• Asia-Pacific Journal of Business Venturing and Entrepreneurship
• /
• v.12 no.3
• /
• pp.163-176
• /
• 2017

The fourth industrial revolution and creative economy are in the center of today's economic environments. In this context, venture companies make great efforts in achieving innovative capability for sustainable growth. Especially, in order to create the innovative capability or innovation performance, they are very much interested in obtaining such characteristics of organizational ambidexterity as exploration and exploitation. Thus, this study aims to study the organizational contextual ambidexterity as a key factor to create SMEs' performance and to conduct an empirical research with the data collected from domestic SMEs in order to find the antecedent and consequence of this ambidexterity. In so doing, we selected as an antecedent of contextual ambidexterity quality management practice, which is an innovative method of enterprise innovation and enterprise level, innovation performance (radical and incremental Innovation performance) as a consequence and ran a series of regression analyses. As a result, quality management practices such as quality circle activities have had positive effect on organizational ambidexterity, that is, exploration and exploration, and contextual ambidexterity has affected positively on innovation performance. It is also found that the contextual ambidexterity plays a full mediating role in the relationship between quality management practices and innovation performance. The results of this study suggest that contextual ambidexterity is essential to achieving organizational innovation performance and quality management activities such as quality circle should be preceded in order to stimulate or stimulate contextual ambidexterity.

• Proceedings of the Korea Technology Innovation Society Conference
• /
• 2015.11a
• /
• pp.847-866
• /
• 2015

As Korea strive to bolster their respective economies and to minimize the repercussions of the global financial crisis, policies for strengthening the innovative capabilities of small and medium enterprises have emerged as an important means for pursuing these governmental efforts. In this study, possibilities and limitations of R&D information support policy are researched empirically and implications are provided to enable evidence based policy. Futhermore, the effects of government R&D information support policy on the technological and economic performances of SMEs (small and medium enterprises) are analyzed by using survey results of SMEs technology statistics in 2014. According to the results, R&D information support program (SME R&D planning support program and technology information support program) provided to SMEs was significant for R&D investment. On the other hand, the program, did not exhibit any significant correlation to technological and economic outcomes of SME. The program was also found to have a significant correlation to SMEs' technological outcomes in the case of the specific groups of ICT technology category. I anticipate that the results of this study will serve as a guide to various policy-related issues for policymakers who are conceptualizing programs to support ICT technology-oriented SMEs, and I particularly hope that this study will provide various insights for companies and researchers in their efforts to build R&D information support program for SMEs.

• International Commerce and Information Review
• /
• v.15 no.4
• /
• pp.341-366
• /
• 2013

The term, Mittelstand, has no exact english translation for the definition, but, today, Mittelstand refers to small and medium-sized enterprises(SME), mostly family-owned firms in Germany. The Mittelstand is called the backbone of the German economy because it drove the economic miracle after World War II. During the global recession and the euro zone's debt crisis in recent years, in which european businesses have faced the near-collapse of competitiveness particularly in manufacturing, the German exports are booming and exceeded exports of China in 2012. Most importantly, the Germany economic performance has been widely attributed to the strength of the Mittelstand. Many of countries, even some leading public companies are seeking to emulate the success of the Mittelstand. Investors evaluate that many of Germany's investable "hidden champions" are Mittelstand companies. The purpose of this study is to present some of answers to the following questions: Firstly, what makes the German Mittelstand so successful? Secondly, what does the success of the German Mittelstand mean for the Korean SMEs in global competitiveness? Thirdly, what Korean government has to do improve the global competitiveness of the Korean SMEs? Some discussions in this study mention the managerial implications for Korean exporting SMEs particularly in manufacturing. Several factors that account for the success of the German Mittelstand are technological excellence and the tradition of family-owned management, concentration on niche market and globalization, and institutional supports. There are some of important lessons to be learned from the German Mittelstand. If the purposes of Korean SMEs want to remain in the sustainable competitive advantage and withstand unforeseen economic turbulences in the future, they must be able to meet the followings: 1) Technology that meets the global standard or exceeding it 2) Competitiveness in price in the global market 3) Active involvement in the globalization process, utilizing various entry modes Innovative products at globally competitive price are a crucial point for Korean exporting SMEs to achieve their competitive edge over others in the target markets abroad. It is time for Korean SMEs to cultivate a core competence in manufacturing in order to position Korea as a global manufacturing hub with SMEs leading.

• Journal of Technology Innovation
• /
• v.18 no.1
• /
• pp.199-218
• /
• 2010

When assessing environmental or other regulatory programs, economists and other policy analysts have traditionally used the approach that consists of comparing the benefits from regulation with the costs that must be borne to capture these benefits. The vast majority of economic analysis of regulation was based upon the assumption that regulations increase production costs. Porter had disputed this seemingly straightforward claim. In his view, economists had failed to incorporate the capacity of stringent regulations to induce innovation into their analysis. However, at the same time, the hypothesis had been criticized by economists. This study analyzed the determinants of innovation performances as well as activities of small and medium manufacturers, based on a recently held survey among mainly manufacturing SMEs in Korea. In particular, this study took the level of innovation activities, the strength of environmental regulations, and moreover the impediment that the company went through as factors. In addition, the characteristics of innovative SMEs were compared with the other counterparts. The empirical analysis revealed that the level of environmental awareness, existence of innovative activities, characteristics of firms, and moreover the innovation types are the most important determinants of SMEs’ innovation performance both in technology as well as in economic perspective.

• Journal of Agricultural Extension & Community Development
• /
• v.19 no.3
• /
• pp.551-579
• /
• 2012

This case study aims to explore how RDA PLA model affects the agri-SMEs' empowerment. As an agri-business management renovation program from main workshop it was conducted on March to December 2011 with agri-SMEs and extension officials nationwide by RDA. Especially, as a packaged action learning process in the model used participatory action research. This study collected data with participants observation, interviews, situational analysis and systematic review of discourse in qualitative method. For the validity and identifying empirical results, this study used statistic analysis as a mixed method. Further including various pedagogic methods and business coaching skills, this model was conducted from workshop in RDA, in turn, on-farm business coaching as follow-up, CoPs' activities, and local ATCs extension services by each actors. The dynamic process and effects of each process led some change for farmers' innovative knowledge, skills, attitude, practice and aspiration on their farm business. RDA PLA model development based on the previous practices and research, which provided a configurated picture in the holistic action learning process. In statistic research, this study focused on 279 farmers as respondents who had participated in the program. It shows that their income and benefits increased from their renovative practices on farm business. Following the sampling group, it was surveyed by four indicators - products, customer, quality and cost. The level of contribution of education on economic impact 15% is quoted from previous paper. Even in some limitations of public sector, RDA PLA model actively suggests the paradigm shift of agricultural HRD and development of alternative extension-service system.

• Journal of Korea Society of Industrial Information Systems
• /
• v.27 no.3
• /
• pp.59-88
• /
• 2022

As the open innovation paradigm spreads, the ability to search for new external knowledge and combine it with the organization's existing knowledge has been cosidered to play an important role in improving business performance of a company. This study empirically analyzed the influence of such organizational variables as empowering leadership, organizational learning culture, and interdepartmental cooperation on business performance of innovative technology SMEs focusing on the mediating effects of absorption capacity. For this purpose, a survey was conducted on 15,227 INNOBIZ SMEs, and 326 usable questionnaires were collected and analyzed using the structural equation model. Statistical analyses showed that the direct influence of empowering leadership, organizational learning culture, and interdepartmental cooperation on business performance was not found, but indirect effects of three organizational variables on business performance proved significant using absorption capacity as a mediating variable. This result also indicates that empowering leadership, organizational learning culture, and interdepartmental cooperation are important antecedent variables of absorption capacity.

• Industry Promotion Research
• /
• v.8 no.3
• /
• pp.19-35
• /
• 2023

Recently, the government has emphasized the importance of establishing an innovation system for SMEs as part of an innovative growth strategy for national economic development. SMEs in Korea are experiencing many difficulties due to the loss of industrial competitiveness due to the powerful wave of the 4th industrial revolution along with the pandemic of COVID-19 that started in 2020. In relation to environmental changes, it is emerging as an important issue for SMEs to pursue open innovation for survival and growth, as well as to possess excellent technological innovation capabilities. In accordance with the need for such research, this study analyzed the factors that affect business performance or technological performance of small and medium-sized manufacturers, and identified the relationship between these influencing factors and corporate performance. The results of this study suggest that it is important for SMEs to effectively utilize R&D services and technology innovation capabilities and resources possessed by SMEs to secure a competitive advantage. The results of this stu dy are considered to be able to provide basic data and information necessary for SMEs to secu re a competitive edge and enhance industrial competitiveness through government support systems and open innovation.

• KDI Journal of Economic Policy
• /
• v.27 no.1
• /
• pp.123-156
• /
• 2005

Strengthening the competitive edge of SMEs has become one of the most important economic issues in Korea as the bipolarization between large firms and SMEs has deepened. Accordingly, small innovative firms (referred as 'venture firms' in Korea) attract keen attention both from policy makers and academia. Also, we can sufficiently observe how the growth environment for venture firms has evolved, since it has been almost ten years after the Korean government started its support policy for venture firms. Considering this, now is the appropriate time to carry out an analysis of venture firms. From this point of view, this study looks at growth factors for venture firms to draw out policy implications. The empirical analysis shows interesting results. Firms with the following features all showed higher growth rates: firms with high R&D intensity, younger firms, bigger firms, firms using more policy loans, and firms located within and around the Seoul region. However, the empirical analysis has some limitations. The data used in the study is limited in terms of firm information and so there are some insufficiencies. Thus it is of great importance to compile the required data on firms to enable further in-depth studies.

• Journal of Korea Technology Innovation Society
• /
• v.16 no.1
• /
• pp.303-322
• /
• 2013

A relevance of supporting business of technology financing for technologically innovative SMEs is strongly required for its continuous expansion and development. This study analyzes empirically whether the selection of recipient firms from technology financing have been performed in accordance with its objectives and purposes. Results show that the probability of receiving technology financing is more likely to increase with higher technology rankings and higher operating income ratio. On the other hand, the probability of obtaining financing might be decreased gradually, as the size of capital and age of the firm are increasing. Results also show that technology rankings and firm's major characteristics are found to affect significantly on the decision-making of technology financing. Several useful comments are suggested to improve the relevance of the technology financing since the correct classification rate, which explains the appropriateness of the model, is not at high level. In addition, technology rankings are not uncorrelated with the amount of financing in regression analysis. These research results will contribute to ensure the appropriateness and credibility of the technology financing decision-making.

• Journal of the Economic Geographical Society of Korea
• /
• v.22 no.1
• /
• pp.84-95
• /
• 2019

The competence of SME's technological innovation is deemed as one of the crucial factors in national and regional economies. Yet, as seen in previous studies, there is a dearth of studies on this subject, and policy and academic circles had been inclined to relatively underestimate the contribution of the SMEs to economies and industries (such as, job creation and GDP contribution). Generally, there is a bias that the innovative activity of the large-sized firm is likely to perform better than that of the small-sized company. According to several case studies, however, SME possesses a more appropriate form for innovative activities, and significantly contributes to creating advanced industrial agglomeration. Hence, this study analyses the contribution of the SME innovation to the national and regional economy along with analysing the extant literature. In doing so, we can reason out theoretical and policy implications.