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

• Journal of Korean Society for Quality Management
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• v.48 no.2
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• pp.241-256
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• 2020

Purpose: Certain places in Seoul such as Shinchon, Hongdae, and Gangnam, often suffer from sudden overflow of mobile population which can cause serious safety problems. This study suggests the application of spatial CUSUM control chart in monitoring areal population mobility data which is recently provided by Seoul metropolitan government. Methods: Monitoring series of standardized local Moran's I enables one to detect spatio-temporal out-of-control status based on the accumulation of past patterns. Moreover, we visualize such pattern map for more intuitive comprehension of the phenomenon. As a case study, we have analyzed the female mobility population aged 25 to 29 appeared in 51 Jipgyegu near Hongik university on fridays from January, 2017 to June, 2018. They are validated by exploring related articles and through local due diligence. Results: The results of the analysis provide insights in figuring out if the change of the mobility population is short-term by particular incident or long-term by spatial alteration, which allows strategic approach in constructing response system. Specific case near popular downtown near Hongik University has shown that newly opened hotels, shops of global sports brand and franchise bookstores have attracted young female population. Conclusion: We expect that the results of our study contribute to planning effective distribution of administrative resources to prepare against drastic increase in floating population. Furthermore, it can be useful in commercial area analysis and age/gender specific marketing strategy for companies.

• Science of Emotion and Sensibility
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• v.19 no.2
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• pp.79-88
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• 2016

Modern society is living in material affluence after the Industrial Revolution. Meanwhile, consumer needs, in conformity with product diversification, are also being diversified. Modern consumers, unlike those of the past, are trending towards individual consumption that satisfies emotion and values instead of simple goal-oriented consumption. A model case is that of Starbucks. Starbucks has grown into the global coffee franchise it is today through emotional marketing that sells an atmosphere that is unique to Starbucks, consisting of store decorations, store music, employee service, and charming coffee aromas that are identical in every store anywhere in the world. Because this method is marketing that stimulates human emotion, it is assigned to and appeals to human senses and sensitivity. In other words, the charm of emotion marketing is that it draws out consumer emotion, produces positive reactions towards products, and leads to consumption. The utilization of emotions for products or service differentiates brand image and is becoming a key method in reinforcing brand royalty. In particular, more importance is being placed on customer service to strongly impress consumers. Intangible service is becoming the best way to impress customers.

• Journal of Korea Trade
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• v.24 no.8
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• pp.81-100
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• 2020

Purpose - Based on complexity theory, this study develops a configurational model to predict the profitability of Halal cosmetics firms in the Indonesian and Malaysian markets. The proposed research model involves two level configurations-industry context and selling strategies-to predict high and low scores of a firm's profitability. The industry context configuration model comprises industry stability, product homogeneity, price sensitivity, and switching cost. Selling strategies include customer-focused, competitor-focused, and margin-focused approaches. Design/methodology - This is the first empirical study that calculates causal models using a combination of industry context and selling strategy factors to predict profitability. Data obtained from the marketing managers of cosmetics firms are used to test the proposed configurational model using fuzzy-set qualitative comparative analysis (fsQCA). It contributes to the current knowledge of business marketing by identifying the factors necessary to achieve profitability using analysis of condition (ANC). Findings - The results revealed that unique and distinct models explain the conditions for high and low profitability in the Indonesian and Malaysian halal cosmetic markets. While customer-focused selling strategy is necessary to attain a higher profit in both the markets, margin-focused selling strategy appears to be an essential factor only in Malaysia. Complexity of the interactions of selling strategies with industry factors and differences between across two study markets confirmed that complexity theory can support the research configurational model. The theoretical and practical implications are also illustrated. Originality/value - Despite the rapid growth of the global halal industry, there is little knowledge about the halal cosmetic market. This study contributes to the current literature of the halal market by performing a set of asymmetric analytical approaches using a complex theoretical model. It also deepens our understating of how the Korean firms can approach the Muslim consumer's needs to generate more beneficial turnover/revenue.

• Journal of the Economic Geographical Society of Korea
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• v.26 no.2
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• pp.110-122
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• 2023

This study examined the characteristics of the Mongolian retail market through the case of CU, a Korean retail company that successfully entered Mongolia. This study provides useful implications for Korean companies planning to enter Mongolia. Despite its proximity to Korea, Mongolia is a difficult environment for the retail market because of its small domestic market, landlocked location, inefficient logistics infrastructure, and lack of laws and regulations related to the retail industry. On the other hand, CU has successfully settled in the Mongolian market through master franchise agreements with a local company and by promoting a glocalization strategy. Mongolia CU is not just a convenience store but a place where Mongolians can enjoy global culture, and it is being reorganized as a new space where Mongolians can satisfy their consumption needs.

• Journal of Global Scholars of Marketing Science
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• v.19 no.2
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• pp.40-52
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• 2009

Franchising is one of the fastest growing types of business. It is already popular and well-known in the U.S., and has been growing in many other countries including Korea. Furthermore, many Korean franchising companies have expanded their business overseas actively. According to the data by the Ministry of Industry and Resource, 82 companies out of a sample of 500 franchising companies are already operating in many foreign countries and 48% of them have started their foreign business since 2006. This clearly indicates the fast growing current trend of foreign operation by Korean franchising companies. In spite of the fast growing trend of foreign expansion in the industry, academic research on internationalization of franchising companies is extremely difficult to find. Accordingly, academic research on the issue is necessary and urgent in Korea. Among the various research questions on internationalization of franchising business, this study intends to investigate the difference in organizational factors between the franchising companies doing foreign operation and those doing business only domestically. More specifically, this research has the following purposes. First, considering the lack of theoretical basis of previous studies, resource-based theory and agency theory are employed as the theoretical bases. Second, this study explains the difference in internationalization based on organizational factors such as company size, history and growth rate. Third, the five hypotheses regarding the difference in organizational factors are presented and tested empirically, which is the first attempt in the area of this topic. Finally, the study attempts to clarify the conflicting implications among theories regarding some organizational factos such as growth rate. As the theoretical background, resource-based theory and agency theory are discussed. According to resource-based theory, a firm can grow continuously when it has competence and resource, and also the ability to develop them. The competence and resource can include capital, human resource, management skill, market information, ability to manage risk, etc. Meanwhile, agency theory views the relationship between franchisor and franchisee as an agency relationship. In agency theory, bonding capability and monitoring capability are the two key factors which promote internationalization of franchising companies. Based on the two theories, a conceptual model is designed. The model consists of two groups of variables. One is organizational factors including size, history, growth rate, price bonding and geographic dispersion. The other is whether a franchising company is operating overseas or not. We developed the following five research hypotheses basically describing the relationship between organizational factors and internationalization of franchising companies. H1: The size of franchising companies operating overseas is larger than that of franchising companies operating domestically. H2: The history of franchising companies operating overseas is longer than that of franchising companies operating domestically. H3: The growth rate of franchising companies operating overseas is higher than that of franchising companies operating domestically. H4: The price bonding of franchising companies operating overseas is higher than that of franchising companies operating domestically. H5: The geographic dispersion of franchising companies operating overseas is wider than that of franchising companies operating domestically. Data for the analyses are obtained from 2005 Korea Franchise Survey data co-generated by Ministry of Industry and Resource, GS1 Korea, and Korea Franchise Association. Out of 2,804 population companies, 2,489 companies are excluded for various reasons and 315 companies are selected as the final sample. Prior to hypotheses tests, validity and reliability of the measures of size, history, growth rate and price bonding are examined for further analyses. Geographic dispersion is not validated since it is measured using nominal data. A series of independent sample T-tests is used to find out whether there exists any significant difference between the companies internationalized and those operating only domestically for each organizational factor. Among the five factors, size and geographic dispersion show significant difference, growth rate and price bonding do not reveal any difference and, finally, history factor shows conflicting results in the difference depending on how to measure it.