• Journal of the Korean Operations Research and Management Science Society
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• v.36 no.2
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• pp.67-88
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• 2011

This study empirically investigated the effects of knowledge management(KM) strategic alignment on the KM activities as well as the product and process innovation of manufacturing firms. Based on the framework, which employs the usage levels of target costing systems(TCS) and information technology(IT) infrastructure, four types of KM strategies were identified and proposed：mixed, explorative, exploitative and negative strategies. In this research, these four types of KM strategies were empirically validated. According to the results of this study, it was found that when a explorative KM strategy is aligned with a low-cost strategy, KM activities are activated and the degree of a process innovation is increased. It was observed that in the case of the alignment between a differentiation strategy and a exploitative KM strategy, both KM activities and the level of a product innovation are enhanced. The results also demonstrated that for the enhancement of both a process and a product innovation through the activation of KM activities, a mixed KM strategy must be aligned with a composite business strategy, which focuses on a low-cost as well as a differentiation strategies. Accordingly, it is concluded that the KM activities and the levels of the product and process innovation can be activated or improved with the alignment of the KM strategies and business strategies.

• Proceedings of the KSME Conference
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• 2007.05a
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• pp.485-489
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• 2007

Knowledge-based economy is the economy or economic structure based on production, accumulation and utilization of knowledge. With the emergence of knowledge-based economy, the importance to the corporate competitiveness of IP and IP-related activities has increased. This paper discuss the issues related to the mode of IP-related activities, including the comparison of SMEs and large firms. Especially, I focus on the role and impact of IP-related activities on innovation and growth of firm in machinery industry. The result of this study can help to set up strategy for supporting firm's technology innovation.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Clothing and Textiles
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• v.26 no.6
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• pp.751-762
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• 2002

Korean apparel industry is facing critical moment due to shortage of labor, wage increases and intensive competition among domestic manufactures. In addition, international production has been shifting to China and the other low-wage countries from established locations such as Korea, Hong Kong and Taiwan. Global sourcing has been received considerable attention since firms can enhance their competitive advantage as well as comparative advantage by coordinating their sourcing activities global]y. This studs regarded global sourcing as one of the strategic tools to achieve competitive advantage of Korean apparel firms, and explored the current status by literature reviews and series of in-depth interviews with managers of korean apparel firms. The findings of this study were as follows: 1) Due to geographical advantage, China was the most favored nation for outsourcing for domestic markers. However, exporting firms preferred Latin America (including Mexico) to take advantage of duties, quotas and geographical proximity to the US market. 2) In selecting the global sourcing country, productivity, technical ability, local government regulation, and culture were considered important. 3) Most Korean apparel firms sources production globally, and followed by raw materials and trims. 4) Cost and quality were the most important factors in deciding subcontractors, and experience, productivity, equipment and finances were the next concerns. Academic implications and future directions were suggested based on findings.

• The Journal of Asian Finance, Economics and Business
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• v.7 no.1
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• pp.59-69
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• 2020

This study investigates the influence of individual blockholder on accounting quality. Prior studies investigating Korean blockholders' influence focus on the influence of controlling shareholders or institutional investors; however, they rarely examine individual blockholders' influence. This paper investigates how individual blockholders in Korean stock markets affect accounting quality of firms listed in Korean Stock Exchange. I analyze individual blockholders' influence on proxies of accounting quality using multivariate regression with hand-collected individual blockholder data. Korean law requires public firms to disclose the list of shareholders having no less than 5% of ownership. From the list of blockholders, individuals who have no explicit personal relation with controlling shareholders were classified as individual blockholders. My empirical results show that firms having individual blockholder(s) use more income-decreasing accruals than those having no individual blockholder. Furthermore, accounting information of firms having individual blockholders(s) is more conservative than that of firms having no individual blockholders. However, the presence of individual blockholder increases the tendency of loss avoidance and earnings management using overproduction and reduction of discretionary expenditure. This paper contributes to the literature by presenting the first evidence of the monitoring role of an individual blockholder on financial reporting of firms listed in the Korean stock markets.

• Asia-Pacific Journal of Business
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• v.12 no.1
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• pp.195-208
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• 2021

Purpose - The primary objective of this paper is to empirically examine whether the engagement of socially responsible activities in corporations affect the tendency of tax-avoidance by using the sample of Korean companies. We are particularly interested in Chaebol-affiliated firms, which are a special type of Korean conglomerates. Design/methodology/approach - This study is based on a sample of 5,496 firm-year observation data from 2011 to 2017 by using the ESG ratings from the Korea Corporate Governance Service(KCGS), a ESG rating agency in Korea. For our analysis, the firms were separated into 1,547 Chaebol-affiliated firms and other 3,949 firms. All financial and firm data were extracted from Fn-guide, which provides financial information for Korean listed firms. Findings - We find that CSR is generally positively related to the effective tax rate, which indicates a lower level of tax avoidance for more socially responsible firms. In particular, a positive relationship of social score with GAAP ETR was observed. Research implications or Originality - We find that the positive relationship is robust to the group of chaebol and non-chaebol affiliates unlike extant literature.

• Journal of Korea Trade
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• v.26 no.7
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• pp.19-42
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• 2022

Purpose - This study investigates the effects of foreign investor ownership on firm innovation and the different stages of the firm innovation process for business group affiliation (affiliated firms) and nonaffiliated firms. Design/methodology - Research and development (R&D) intensity is used as a proxy for firm innovation. We use a sample of 7,655 firm-year observations of Korean listed firms from 2001 to 2015. To identify the distinct features of business group affiliation and how foreign investor ownership affects firm innovation, we divide the sample into affiliated and non-affiliated firms. Moreover, we classify total R&D expenditures as research and development expenditures. Findings - This study finds a positive relationship between foreign investor ownership and innovation in non-affiliated firms. However, the foreign investor ownership's role in facilitating firm innovation does not influence business group affiliation. Moreover, the results show that foreign investor ownership encourages firms to increase research expenditures, which is the amount spent in the early stages of a firm's R&D process. Originality/value - Existing studies have overlooked the distinct features of business group affiliation and the different characteristics of research and development expenditures. Thus, this study considers the distinct features of business group affiliation and investigates how foreign investor ownership affects different stages of R&D activities.

• International Area Studies Review
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• v.17 no.4
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• pp.43-63
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• 2013

This paper investigates the impact of free trade agreement (FTA) on the performance of Korea's foreign direct investment (FDI) firms. We use plant- and firm-level data to examine the trends of FDI patterns of Korean firms between 2002 and 2010 by dividing firms based on their sizes - large and small firms. Analyzing firms' FDI activities worldwide, we find that small firms account for large share of investment cases especially in countries where FTA became effective with Korea during our sample period. Using these facts, we estimate the changes of productivity and performance of large and small firms and their foreign affiliates before and after FTA became effective. Our results show that FTA increases productivity of small firms and their foreign affiliates after its formation. In particular, we provide evidence that productivity improvement by small firms and their foreign affiliates may result from an increase in production and capital during FTA period.

• Journal of Information Technology Services
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• v.8 no.2
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• pp.71-87
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• 2009

In this paper, the technology innovation for software firms are discussed. Through the literature study, the concepts about this issue and the environment and activity of software firm's the technology innovation related are described. The survey paper was developed for searching the obstacles, policy considerations, and performance of this issue etc. Also questionnaire sheet was made for identifying the relations on technology innovation activities and performance. The degree of understanding about the need of technology innovation were very high according to the analysis result from the response based on the 103 software firms. Among this survey the other results are described as follows; the motivation of technology innovation, the necessity and implementation, the duration acquired for innovation result, the favorite support program as for innovation policy, obstacles for innovation implementation, the reason for innovation collaboration etc. Finally, it is verified statistically that the performance of technology innovation be affected by the employment of external professional technician, research and development, the technical education.

• Journal of Technology Innovation
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• v.11 no.2
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• pp.1-25
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• 2003

Korean technological innovation is characterized by large firm-leading and characterized sector such as electricity and electronics. We examine the relationship between two elements. Using patent data registered at USPTO by Korean firms, We examine the relationship between patterns of innovative activities and sectoral specialization. As a result, Korean technological innovation is characterized by relatively high asymmetry, big share of large firms, high stability of ranking of innovators and diminishing role of newcomer, therefore as close as Schumpeter Mark II. But technological specialization is associated positively with the big share of large firms, negatively with low stability of ranking of innovators. It means that Korean technological innovation is led by large firms, but quantitative growth and technological specialization is achieved through competition between them.

• Management & Information Systems Review
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• v.23
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• pp.99-134
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• 2007

In recent years there has been much emphasis on the need for service firms to develop an organizational culture which facilitates the successful implementation of marketing activities. This study examines the relationship among marketing culture, service quality, customer satisfaction, and customer loyalty in fast food service firms. The results of empirical analysis can be summarized by the following: First, marketing culture(employee service quality, interpersonal relationships, selling task, organization, internal communications, innovativeness) had a significant direct effect on service quality. Second, marketing culture(employee service quality, selling task, internal communications) had a significant direct effect on customer satisfaction. It had also a positive, significant indirect effect on customer satisfaction through service quality. Third, service quality had a significant indirect effect on customer loyalty through customer satisfaction. Therefore, the results of the study provide the practical implication for establishment of service firms' marketing strategies, related to marketing culture.