• Journal of Global Scholars of Marketing Science
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• v.17 no.4
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• pp.51-89
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• 2007

INTRODUCTION Due to the high broadband internet penetration rate and its group-oriented culture, various types of online communities operate in Korea. This study use 'Uses and Gratification Approach, and argue that members' usage-needs satisfaction with brand community is an important factor for promoting community commitment. Based on previous studies identifying the effect of brand image on consumers' responses to various marketing stimuli, this study hypothesizes that brand image can be a moderate variable affecting the relationship between usage-needs satisfaction with brand community and members' commitment to brand community. This study analyzes the influence of usage-needs satisfaction on brand community commitment and how apparel brand image affects the relationships between usage-needs satisfactions and community commitments. The hypotheses of this study are proposed as follows. H1-3: The usage-needs satisfaction of apparel brand community (interest, transaction, relationship needs) influences emotional (H1), continuous (H2), and normative (H3) commitments to apparel brand communities. H4-6: Apparel brand image has a moderating effect on the relationship between usage-needs satisfaction and emotional (H4), continuous (H5), and normative (H6) commitments to apparel brand communities. METHODS Brand communities founded by non-company affiliates were excluded and emphasis was placed instead on communities created by apparel brand companies. Among casual apparel brands registered in 6 Korean portal sites in August 2003, a total of 9 casual apparel brand online communities were chosen, depending on the level of community activity and apparel brand image. Data from 317 community members were analyzed by exploratory factor analysis, moderated regression analysis, ANOVA, and scheffe test. Among 317 respondents answered an online html-type questionnaire, 80.5% were between 16 to 25 years old. There were a total of 150 respondents from apparel brand communities(n=3) recording higher-than-average brand image scores (Mean > 3.75) and a total of 162 respondents from apparel brand communities(n=6) recording lower-than-average brand image scores(Mean < 3.75). In this study, brand community commitment was measured by a 5-point Likert scale: emotional, continuous and normative commitment. The degree of usage-needs satisfaction (interest, transaction, relationship needs) was measured on a 5-point Likert scale. The level of brand image was measured by a 5-point Likert scale: strength, favorability, and uniqueness of brand associations. RESULTS In the results of exploratory factor analysis, the three usage-needs satisfactions with brand community were classified as interest, transaction, and relationship needs. Brand community commitment was also divided into the multi-dimensional factors: emotional, continuous, and normative commitments. The regression analysis (using a stepwise method) was used to test the influence of 3 independent variables (interest-needs satisfaction, transaction-needs, and relationship-needs satisfactions) on the 3 dependent variables (emotional, continuous and normative commitments). The three types of usage-needs satisfactions are positively associated with the three types of commitments to apparel brand communities. Therefore, hypothesis 1, 2, and 3 were significantly supported. Moderating effects of apparel brand image on the relationship between usage-needs satisfaction and brand community commitments were tested by moderated regression analysis. The statistics result showed that the influence of transaction-needs on emotional commitment was significantly moderated by apparel brand image. In addition, apparel brand image had moderating effects on the relationship between relationship-needs satisfaction and emotional, continuous and normative commitments to apparel brand communities. However, there were not significant moderate effects of apparel brand image on the relationships between interest-needs satisfaction and 3 types of commitments (emotional, continuous and normative commitments) to apparel brand communities. In addition, the influences of transaction-needs satisfaction on 2 types of commitments (continuous and normative commitments) were not significantly moderated by apparel brand image. Therefore, hypothesis 4, 5 and 6 were partially supported. To explain the moderating effects of apparel brand image, four cross-tabulated groups were made by averages of usage-needs satisfaction (interest-needs satisfaction avg. M=3.09, transaction-needs satisfaction avg. M=3.46, relationship-needs satisfaction M=1.62) and the average apparel brand image (M=3.75). The average scores of commitments in each classified group are presented in Tables and Figures. There were significant differences among four groups. As can be seen from the results of scheffe test on the tables, emotional commitment in community group with high brand image was higher than one in community group with low brand image when transaction-needs satisfaction was high. However, when transaction-needs satisfaction was low, there was not any difference between the community group with high brand image and community group with low brand image regarding emotional commitment to apparel brand communities. It means that emotional commitment didn't increase significantly without high satisfaction of transaction-needs, despite the high apparel brand image. In addition, when apparel brand image was low, increase in transaction-needs did not lead to the increase in emotional commitment. Therefore, the significant relationship between transaction-needs satisfaction and emotional commitment was found in only brand communities with high apparel brand image, and the moderating effect of apparel brand image on this relationship between two variables was found in the communities with high satisfaction of transaction-needs only. Statistics results showed that the level of emotional commitment is related to the satisfaction level of transaction-needs, while overall response is related to the level of apparel brand image. We also found that the role of apparel brand image as a moderating factor was limited by the level of transaction-needs satisfaction. In addition, relationship-needs satisfaction brought significant increase in emotional commitment in both community groups (high and low levels of brand image), and the effect of apparel brand image on emotional commitment was significant in both community groups (high and low levels of relationship-needs satisfaction). Especially, the effect of brand image was greater when the level of relationship-needs satisfaction was high. in contrast, increase in emotional commitment responding to increase in relationship-needs satisfaction was greater when apparel brand image is high. The significant influences of relationship-needs satisfaction on community commitments (continuous and normative commitments) were found regardless of apparel brand image(in both community groups with low and high brand image). However, the effects of apparel brand image on continuous and normative commitments were found in only community group with high satisfaction level of relationship-needs. In the case of communities with low satisfaction levels of relationship needs, apparel brand image marginally increases continuous and normative commitments. Therefore, we could not find the moderating effect of apparel brand image on the relationship between relationship-needs satisfaction and continuous and normative commitments in community groups with low satisfaction levels of relationship needs, CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS From the results of this study, we draw several conclusions; First, the increases in usage-needs satisfactions through apparel brand communities result in the increases in commitments to apparel brand communities, wheres the degrees of such relationship depends on the level of apparel brand image. That is, apparel brand image is a moderating factor strengthening the relationship between usage-needs satisfaction and commitment to apparel brand communities. In addition, the effect of apparel brand image differs, depending on the level and types of community usage-needs satisfactions. Therefore, marketers of apparel brand companies must determine the appropriate usage-needs, depending on the type of commitment they wish to increase and the level of their apparel brand image, to promote member's commitments to apparel brand communities. Especially, relationship-needs satisfaction was very important factor for increasing emotional, continuous and normative commitments to communities. However the level of relationship-needs satisfaction was lower than interest-needs and transaction-needs. satisfaction. According to previous study on apparel brand communities, relationship-need satisfaction was strongly related to member's intention of participation in their communities. Therefore, marketers need to develope various strategies in order to increase the relationship- needs as well as interest and transaction needs. In addition, despite continuous commitment was higher than emotional and normative commitments, all types of commitments to apparel brand communities had scores lower than 3.0 that was mid point in 5-point scale. A Korean study reported that the level of members' commitment to apparel brand community influenced customers' identification with a brand and brand purchasing behavior. Therefore, marketers should try to increase members' usage-needs satisfaction and apparel brand image as the necessary conditions for bringing about community commitments. Second, marketers should understand that they should keep in mind that increasing the level of community usage needs (transaction and relationship) is most effective in raising commitment when the level of apparel brand image is high, and that increasing usage needs (transaction needs) satisfaction in communities with low brand image might not be as effective as anticipated. Therefore, apparel companies with desirable brand image such as luxury designer goods firms need to create formal online brand communities (as opposed to informal communities with rudimentary online contents) to satisfy transaction and relationship needs systematically. It will create brand equity through consumers' increased emotional, continuous and normative commitments. Even though apparel brand is very famous, emotional commitment to apparel brand communities cannot be easily increased without transaction-needs satisfaction. Therefore famous fashion brand companies should focus on developing various marketing strategies to increase transaction-needs satisfaction.

• Journal of the Korean BIBLIA Society for library and Information Science
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• v.26 no.1
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• pp.199-215
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• 2015

As a way of identifying users' image needs for improved effectiveness of image search, there have been recent research approaches to examine contextual factors in image needs with multiple perspectives. In this line of research, this study examined a total of 70 unsuccessful image searches for the purpose of investigating users' image needs. In order to achieve the purpose of this study, in particular, the characteristics of image needs, contextual factors on image needs, and image queries were investigated. The findings of this study demonstrated that information needs from the failed image searches are categorized primarily into specific and general/nameable categories. More importantly, these information needs are embedded with multiple contextual factors, primarily, task purpose and use purpose. With an analysis of detailed use purposes for image, illustration use was found most in this data set. For query analysis, the type of unique/refined image query was revealed primarily. As the results of this study were found similar to the findings of previous studies, it is possible to characterize the image needs from the failed image searches. In addition, the findings of this study are expected to be useful to the design and service of image retrieval.

• Archives of design research
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• v.12 no.1
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• pp.63-72
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• 1999

Customer needs are considered as being quite remarkable in product design. The elaborate fulfillment of them in the design solution is closely related to the success of a product. They, however, are generally collected and presented by marketers. Consequently those needs are difficult for designers to understand and therefore might not get fulfilled in the final product design. Here the goal of this study is set that the process of design information elicitation based on customer needs is developed as a guideline of utilizing them in design activity in effective manners. findings of this study can be summarized as follows: First, customer needs are expected to get interpreted into the designer-oriented language in the aspect of function and image of a product. Those interpreted needs play a role as a base for concept establishment and the development of it with the help of various techniques from the fold of statistics and systematic product development. Second, designer-oriented manner of understanding customer needs requires designers to take parts in from collecting to interpreting them for better design solution that fulfills them, which brings up a necessity that available techniques shouldn't be beyond understanding of designers and for the styling activity customer needs of image aspect should be interpreted and presented visually. In this study, those visual information is presented through the image maps and image information sheet. It is image information sheet that is suggested to contain visual and verbal information altogether such as the overall and major elements images expressing a specific image need and the correlation between them showing how much the elements image contributes to building the overall image.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Clothing and Textiles
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• v.31 no.8
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• pp.1273-1285
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• 2007

The purpose of this study is to understand consumer emotion about T-shirts web pages and to provide the basis for effective design plan of them. 72 T-shirts web pages through 62 sites have been chosen as stimulus pictures, and the valuation tools are composed of 21 pairs of image adjective and 3 questions for valuation of consumption emotion. Data has been collected on subjects of 480 men and women at the age of $16{\sim}27$ who live in Busan. The image factors are Aestheticism, Activeness, Stability, Intimacy. The types of T-shirts web pages are classified into four groups. The image according to the type of T-shirts web pages has showed meaningful differences in all factors, and the differences of image factors according to design elements have been meaningfully presented. In the relation between consumption emotion and image of T-shirts web pages, Impulse needs, Buying needs, Recommendation needs are related to Aestheticism factor and Stability factor. The consumption emotion according to the type of T-shirts web pages is appeared high in the type 2(Refine image) and 3(Vivid image). The valuation of consumption emotion according design elements has presented meaningful differences all design elements except menu.

• Journal of the Korean Society for information Management
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• v.29 no.4
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• pp.273-294
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• 2012

Images have been substantially searched and used due to not only the advanced internet and digital technologies but the characteristics of a younger generation. The purpose of this study aims to discuss the ways on expanding the access points to images by analyzing the needs of users in context of everyday life. In order to achieve the purpose of this study, 105 questions of image seeking in NAVER, which is one of social Q&A services in Korea, were analyzed. For the analysis, a two-dimensional framework with image uses and image attributes were utilized. The findings of this study demonstrate that considerable use purposes on data oriented pole, such as information processing, information dissemination and learning are identified. On the other hand, image attributes from the needs of image show that non-visual aspects including contextual attributes are recognized substantially in addition to the traditional semantic attributes.

• Journal of Korea Multimedia Society
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• v.17 no.12
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• pp.1528-1536
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• 2014

Although the process about korea image restoration contents program development and liberalization have cultural and artistic worth, it is not possible to restore technically or cost enormous expense. In the study, it suggest the needs of korea image restoration contents program development through image restoration case. It is revitalize that the study in digital image restoration technical prepare the ground for passing high-qualities cultural legacy by restoring classical film. We think the development of korea image restoration software will strengthen the basis to the new creation industry of high value-added in the global cultural prosperity industry.

• Korean Journal of Human Ecology
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• v.22 no.6
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• pp.673-686
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• 2013

The purpose of this study is to identify consumer needs and sensory evaluation of jacquard fabrics for blind using low melting polyester. Ten kinds of jacquard fabric used for this study were developed. Developed jacquard fabrics were assessed subjectively by 164 consumers using 7-point scale of 22 consumer needs and 43 sensory descriptors. The results were briefly summarized as follows: the most important parameter to choose fabric for blind was 'Easy-use' and the other parameters are 'Lightproof', 'UV-protect', 'Design', 'Price', 'Color', 'Insulation', 'Easy-care'. The image sensibility of jacquard fabrics was explained by six factors: feminine, active, modern, traditional, pure, cozy. Higher preference was found in jacquard fabrics of clear, natural, luxurious, simple, feminine, young, cozy, graceful image. The preference was predicted 38.2% with feminine, modern, pure, cozy, traditional factors. Correlation coefficient between image sensibility factor 1 and preference was 0.437. The 3 factors (feminine, modern, pure)were selected as significant image sensibility affecting preference.

• Journal of the Korean housing association
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• v.22 no.6
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• pp.97-106
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• 2011

Due to the belief that housing for university students is uniform materialistic and non-human, a variety of needs and preferences of the residents is becoming more important. In order to more positively identify the user's emotional needs, a design that meets the needs of the resident's living space is absolutely necessary. The purpose of this study is to group the sensibility types of university students, to analyze the preferred interior image and interior design elements, and then to understand the preferred characteristics according to sensibility type. To collect the data, a survey method was used for 224 university students in Seoul and the metropolitan area. The data analysis used SPSS PC 14.0 to find the frequency, t-test, chi-square, factor analysis, and cluster analysis. The results of the analysis are as follows: First, sensibility types were segmented into four groups including 'Unique & Elegant', 'Static & Tidy', 'Warm & Comfortable', and 'Characteristic & Free'. Second, the preferred interior image was the Minimal-Dandy-Natural Image, the preferred floor_material was wood, and the preferred wall_material was marble. Third, there were different interior preferences according to each type of gender & sensibility.

• Journal of the Korean Institute of Landscape Architecture
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• v.27 no.2
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• pp.108-118
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• 1999

This study aims to apply World Wide Web(WWW) image files to visual material in lectures. Especially handles "Aesthetics of Landscape Architecture." Visual Materials of 800 web sites were searched and analyzed. It is found that web search needs a subject oriented web guide. It says now a need of application web material to lectures. Matching the web images with the subjects of lecture, above all, is the main approach of this study. Thus, a list up method is supposed, series of web image data to be inclusive in two tables. The data distribute on sub-subject, and applicant as materials in picturing objects of slide show, web guide, and single image. Two cases of lecture subjects were chosen in this study. A case that needs various visual materials and other case of advanced materials that needs a special web guide. Chance of results of this study is not yet fully clear in real lecture. It is sure, as an article of cyber lecture that provided result of increasingly participant's interest. By this study, it will be possible a fully made lecture material by further study.her study.

• Proceedings of the KSRS Conference
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• 2007.10a
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• pp.130-133
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• 2007

In order to get high quality and high resolution image data from the space-borne camera system, the image chain from the sensor to the user in the ground-station need to be designed and controlled with extreme care. The behavior of the camera system needs to be controlled by ground commands to support on-orbit calibration and to adjust imaging parameters and to perform early stage on-orbit image correction, like gain and offset control, non-uniformity correction, etc. The operation status including the temperature of the sensor needs to be transferred to the ground-station. The preparation time of the camera system for imaging with specific parameters should be minimized. The camera controller needs to synchronize the operation of cameras for every channel and for every spectral band. Detail timing information of the image data needs to be provided for image data correction at ground-station. In this paper, the design of the camera controller for the AEISS on KOMPSAT-3 will be introduced. It will be described how the image chain is controlled and which imaging parameters are to be adjusted The camera controller will have software for the flexible operation of the camera by the ground-station operators and it can be reconfigured by ground commands. A simple concept of the camera operations and the design of the camera controller, not only with hardware but also with controller software are to be introduced in this paper.