• Journal of Korea Trade
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• v.23 no.4
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• pp.115-130
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• 2019

Purpose - This paper examines the impact of labor market regulations on FDI and the production of foreign firms. Design/methodology - We use an index of employment protection along with data on the FDI and production of foreign affiliates that are provided by the OECD. Findings - The empirical results show that strict employment protection discourages both the production and initial entry of foreign firms, with its impact on production being larger than that on the initial entry decision. The result is robust to various specifications in which instrumental variable estimations are used by applying a unionization rate and a severance pay for redundancy dismissal as instruments, respectively. Therefore, policymakers should not limit their focus to tax incentives, cash grants, and relaxation of market regulations, but they should also extend their attention to labor market deregulation and decreasing non-wage cost to attract more foreign firms into their countries. Originality/value - This paper attempts to answer the question on the impact of employment protection rules on the foreign firm's decisions regarding production as well as initial entry.

• Journal of Environmental Impact Assessment
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• v.29 no.4
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• pp.272-285
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• 2020

We investigated statistical evaluation parameters for 3D meteorological and air quality models and selected several quantitative indicator references, and summarized the reference values of the statistical parameters for domestic air quality modeling researcher. The finally selected 9 statistical parameters are MB (Mean Bias), ME (Mean Error), MNB (Mean Normalized Bias Error), MNE (Mean Absolute Gross Error), RMSE (Root Mean Square Error), IOA (Index of Agreement), R (Correlation Coefficient), FE (Fractional Error), FB (Fractional Bias), and the associated reference values are summarized. The results showed that MB and ME have been widely used in evaluating the meteorological model output, and NMB and NME are most frequently used for air quality model results. In addition, discussed are the presentation diagrams such as Soccer Plot, Taylor diagram, and Q-Q (Quantile-Quantile) diagram. The current results from our study is expected to be effectively used as the statistical evaluation parameters suitable for situation in Korea considering various characteristics such as including the mountainous surface areas.

• Knowledge Management Research
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• v.20 no.1
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• pp.231-249
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• 2019

Technology transfer from a multinational company to a local subsidiary is essential for successful local market operations. This study aims to analyze the impact of market, cultural and institutional environmental factors on international technology transfer and innovation performance based on the S-C-P paradigm. We collected data from one hundred ninety-five subsidiaries of Korean parent firms located in seventeen countries and used structural equation modeling to test hypotheses. The analysis findings are as follow; First, both market and cultural environment directly affect international technology transfer. However, institutional environment such as protection of intellectual property does not affect international technology transfer. Due to the less risk of technology disclosure involved in technology transfer within the MNE organization can be not relationship between protection of intellectual property in the host country and the foreign subsidiary's transfer of technology. The risk of infringement of intellectual property is relatively low in intra-firm transfer of technology. Second, the technology introduced from the parent company has a positive effect on the innovation performance of local subsidiaries. This implies that multinational companies that have entered unfamiliar overseas markets should be able to effectively transfer the inherent advantages of the parent company to their overseas subsidiaries, and that their ability to adapt to the local environment is important.

• Asia-Pacific Journal of Business
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• v.11 no.1
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• pp.77-91
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• 2020

Purpose - The purpose of this study is to examines the effect of corruption pressure in host country on sequential investment. The study further investigates how the information acquisition capacity of MNEs and the political tie in the host country had a moderating effect on the relationship between corruption and sequential investment. Design/methodology/approach - Ordered logistic regression is hired to analyze 1,260 MNEs' sequential investment in Vietnam. Findings - The empirical results of this study demonstrate the more MNEs perceive the strong level of pressure to be corrupt in the local market, the less they are likely to invest. The information acquisition capacity of MNEs has been shown to mitigate the negative effects of corruption pressures on sequential investments, while the moderating effect of political tie in host country is partially supported. Research implications or Originality - This study identified that the corruption pressures of host countries negatively affect not only MNEs that are entering, but also the ones that have already entered host countries; the corruption discourages any sequential investment for existing MNEs. By suggesting two moderating variables, this study will provide managerial implications for MNEs and managers who face corruption pressure in host countries.

• East Asian Economic Review
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• v.26 no.2
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• pp.119-142
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• 2022

This paper uses social network theory and the internationalization process model (IPM) to determine how external network linkages influence the location choices of multinational enterprise from emerging economies (EMNEs); specifically, whether past alliance experience influences location choices and its impact on the subsequent entry of MNEs from emerging economies. This paper applies survival analysis using initial and secondary investments from 2,000 Chinese A-share listed companies that entered 90 countries between 1997 and 2018 to analyze both the initial and subsequent entries of Chinese outward foreign direct investments (OFDIs) in major host countries. The findings indicate that an MNE's previous experience with a company from a particular country will increase the likelihood of an initial investment in that country. Previous alliance experience may accelerate the foreign investment process of EMNE and stimulate firms making a commitment to a position in a foreign network, regardless of cultural distance and stage of internationalization. Alliance before initial investment may increase the likelihood and speed of entering a host country as wholly owned subsidiaries and that network linkages not only significantly influence the internationalization process of small and medium-sized enterprises, as indicated by the IPM, but also that of large listed firms.

• Journal of Korea Trade
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• v.27 no.2
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• pp.77-95
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• 2023

Purpose - This study aims to identify the importance of subsidiary entrepreneurship as a key factor when MNE attempts to invest in challenging overseas markets. Through the simultaneous consideration of institutional theory and entrepreneurship theory, this study would like to examine how Korean subsidiaries in the Middle East improve their performance locally. Design/methodology - To reflect the characteristics of emerging markets, this study conducted a survey of Korean subsidiaries in the Middle East in cooperation with KOTRA and analyzed the hypotheses using a structural equation model based on 249 valid responses. Findings - The findings of this study are as follows. First, we found that institutional and business distance would positively affect subsidiaries' entrepreneurship. The result that subsidiaries' entrepreneurship is positively affected by institutional and business distance implies that attempts to close the difference between heterogeneous markets would increase subsidiaries' innovative proactiveness, such as R&D and creative marketing strategies. Second, we confirmed that the institutional and business distance positively mediate the subsidiaries' entrepreneurship growth, leading to high performance. Therefore, Korean subsidiaries are required and prepared to establish strategies to better understand institutional and business distances in advance and reduce the liability of foreignness by conducting customized research and training programs before sending Korean expatriates to local subsidiaries in the Middle East. Originality/value - This study contributed to institutional and entrepreneurship theory by proving the traditional relationship between institutional and business distance to subsidiaries' performance and the mediation of subsidiary entrepreneurship.

• East Asian Journal of Business Economics (EAJBE)
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• v.6 no.3
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• pp.1-15
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• 2018

Purpose - This study investigates the effect of MNEs' characteristics on the use of foreign currency denominated debt in the context of Korean firms. This study examines the relationship between MNEs and the use of foreign debt focusing on the accessibility to the capital market in addition to the motive of hedging against foreign exchange exposure. Research design and methodology - Probit estimation is employed for estimating significant factors in determination of the use of foreign debt by firms. The dependent variable is a dummy variable to indicate whether a firm uses foreign debt or not at the end of 2004. Independent variables include foreign subsidiaries ratio, export to sale, R&D expenditure to sale, and credit rating. Results - The results show that the interaction between the level of internationalization represented by intra-regional diversification and the strategic characteristics embedded in the region of entry affects the use of foreign debt. In case of a high level of diversification within the developing region with a strong pursuit of asset exploitation, MNEs are more likely to use foreign debt, whereas a high level of diversification within the developed region with a strong pursuit of asset seeking, MNEs are less likely to use foreign debt. Conclusions - The differences between MNEs in terms of intra-regional diversification, strategic orientation, and the accessibility to capital markets as well as the hedging motive affect the use of foreign debt.

• Korea Trade Review
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• v.42 no.4
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• pp.159-184
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• 2017

OECD MNE Guidelines ('OECD Guidelines') was set forth in 1976 as a form of annex to the OECD Declaration on International Investment and Multinational Enterprises. The objective of the OECD Guidelines is to fulfill the implementation and adoption of the Responsible Business Conduct ('RBC') among the adhering states. To further the effectiveness of the OECD Guidelines, OECD, specifically the Investment Committee of OECD, has utilized National Contact Point ('NCP') structure. According to the Procedural Guidance annexed to the OECD Guidelines, peer learning is prescribed as an important tool for promoting and facilitating the implementation procedures of the OECD Guidelines. This paper, inter alia, is mainly focusing on the peer review mechanism applicable to NCPs because negative assessments by peers are likely to harm Korea's state image and entail international criticisms even though such reviews are conducted voluntarily. In addition, the Working Party on Responsible Business Conduct ('WPRBC') decided to have a peer review of Korean NCP in 2019. This paper first outlines the meaning and current applications of the peer review mechanism, and then analyzes specific peer review cases conducted in Denmark and Belgium in 2015, and in 2016, respectively. Lastly, based on the issues handled in the peer review reports on the above states, this paper makes a few recommendations for Korean government to prepare the peer review scheduled in 2019.

• The Korean Journal of Pharmacology
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• v.25 no.1
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• pp.1-11
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• 1989

In this study, it was aimed to investigate the role of serotonergic neurotransmission in nucleus tractus solitarius (NTS) for the central regulation of blood pressure and heart rate and its involvement in baroreceptor reflex activation in rats. A microinjection of 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT) into the NTS produced decreases in blood pressure and heart rate. Maximal decreases were $34.4{\pm}1.6$ mmHg and $41.7{\pm}10.2$ beats per min by 300 pmol of 5-HT. Microinjections of ${\alpha}-methylnor-adrenaline$ $({\alpha}-MNE)$ and clonidine manifested similar decreases in blood pressure and heart rate. The hypotensive and bradycardial effects of 5-HT were blocked by previous applications of 5-HT antagonists, ritanserin, methysergide and ketanserin into the NTS, respectively. By pretreatment with reserpine and 6-hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA, i.c.v.), both hypotensive and bradycardial effects of 5-HT were significantly attenuated. Pretreatment with 5, 7-dihydroxytryptamine (5,7-DHT, i.c.v.) enhanced the hypotensive and bradycardial effects of 5-HT. Similarly, following pretreatment with 6-OHDA, the effects of clonidine were increased. Pretreatment either with 5,7-DHT or 6-OHDA significantly attenuated the sensitivity of baroreflex produced either by phenylephrine or by sodium nitroprusside. When either 5,7-DHT or 6-OHDA was injected into the NTS $(5,7-DHT;\;8{\mu}g\;6-OHDA;\;10{\mu}g)$, both of the baroreflex sensitivities were impaired. In the immunohistochemical study, the injection of 6-OHDA into the the NTS led to reduction of axon terminal varicosity, however, the injection did not reduce the numbers of catecholaminergic cell bodies. Likewise, when 5,7-DHT was injected into the NTS, the varicosity of serotonergic axon terminals was markedly reduced. Based on these results, it is suggested that (1) stimulation of serotonergic receptors in the NTS leads to decreases in blood pressure and heart rate as observed with the stimulation of catecholaminergic system, (2) both serotonergic and catecholaminergic receptors may be located postsynaptically, and (3) the serotonergic neurons as well as catecholaminergic neurons may have a close relevance for the activation of baroreflex.

• Journal of Technology Innovation
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• v.24 no.4
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• pp.127-158
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• 2016

Multinational corporations' overseas R&D activities bring host countries positive effects such as knowledge spillover, technology transfer, job creation and etc. For this reason, many countries have made efforts to attract foreign firms' R&D investment in their national territories. Korean government have also implemented some policy measures to expedite foreign firms operating in Korea to increase R&D activities. However, the firms' R&D investment in Korea has still been unsatisfactory, and only few studies have examined this issue. Therefore, this study attempts to explain the R&D investment of foreign firms operating in Kore, from the perspective Dunning's eclectic paradigm. Utilizing linear regression and Tobit model, this study analyzes the influence of OLI advantages on R&D intensity of foreign firms in Korea. The result shows that locational advantages of Korea (such as revealed technological advantage) had positive influences on foreign firms' R&D intensity. However, the influence of other OLI advantages were different by foreign firms' nationalities. For instance, internalization advantages had influences on R&D intensity, but the directions were different between Japanese and other nationalities. Based on the results, we provided some discussion and attempted to draw implications for Korean government's FDI and R&D policy.