• Journal of Applied Reliability
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• v.14 no.3
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• pp.152-161
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• 2014

According to Korea Federation of Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs)' report, SMEs account for 99% and number of SMEs workers account for 87% in Korea. Thus, SMEs has an important role in the future Korean industry. This paper considers the improvement methods of SMEs' quality competitiveness. For this study, we developed the quality measurement model for identifying SMEs' quality level and investigated many companies by survey and interviews. We also performed the benchmarking study and the gap analysis between Korea and other countries. This paper suggests some policies for increasing the quality of SMEs.

• Asia-Pacific Journal of Business
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• v.12 no.4
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• pp.179-192
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• 2021

Purpose - This study is aim to stimulate ESG management of SMEs in Korea with SWOT analysis. Presently, ESG is also affecting a company's supply chain and sales. We tried to make the complementary point of Korea SMEs through domestic and foreign cases. Design/methodology/approach - We divide foreign cases into three countries, and in Korea, also divide into three groups of government, major companies, SMEs to conduct SWOT analysis. Findings - We confirmed that ESG activities were delayed in Korea compared to overseas, but the government and major companies were responding quickly. However, SMEs are complaining of difficulties in ESG activities due to cost issues and limited information. Nevertheless, some SMEs companies show the possibility by carrying out ESG activities based on their own strengths. Research implications or Originality - We suggested the need for SMEs' ESG management. The SMEs are inevitably vulnerable to ESG management compared to other groups. Therefore, We suggested the direction of SMEs ESG management expansion, that are R&D and distribution of eco-friendly activities through collaboration with universities(E), social program to improve working places(S), and expansion of governance that guarantees autonomy(G).

• Korea Trade Review
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• v.44 no.3
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• pp.73-84
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• 2019

This study focuses on previous research that explored the external knowledge reflecting the characteristics of SMEs and that should be considered because of the limited capacity of SMEs. This study examines the effects of open innovation and SMEs on export performance, focuses on government support as a way to supplement the limited capacity of SMEs, and analyzes the moderating effects of government support. An examination of 1,358 samples revealed that the breadth of external knowledge, depth of external knowledge, and government support had a significant impact on the export performance of SMEs. The effect of exploration of external knowledge (breadth and depth) of SMEs on the export performance of SMEs is significant both in breadth and depth when government support is provided, but only depth is significant when there is no government support.

• 한국벤처창업학회:학술대회논문집
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• 2006.04a
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• pp.139-166
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• 2006

This paper explored strategic types of Korean SMEs in manufacturing industries and investigated key differences among strategic types by analysing firm size, product market, technological capabilities and performances. According to previous studies, this papers categorized SMEs into four strategic types-technological innovative SMEs, multi-product SMEs, capital-intensive SMEs, and OEM-based SMEs types. Based on the empirical survey from 1,077 Korea SMEs in diverse industries, there are significant differences among strategic types on the key characteristics including product market, resource capability and performance. Finally this paper suggested implications for the studies on SMEs and managerial and policy directions to support SMEs.

• Korea Trade Review
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• v.45 no.5
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• pp.1-22
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• 2020

This study explores the role of relationship banking for the exports of SMEs (small and medium sized enterprises) in Korea. Using a sample of SMEs listed on the Korean stock markets between 2004 and 2018, I find that relationship banking has a positive impact on exporting behaviors of SMEs. This result indicates that relationship banking is suitable for SMEs to raise their funds in the export decision-making since the incentive for banks to obtain soft information enhances SMEs' access to external finance. In particular, through further analysis considering financial constraints, I find that the positive impact of relationship banking on exports is amplified for financially constrained SMEs. In addition, the positive impact on exports is also amplified for export starters. Finally, relationship banking provides benefits for SMEs' export decision-making regardless of the financial crisis. To sum up, relationship banking may be useful means of financing for Korean SMEs whose creditworthiness cannot be assessed only by hard information. As the role of finance in international trade has recently been highlighted, this study provides insightful evidence that relationship banking may enhance exports of SMEs as a source of trade finance.

• Journal of Korea Trade
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• v.25 no.7
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• pp.1-18
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• 2021

Purpose - In this study, we explore the relationship between the degree of internationalization (DOI) and firm performance (DOI-P) of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in the manufacturing sector. Specifically, we investigate whether the costs and benefits dynamics concerning the internationalization of SMEs differ between high-tech and non-high-tech industries. Design/methodology - We extend the prior literature on this relationship by employing 5-year data on 589 Korean SMEs in the manufacturing sector and examining the moderating impact of the industry characteristics. Our findings reveal a U-shaped relationship between the DOI and SME performance. High-tech SMEs demonstrate an inverted U-shaped relationship, whereas non-hightech SMEs exhibit a U-shaped relationship. Findings - Our findings illustrate the importance of the industry factor in testing the performance impact of the internationalization of Korean SMEs. By incorporating industry dynamics, our results indicate that the DOI-P relationship depends on the context of the industry in which an SME operates. High-tech SMEs also display a higher DOI but are outperformed by non-high-tech SMEs for the entire internationalization path, which implies that high-tech SMEs face more challenges than non-high-tech SMEs while seeking internationalization. Originality/value - The findings strongly validate that significant benefits exist for SMEs undertaking internationalization. We also employ the contextual framework contributing to increasing the understanding of the intrinsic value of internationalization and resolving the mixed results issue on the DOI-P relationship, by illustrating that the industry factor leads to different dynamics of costs and benefits of SME internationalization; it also determines the shape and direction of the relationship.

• Journal of the Korea Safety Management & Science
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• v.23 no.2
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• pp.53-63
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• 2021

Small and medium-sized enterprises(SMEs) continue to adopt ICT to gain an edge in organizational innovation and competition. This has a management advantage, but it also brings vulnerabilities as to cyber security. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to conduct an exploratory study on the cyber security situation of SMEs. A survey was conducted on Korean SMEs to determine how well they are connected to ICT and how much they are exposed to cyber security threats. The results suggest two things. First, Korean SMEs are well connected to ICT, but there is a gap between the actual adoption and human recognition of its importance. Second, security threats and breaches affect the majority of SMEs, but several problems including costs have not been properly evaluated. The results of this study are expected to help improve the cyber security management system of Korean SMEs.

• Journal of Technology Innovation
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• v.16 no.2
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• pp.41-63
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• 2008

Employing firm-level data during the period of 1980-2006, this paper analyzes the R&D efficiency of IT SMEs. We focus on comparing the R&D efficiency of IT SMEs with that of large-sized IT firms and non-IT SMEs. The results are summarized as follows. First, the R&D investment of IT SMEs has not been increased since 2000. In IT manufacturing industry, the portion of the R&D investment of IT SMEs is no more than 10.6% in 2005. Second, we analyze the innovation capacity of SMEs with the number of the patent application. The result is similar with the trend of R&D investment. The portion of the patent application of SMEs has not been increased since 2000. Third, the R&D efficiency of non-IT firms is higher than that of IT SMEs regardless of the firm size. The R&D efficiency of non-IT SMEs is over three times as large as that of IT SMEs. Meanwhile, The R&D efficiency of the large-sized non IT firms is 1.86 times as large as that of IT large-sized firms. Finally, we estimate the R&D elasticity and compare between IT manufacturing and service industry. The result shows that the R&D elasticity of IT service industry is higher than that of IT manufacturing industry, regardless of firm size.

• Korea Trade Review
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• v.41 no.5
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• pp.285-304
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• 2016

e-Commerce in Small and Medium-sized Enterprises(SMEs) provides a platform for fair competition between SMEs and large enterprises, and brings economic benefits to SMEs. Thus in the recent years, the e-Commerce in SMEs developed rapidly. However, the overall proportion of e-Commerce in SMEs in China remains low, and many SMEs' decision-makers tend to feel that their business is relatively weak in terms of information construction of scale and financial management, thus they keep the 'wait and see' attitude about the e-Commerce development decisions. Therefore, SMEs are facing three puzzles about e-Commerce application. First, if the companies need to implement e-Commerce, what are the e-Commerce adoption decision factors. Second, what are the successful implementation factors of e-Commerce. And how about the relationship between them. The third is how to measure the implementation effect of e-Commerce. What is the performance evaluation factors of e-Commerce. In this paper, the theoretical and empirical exploration and research are conducted towards these SMEs. Considering the actual situation of SMEs, this paper builds a theoretical model, then puts forward relevant hypothesis. This paper analyzes present influencing factors based on enormous research papers, and finally discovers the critical successful factors in doing business with e-Commerce in SMEs by conducting Structural Equation Modeling. Five critical factors are verified by cases of enterprise by demonstration study. Lastly, we can draw a conclusion that the innovation ability of leaders, the IT support of leaders and e-Commerce strategies are the success factors of e-Commerce for Chinese SMEs.

• Progress in Superconductivity and Cryogenics
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• v.7 no.2
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• pp.27-30
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• 2005

Research and development on superconducting magnetic energy storage (SMES) system have been done to realize efficient electric power management for several decades. Korea Electrotechnology Research Institute (KERI) has developed a 3MJ/750kV A SMES system to improve power quality in sensitive electric loads. It consists of an IGBT based power converter, NbTi mixed matrix Rutherford cable superconducting magnet, and a cryostat with HTS current leads. A computer code was developed to find the parameters of the SMES magnet which has minimum amount of superconductors for the same stored energy, and the 3MJ SMES magnet was designed based upon that. This paper describes the fabrication and experimental results of a 3MJ/750kV A SMES system.