• Korea Trade Review
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• v.42 no.2
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• pp.175-203
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• 2017

This study examined the casual relationships among SMEs' market orientation, brand orientation, firm capabilities-technology and marketing capabilities, competitive advantage and financial performance in export markets based on the resource-based view. The data were collected from 286 cases of exporting SMEs. The results of path analysis indicated that market orientation of exporting SMEs increased technology and marketing capabilities. Market orientation directly increased both competitive advantage and financial performance in export markets. Brand orientation influenced technological capability and had indirect effects on both competitive advantage and financial performance through the firm capabilities. Based on the results, managerial implications and future research directions for exporting SMEs were provided.

• Korea Trade Review
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• v.42 no.2
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• pp.251-276
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• 2017

The utilization of Digital and Social Network has become be a key success factor in business operations as information technologies evolve rapidly. This study is to identity the relationship between ICT & digital utilization, global orientation and export marketing capability in Korean SMEs. Survey data of Korean SMEs in south regional areas was collected and analyzed for empirical hypothesis test by PLS structural equation method. The key findings are as follows. First, ICT utilization such as SNS, homepage and online portal does not impact directly on export marketing capability. It means that SMEs would not still take advantage of utilization of social network availability. Second, ICT utilization has positive influences on global market orientation and global network orientation. Finally, both global market orientation and network have significant impacts on export marketing capability. In conclusion, global orientation has full-mediation effects on relationship between ICT capability and global marketing. This study provides evidences and some practical insights that digital utilization have indirect influences on global marketing through global markets and network orientation in Korean SMEs. In information technology era, ICT utilization will play an important role in the process of SMEs' internationalization. Therefore, for sustainable growth and survival SMEs should manage and intensify ICT capability more strategically as one of core competence. The value of ICT capability in SMEs would be depended on their strategic perspectives toward digitalization. Additional empirical research about digital capability based on larger sample will be needed.

• Journal of Distribution Science
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• v.18 no.12
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• pp.15-29
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• 2020

Purpose: Due to an ever more interconnected global commercial environment, the role of SMEs from emerging markets has attracted considerable attention in business literature of late. Reinforced by strategic management theory, this study builds on aspects such as entrepreneurial orientation and dynamic capabilities to construct and test a framework that focuses on exploring their associations with export performance. Research design, data and methodology: To contribute further towards a deeper understanding of these markets, the current study empirically tests a model using data collected from 225 exporting firms located throughout South Africa. Results: The results from the data analysis show that entrepreneurial orientation contributes significantly towards improving the performance of South African SMEs. Additionally, this study integrates three dynamic capabilities in the strategy-performance relationship to test their interacting effects on the correlation between entrepreneurial orientation and export performance. Further findings advocate support for relationship-based capabilities playing a moderating role between entrepreneurial orientation and the exporting performance of small and medium firms emanating from emerging markets. Conclusions: Findings provide substance to the argument that entrepreneurship, as a strategy-making process, leads to export performance in emerging nations. Especially, this study provides several suggestions as to how small and medium-sized organizations can develop their exporting performance based on the research findings.

• Journal of Korea Trade
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• v.25 no.6
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• pp.105-125
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• 2021

Purpose - This study analyzes the effects that the response to the technical barriers to trade (TBT), which are used by various countries as means to restrict imports, exerts on exports at a time when protectionism is emerging in the face of a global economic downturn. TBT has been widely used in developed countries for the safety and protection of their people. Recently, the use of TBT as a tool of protectionism has increased considerably in developing countries as well. Therefore, this study analyzes the South Korean SMEs' response and export performance. Design/methodology - To analyze SMEs' response to TBT and their export performance, this study conducted empirical analysis through statistical analysis. To this end, the research established a theory based on previous research and designed its hypothesis and research model. To verify the hypothesis and research model, factor analysis addressing validity and reliability was performed using SPSS 25 and AMOS 26, and the structural equation model was analyzed. Findings - This study found the causal relationship between the independent variable, the mediating variable, and the dependent variable adopted against the theoretical background to have little or no effect, in contrast with previous studies. In a break from previous studies, all hypotheses were rejected for innovation strategic competencies, one of the sub-factors of the independent variable, which is believed to be a result of the lack of practical research related to TBT. Originality/value - Previous studies performed analysis using trade statistics or macro data. A number of such studies analyzed the relationship between technical regulation and trade volume. This study differs from previous studies in some respects, because it analyzed the export performance of companies by establishing a hypothesis and implementing a research model with the factors analyzed in previous studies. In addition, a new attempt has been made by classifying the TBT response factors into technology competencies, human resource competencies, and innovation strategic competencies, and utilizing technology innovation and the export support system as mediating effects.

• Journal of Digital Convergence
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• v.18 no.4
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• pp.45-53
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• 2020

With the advent of the Fourth Industrial Revolution, the central axis of the industry is shifting to SMEs, and online is becoming the center of marketing. In this regard, this study is aimed at the service quality and the characteristics of companies as the factors for the activation of SMEs' online export support projects and their performance creation. The study conducted a survey of companies applied for the government's online export support project. As a result, it was found that the reliability of the service quality and the characteristics of the company (CEO's will, Trade Expert), except for convenience, have a significant effect on the service utilization and performance. Accordingly, in order to revitalize the online export support business of SMEs, it is necessary to improve the human competence of enterprises and the reliability of service quality of supporting institutions. This study is meaningful in that it confirms the importance of the credibility required by the support organization as well as the characteristics for strengthening the capability of the company. However, there are limitations in not reflecting various factors of service quality and company characteristics.

• Korea Trade Review
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• v.47 no.5
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• pp.161-179
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• 2022

This paper aims to examine the role of government's support in facilitating small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs)' green dynamic capabilities and green SCM practices in a global market. It also investigates whether government support, green dynamic capabilities, and green SCM practices affect export competitiveness. To develop those hypotheses, prior studies and in-depth interviews were conducted and data was collected from Korean manufacturing companies that export abroad and then developed the structural equation model. The hypotheses test results revealed that green dynamic capabilities through government support positively affect export competitiveness and green SCM practices through green dynamic capabilities have positive effects on export competitiveness. Finally, this study is valuable in that it directly and indirectly confirmed the effect of eco-friendly government support on export competitiveness.

• Asia-Pacific Journal of Business
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• v.13 no.3
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• pp.493-504
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• 2022

Purpose - This study investigate the effect of innovative capacity on corporate export performance and moderating flexibility. Design/methodology/approach - For this, hypotheses were established by reviewing previous studies and an empirical analysis was conducted for testing. Using SPSS 22.0, a frequency analysis of related variables was conducted. Through an exploratory factor analysis, validity and reliability tests of measuring tools were conducted and a descriptive statistics was analyzed for collected data result and hypotheses testing. Findings - Finally, with a verified model, the hypotheses and the moderating effects were tested. The results are as follows; The innovationa capacities have a positive effect on export performance and flexibility However, the flexbilitiy was not moderator in the relationship between innovative capacity and export performance. Research implications or Originality - According to the results above, this study presents directions to improve export performance of technological innovative type SMEs. The innovative capabilities, marketing capacity, organization innovative capacity and process innovative capactity, has an positive effect on

• Journal of the Korea Convergence Society
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• v.11 no.5
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• pp.219-227
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• 2020

Rapid changes in the environment, such as the 4th Industrial Revolution, provide crises and opportunities for SMEs. The government is trying to improve and expand the SME support project, but has not been able to achieve the desired results. This study studied the effective performance factors of overseas marketing support projects in response to changes in the role of SMEs. The research was conducted based on a survey of coporations applying for export support projects. As a result of the research, the corporate competence, the support quality from the support institution, and the consultant competency have a significant influence on the utilization of the support project. In addition, it was analyzed that the utilization of support projects has a significant effect on corporate performance. In order to achieve the performance of support projects under a changing export environment, support organizations, consultants, and coporation should strengthen their competences. This study suggests the criteria for judging the actual factors necessary for the improvement of the export support project, and studies on how to strengthen the competences of each factor should be conducted in the future.

• Asia-Pacific Journal of Business Venturing and Entrepreneurship
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• v.11 no.4
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• pp.167-178
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• 2016

This study was carried out for two purposes. One is to analyse the relationship between export performance and the five capabilities of R&D intensive firms (new product development, overseas market information, SNS and communications, brand and marketing). The second purpose is to verify the difference in those capabilities between R&D intensive small companies and mid-sized companies. Based on the OECD's classification of "technology intensity", R&D intensive firms are defined as the firms which are investing more than 5% of their annual sales in R&D activities. This study reveals the significant and positive relationships between the export performance and three capabilities( overseas market information, SNS and communication, brand) except for new product development capabilities and marketing capabilities. Those capabilities increase export performance. On the other hand, this study finds a significant difference in overseas market information capabilities and brand competence between R & D-intensive SMEs and mid sized companies. It is shown that those two capabilities in the mid sized firms are stronger than in the SMEs. These findings have important implications for the growth of R&D intensive SMEs in the global market. First, for higher export performance of R&D intensive firms, three capabilities such as overseas market information, SNS-communication and brand should be strengtened. In particular, SNS-communication capabilities as innovative marketing competences should be developed together with traditional marketing capabilities. Second, the growth of SMEs into Mid-sized firms needs the development of brand competences and overseas market information capabilities.

• International Commerce and Information Review
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• v.18 no.4
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• pp.311-332
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• 2016

This study aims to analyze the influences of KS certification system on export performance of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in Korea. The analysis may contribute to enhance export competitiveness of Korean SMEs. Based on previous studies for environment-specific and business-specific determinants regarding KS certification system, this study analyzed six factors influencing on export performance of Korean SMEs. For empirical tests, this study used frequency, validity, reliability, and multiple regression analysis with SPSS 21.0. The results of analysis could be summarized as follows. Managerial mind had influence on KS certification system, whereas employee's awareness on standard was influential to the same categories. Another business-specific factor, KS certification education & training, affected factors of general standardization of KS certification system. General standardization of KS certification factor had effects on export strategic performance. This empirical study presents following implications for small and medium businesses. First, considering that SME management mind proved to be influencing all variables, the concerned SME CEOs are required to support and encourage intra-standardization of KS certification mind within the company to improve their export performance. Second, to better the export performance, SMEs not only need to support, but also to provide education of KS certification to raise awareness on standardization among the employees. Third, ISO certification as well as intra-business standardized system for FTA-related works are highly encouraged to put into use to improve the quality of products.