• Health Policy and Management
• /
• v.34 no.1
• /
• pp.38-47
• /
• 2024

Background: Korea's population of children and adolescents has decreased by 2.88 million over the past decade and is expected to decline further due to the unprecedented low birth rate. In the fee-for-service compensation system, the decline in the pediatric population relates directly to the profit decrease in the pediatric clinics. This study analyzed whether the worsening profits of pediatric clinics impacted their closure. Methods: We built annual data for pediatric and other department clinics (internal medicine, otolaryngology, and family medicine) using the status of medical institute and health insurance claims data from 2012 to 2022. Then, we analyzed whether institutional variables such as annual profit and regional variables (Herfindahl-Hirschman index, the number of clinics per 100,000, etc.) affected the closure of clinics. The methods used in this study are descriptive statistics and chi-square analysis. Odds ratios for each variable were estimated by generalized estimating equations (GEE). Results: The closure rate of pediatric clinics was 2.66%-7.04% in 2012-2022, which was consistently higher than those of internal medicine, otolaryngology, and family medicine clinics. The profit gap per institution between the pediatric and the other clinics grew from 126 million won in 2012 to 245 million won in 2019. In the GEE analysis, profit decrease compared to the previous year with lower profit was the main factor that increased the closure of pediatric and other department clinics. After adjusting profit-related variables, the decrease in the pediatric population itself did not relate to the closure of pediatric clinics. The number of pediatric clinics or monopolies also did not affect the closure of pediatric clinics. Conclusion: The worsening profit is the crucial factor for the closure of pediatric clinics, while the pediatric population is decreasing. For this reason, it is necessary to actively seek ways to maintain a stable treatment system for children and adolescents.

• Journal of the Korean Institute of Landscape Architecture
• /
• v.36 no.6
• /
• pp.12-21
• /
• 2009

This study focused on the estimation of econcmic value and the evaluation of attitudes toward plans for the establishment of a walking tour as a public service in the city of Gwacheon. A value analysis based upon 152 questionnaires returned by the residents of Gwacheon and 175 questionnaires from the users of Seoul Race Park in Gwacheon utilized a CVM(Contingent Valuation Method) approach to estimate use value, non-use value, and potential value. The results show that 69.8% of residents and 60.0% of Seoul Race Park users had an interest, 81.6% of residents and 89.7% of Seoul Race Park users agreed to the proposed plan, and 67.8% of residents and 69.7% of Seoul Race Park users expressed a willingness to pay an additional tax or admission fee. The estimated WTP for an additional resident tax per household/year is 11,721 won while it was an additional 750 won per admission for the Seoul Race Park user group. Based on these results, the estimated total economic value of all households/year and the user group over a period of 5 years is 9,997 hundred million won, which was a doubling of the 1.4 in value of total construction costs. The results of this study strongly support the establishment of a walking tour street plan as a public service commodity.

• Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society
• /
• v.21 no.4
• /
• pp.201-209
• /
• 2020

In this study, issues related to changes in base year, which have controversial effects on fees in service contracts, were reviewed. In this regard, sensitivity analysis was conducted on the effects of changes in base year on conversion factor by type. The benefits and disadvantages of each specific type of medical institution were examined. Main conclusions are as follows. First, changing the base year to be closer to the present time had a beneficial effect on the conversion factor of hospitals. Second, changing the base year to be closer to the current point of time had an adverse effect on the conversion factor of pharmacies and clinics and had a significant adverse effect on clinics. Third, assuming that a single conversion factor is collectively applied to all types, a favorable effect occurred in all cases when the base year was changed to be closer to the present time. Base year changes can bring about conflicts of interest between insurer and providers, and within providers. Therefore, changing the base year should be pursued upon mutual agreement on a reasonable basis for resource allocation. In addition, it is necessary to provide incentives for temporary compensation for the types of losses incurred.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Marine Environment & Safety
• /
• v.25 no.1
• /
• pp.102-110
• /
• 2019

The shipbuilding and offshore plant industry of Korea is important and leads Korea's economic growth, designated as the 1st to 4th export items in Korea in terms of export contribution over the period from 2011 to 2015. This study proposes ways to improve the national competitiveness of Korean shipyards in the global offshore drilling market by reviewing a business model for providing an integrated offshore drilling commissioning service in Korea. This commissioning service model, which was attempted in 2014, was reviewed, and a new proposed business model for overcoming the limitations of the previous model and activating further business was evaluated. As a result of an economic evaluation, it was found that a 150-meter water depth model is economically more effective. As the number of integrated commissions increased from 2 to 5 times per year, NPV, IRR and B/C ratios increased and the fee per use decreased. Therefore, for offshore drilling facilities constructed and delivered in Korea, it will be necessary to encourage integrated offshore commissioning.

• Journal of Navigation and Port Research
• /
• v.30 no.6 s.112
• /
• pp.471-481
• /
• 2006

This paper aims to provide strategies to attract container cargoes for the Incheon port by analysing O/D of the container cargoes with the year-2004 export and import data from. The Korean customs service. O/D analysis was carried out with establishing optimal zones, which are defined as City, Gun, Gu(Korean administrative districts) to which the export-import service can be provided from a certain port with minimized freight(or transport) cost and stevedoring fee. For the Incheon port, 35 administrative districts including Seoul and Incheon in Kyunggi-Do and Kangwon-Do are recognized as the optimal zones, and approximately 25.50% of around 2.02-million-TEU per year of the cargoes from the zones are exported and imported through the port. The strategies to attract container cargoes was suggested by comparing the Incheon port to supposed-competitive ports. The Busan port(64.89%), Guangyang port(4.46%) and Pyeongtaeck port(3.35%) are supposed as the competitive ports which have a large proportion of handling the cargoes from the optimal zones. When comparing the Incheon port to these ports. The Incheon port requires a distinctive cost strategy, providing incentives to attract shipping companies and cargoes, improving efficiency related to loading-unloading at the port, and reinforcing Feeder-Network and advertisements about cost-saving to the shippers(the owners of goods) in the national capital region Consequently, the mentioned requirements are suggested as the strategies to attract cargoes for the Incheon port.

• Proceedings of the Korean Institute of Navigation and Port Research Conference
• /
• 2006.06b
• /
• pp.289-299
• /
• 2006

This paper aims to provide strategies to attract container cargoes for the Incheon port by analysing O/D of the container cargoes with the year-2004 export and import data from. The Korean customs service. O/D analysis was carried out with establishing optimal zones, which are defined as City, Gun, Gu(Korean administrative districts) to which the export-import service can be provided from a certain port with minimized freight(or transport) cost and stevedoring fee. For the Incheon port, 35 administrative districts including Seoul and Incheon in Kyunggi-Do and Kangwon-Do are recognized as the optimal zones, and approximately 25.50% of around 2.02-million-TEU per year of the cargoes from the woes are exported and imported through the pan. The strategies to attract container cargoes was suggested by comparing the Incheon port to supposed-competitive pons. The Busan portn(64.89%), Guangyang port(4.46%) and Pyeongtaeck port(3.35%) are supposed as the competitive pons which have a large proportion of handling the cargoes from the optimal zones. When comparing the Incheon port to these ports, The Incheon pan requires a distinctive cost strategy, providing incentives to attract shipping companies and cargoes, improving efficiency related to loading-unloading at the port, and reinforcing Feeder-Network and advertisements about cost-saving to the shippers(the owners of goods) in the national capital region. Consequently, the mentioned requirements are suggested as the strategies to attract cargoes for the Incheon port.

• Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society
• /
• v.22 no.3
• /
• pp.688-696
• /
• 2021

This study compared the current status, opening costs, and service of skin beauty franchises in Korea and the U.S. with the aim of providing data for skin beauty franchises. The main items in both countries include facial and body care, with 54 mean value in Korea, which is smaller than 361 mean value in the U.S. The U.S. franchise fee is about 1.5 times higher than that in Korea, and franchisees pay royalties of 20-60(ten thousand KRW) per month in Korea and 5-6 percent of annual sales in the U.S., as well as submit a net worth requirement and cash requirement. There are many spa services in the U.S. which creates differences in cost from Korea. and for the education, the cost was set in Korea while the time in the U.S. Every franchise offered facial and body care services. In addition, most Korean franchises run bridal care services, while in the U.S., waxing, men's treatment, hot stone, and spa services are offered. These differences are the result of differences in climate and race between the two countries, as well as differences in perception regarding the socio-cultural atmosphere, skin beauty, and openness.

• Journal of Korea Entertainment Industry Association
• /
• v.14 no.7
• /
• pp.609-621
• /
• 2020

This study identified the impacts of organizational commitment on medical service reduction rates by lifestyles of medical institution workers with a medium of environmental factors in a medical institution, and it conducted a survey targeting 300 medical institution workers in Jeolla-do, South Korea. The results are as follows. First, there was a significant difference in an organizational commitment by sociodemographic characteristics based on age, academic career, gender, marital status, occupational description, monthly earnings, the years of employment, and the type of hospital. Second, there was a significant difference in environmental factors by sociodemographic characteristics based on marital status, the years of employment, and the type of hospital. Third, there was a significant difference in the inpatient reduction rate based on the occupational description, years of employment, and the type of hospital. In the outpatient reduction rate, a significant difference was shown based on age, marital status, occupational description, the years of employment, and the type of hospital. Fourth, when analyzing the relationship between organizational commitment, environmental factors, and the reduction rate, there was a significant positive correlation between inpatient reduction rate and outpatient reduction rate. Fifth, when analyzing the impacts on the inpatient reduction rate by deploying organizational commitment and environmental factors at the same time, it was shown that the environmental factors mediated partially in organizational commitment and inpatient reduction rate. In the case of outpatient reduction rate, it was shown that the environmental factors mediated completely in organizational commitment and outpatient reduction rate. The present study is aimed to contribute to providing the baseline data for an efficient operational plan and effective workforce management of medical institutions.

• Korea Journal of Hospital Management
• /
• v.8 no.3
• /
• pp.32-48
• /
• 2003

Korea is to open its medical markets to foreign hospitals starting in the year 2006 regardless of our will(DDA, Doha Development Agenda). To accurately understand the characteristics of Korean medical users, their detailed and various needs, their attitudes toward the opening of Korean medical markets, and factors affecting these users in choosing foreign medical service providers would be first step needs to be taken by the Korean medical facilities that need to survive and develope through the fiercely competitive era coming with the opening of Korean medical markets to foreign medical service providers and would be very important in hospital management. The subjects of this study were 500 patients randomly selected from the outpatients who visited one of university hospitals in Seoul on the 14th-16th days of April 2003, and conducted a self-completion questionnaire. The answers of 463 respondents among the selected patients(93% of a responding rate)were analyzed through the Excel and statistics programs. The attitudes on the opening of the medical markets were shown in agreement 56.5%(247 persons), disagreement 6.9%(30 persons), and no idea 36.6%(160 persons). In consideration of only the answers as agreement and disagreement exclusive of the answer as no idea, 89.2% of the respondents agreed to the opening of the medical markets while 10.8% objected to the opening. The approval rate was higher with the higher education and income levels. Moreover, The approval rate for the opening of the medical markets was relatively high regardless of the satisfaction in the medical service, and the most important reason of the agreement was the guarantee of the patients(national)option. The main reason of the disagreement was high medical fee(50.5%), and the other reasons showing low rates were outflow of the domestic fund to the foreign countries(13.6%), damage of medical influences on the public(11.4%), lack of competition of the domestic medical industry(9.1%)and so on. As for the factors of selecting the foreign hospitals in the opening of the medical markets, the patients considered the authority(competency)of doctors firstly, and the other principal factors were worldwide fame and reliance, specific explanation of doctors, modernized medical instruments, convenient consultation procedure, etc. The patients agreed to the opening of the medical markets at a high rate regardless of the satisfaction in the medical service, and the most principal reason of the agreement was the guarantee of the patients(national)option for the medical care. Connected with the factors to select the hospitals, the approval reasons for the opening of the medical markets were the authority(competency)of the doctors as the first one, and then fame and tradition, reliance, overall diagnosis and modernized medical instruments, doctors specific explanation, and so on. However, these factors are actually associated with the Quality of the medical care, and consequently the approval reasons for the opening of the medical markets are connected with the security of the medical care. Accordingly, the guarantee of the patients(national)option answered as the main reason of the agreement can be also understood as the awareness of the right to have a variety of options for the security of the medical quality.

• Journal of Global Scholars of Marketing Science
• /
• v.18 no.4
• /
• pp.61-118
• /
• 2008

The purpose of this research is to construct research framework for international franchising based on existing literature and to identify research components in the framework. Franchise can be defined as management styles that allow franchisee use various management assets of franchisor in order to make or sell product or service. It can be divided into product distribution franchise that is designed to sell products and business format franchise that is designed for running it as business whatever its form is. International franchising can be defined as a way of internationalization of franchisor to foreign country by providing its business format or package to franchisee of host country. International franchising is growing fast for last four decades but academic research on this is quite limited. Especially in Korea, research about international franchising is carried out on by case study format with single case or empirical study format with survey based on domestic franchise theory. Therefore, this paper tries to review existing literature on international franchising research, providing research framework, and then stimulating new research on this field. International franchising research components include motives and environmental factors for decision of expanding to international franchising, entrance modes and development plan for international franchising, contracts and management strategy of international franchising, and various performance measures from different perspectives. First, motives of international franchising are fee collection from franchisee. Also it provides easier way to expanding to foreign country. The other motives including increase total sales volume, occupying better strategic position, getting quality resources, and improving efficiency. Environmental factors that facilitating international franchising encompasses economic condition, trend, and legal or political factors in host and/or home countries. In addition, control power and risk management capability of franchisor plays critical role in successful franchising contract. Final decision to enter foreign country via franchising is determined by numerous factors like history, size, growth, competitiveness, management system, bonding capability, industry characteristics of franchisor. After deciding to enter into foreign country, franchisor needs to set entrance modes of international franchising. Within contractual mode, there are master franchising and area developing franchising, licensing, direct franchising, and joint venture. Theories about entrance mode selection contain concepts of efficiency, knowledge-based approach, competence-based approach, agent theory, and governance cost. The next step after entrance decision is operation strategy. Operation strategy starts with selecting a target city and a target country for franchising. In order to finding, screening targets, franchisor needs to collect information about candidates. Critical information includes brand patent, commercial laws, regulations, market conditions, country risk, and industry analysis. After selecting a target city in target country, franchisor needs to select franchisee, in other word, partner. The first important criteria for selecting partners are financial credibility and capability, possession of real estate. And cultural similarity and knowledge about franchisor and/or home country are also recognized as critical criteria. The most important element in operating strategy is legal document between franchisor and franchisee with home and host countries. Terms and conditions in legal documents give objective information about characteristics of franchising agreement for academic research. Legal documents have definitions of terminology, territory and exclusivity, agreement of term, initial fee, continuing fees, clearing currency, and rights about sub-franchising. Also, legal documents could have terms about softer elements like training program and operation manual. And harder elements like law competent court and terms of expiration. Next element in operating strategy is about product and service. Especially for business format franchising, product/service deliverable, benefit communicators, system identifiers (architectural features), and format facilitators are listed for product/service strategic elements. Another important decision on product/service is standardization vs. customization. The rationale behind standardization is cost reduction, efficiency, consistency, image congruence, brand awareness, and competitiveness on price. Also standardization enables large scale R&D and innovative change in management style. Another element in operating strategy is control management. The simple way to control franchise contract is relying on legal terms, contractual control system. There are other control systems, administrative control system and ethical control system. Contractual control system is a coercive source of power, but franchisor usually doesn't want to use legal power since it doesn't help to build up positive relationship. Instead, self-regulation is widely used. Administrative control system uses control mechanism from ordinary work relationship. Its main component is supporting activities to franchisee and communication method. For example, franchisor provides advertising, training, manual, and delivery, then franchisee follows franchisor's direction. Another component is building franchisor's brand power. The last research element is performance factor of international franchising. Performance elements can be divided into franchisor's performance and franchisee's performance. The conceptual performance measures of franchisor are simple but not easy to obtain objectively. They are profit, sale, cost, experience, and brand power. The performance measures of franchisee are mostly about benefits of host country. They contain small business development, promotion of employment, introduction of new business model, and level up technology status. There are indirect benefits, like increase of tax, refinement of corporate citizenship, regional economic clustering, and improvement of international balance. In addition to those, host country gets socio-cultural change other than economic effects. It includes demographic change, social trend, customer value change, social communication, and social globalization. Sometimes it is called as westernization or McDonaldization of society. In addition, the paper reviews on theories that have been frequently applied to international franchising research, such as agent theory, resource-based view, transaction cost theory, organizational learning theory, and international expansion theories. Resource based theory is used in strategic decision based on resources, like decision about entrance and cooperation depending on resources of franchisee and franchisor. Transaction cost theory can be applied in determination of mutual trust or satisfaction of franchising players. Agent theory tries to explain strategic decision for reducing problem caused by utilizing agent, for example research on control system in franchising agreements. Organizational Learning theory is relatively new in franchising research. It assumes organization tries to maximize performance and learning of organization. In addition, Internalization theory advocates strategic decision of direct investment for removing inefficiency of market transaction and is applied in research on terms of contract. And oligopolistic competition theory is used to explain various entry modes for international expansion. Competency theory support strategic decision of utilizing key competitive advantage. Furthermore, research methodologies including qualitative and quantitative methodologies are suggested for more rigorous international franchising research. Quantitative research needs more real data other than survey data which is usually respondent's judgment. In order to verify theory more rigorously, research based on real data is essential. However, real quantitative data is quite hard to get. The qualitative research other than single case study is also highly recommended. Since international franchising has limited number of applications, scientific research based on grounded theory and ethnography study can be used. Scientific case study is differentiated with single case study on its data collection method and analysis method. The key concept is triangulation in measurement, logical coding and comparison. Finally, it provides overall research direction for international franchising after summarizing research trend in Korea. International franchising research in Korea has two different types, one is for studying Korean franchisor going overseas and the other is for Korean franchisee of foreign franchisor. Among research on Korean franchisor, two common patterns are observed. First of all, they usually deal with success story of one franchisor. The other common pattern is that they focus on same industry and country. Therefore, international franchise research needs to extend their focus to broader subjects with scientific research methodology as well as development of new theory.