reported. We hope, therefore, that further research will clarify distinctions between the different aspects of specific assets. Another important line of future research is the integration of efficiency-oriented TCA with organizational approaches that emphasize specific assets' conceptual definition and industry structure. Finally, research of transaction costs, uncertainty, opportunism, and switching costs is critical to future study.

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