• Title/Summary/Keyword: Major Disaster

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Effects of Climatic Condition on Stability and Efficiency of Crop Production (농업 기상특성과 작물생산의 효율 및 안전성)

  • Robert H. Shaw
    • KOREAN JOURNAL OF CROP SCIENCE
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    • v.27 no.4
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    • pp.296-313
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    • 1982
  • At a time when world population and food supply are in a delicate balance, it is essential that we look at factors to improve this balance. We can alter the environment to better fit the plant's needs, or we can alter the plant to better fit the environment. Improved technology has allowed us to increase the yield level. For moderately detrimental weather events technology has generally decreased the yield variation, yet for major weather disasters the variation has increased. We have raised the upper level, but zero is still the bottom level. As we concentrate the production of particular crops into limited areas where the environment is closest to optimum, we may be increasing the risk of a major weather related disaster. We need to evaluate the degree of variability of different crops, and how weather and technology can interact to affect it. The natural limits of crop production are imposed by important ecological factors. Production is a function of the climate, the soil, and the crop and all activities related to them. In looking at the environment of a crop we must recognize these are individuals, populations and ecosystems. Under intensive agriculture we try to limit the competition to one desired species. The environment is made up of a complex of factors; radiation, moisture, temperature and wind, among others. Plant response to the environment is due to the interaction of all of these factors, yet in attempting to understand them we often examine each factor individually. Variation in crop yields is primarily a function of limiting environmental parameters. Various weather parameters will be discussed, with emphasis placed on how they impact on crop production. Although solar radiation is a driving force in crop production, it often shows little relationship to yield variation. Water may enter into crop production as both a limiting and excessive factor. The effects of moisture deficiency have received much more attention than moisture excess. In many areas of the world, a very significant portion of yield variation is due to variation in the moisture factor. Temperature imposes limits on where crops can be grown, and the type of crop that can be grown in an area. High temperature effects are often combined with deficient moisture effects. Cool temperatures determine the limits in which crops can be grown. Growing degree units, or heat accumulations, have often been used as a means of explaining many temperature effects. Methods for explaining chilling effects are more limited.

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Probe Study on the Failure Factors of Venture Companies (벤처기업의 부실요인에 대한 탐색적 연구)

  • Lee, Hoon;Hong, Jae-Bum
    • Asia-Pacific Journal of Business Venturing and Entrepreneurship
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    • v.12 no.1
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    • pp.25-31
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    • 2017
  • The objective of this study is to find the failure factors of venture companies. We analyze 210 troubled venture companies, all of which have been under guarantee from the Korea Technology Finance Corporation over the last three years. Methods of analysis for failure factors are as follows. First, we categorize the failure factors into the four different types based on growth and profitability indicators in the financial statements of targeted venture companies. Then we analyzed the failure factors of the subject companies based on the troubled guarantee reports made by the Korea Technology Finance Corporation. If a venture company under its guarantee program falls into insolvency, the Korea Technology Finance Corporation make the troubled guarantee report to find out the failure factors and evaluate the recovery potentials. We identify 374 failure factors of venture companies through the analysis. The most prominent among them are deteriorating of business environments (79 factors) and decreasing or withdrawing orders from major suppliers (54 factors) due to bankruptcies or change in business plans. They are followed by slowing collection of accounts receivable (31 factors), dropping or frozen product price (24 factors) due to intensifying competition and escalating pressures from major suppliers, rising raw material costs both at home and abroad (21 factors). In addition, the nuclear power plant disaster in Japan, shut-down of the Kaesong Industrial Complex and subsequent lawsuits, delay in technology development projects, high cost-low efficiency management structure, etc., are also revealed as new factors causing trouble for venture companies.

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A Revisit to the Recent Human Error Events in Nuclear Power Plants Focused to the Organizational and Safety Culture

  • Lee, Yong-Hee
    • Journal of the Ergonomics Society of Korea
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    • v.32 no.1
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    • pp.117-124
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    • 2013
  • Objective: This paper presents additional considerations related to organization and safety culture extracted from recent human error incidents in Korea, such as station blackout(i.e., SBO) in Kori#1. Background: Safety culture has been already highlighted as a major cause of human errors after 1986 Chernobyl accident. After Fukushima accident in Japan, the public acceptance for nuclear energy has taken its toll. Organizational characteristics and culture became elucidated as a major contributor again. Therefore many nuclear countries are re-evaluating their safety culture, and discussing any preparedness and its improvement. On top of that, there was an SBO in 2012 in the Kori#1. Korean public feels frustrated due to the similar human errors causing to a catastrophe like Fukushima accident. Method: This paper reassesses Japan's incidents, and revisits Korea's recent incidents. It focuses on the analysis of the hazards rather than the causes of human errors, the derivation of countermeasures, and their implementation. The preceding incidents and conclusions from Japanese experience are also re-analyzed. The Fukushima accident was an SBO due to the natural disaster such as earthquakes and a successive tsunami. Unlike the Fukushima accident, the Kori#1 incident itself was simple and restored without any loss and radioactive release. However, the fact that the incident was deliberately concealed led to massive distrust. Moreover, the continued violation of rules and organized concealment of the accident are serious signs of a new distorted type of human errors, blatantly revealing the cultural and fundamental weakness of the current organization. Result: We should learn from Japanese experiences who had taken pride in its safety technology and fairly high confidence in safety culture. Japan's first criticality accident in JCO facility splashed cold water on that confidence. It has turned out to be a typical case revealing the problems in the organization and safety culture. Since Japan has failed to gain lessons and countermeasure, the issue persists to the Fukushima incident. Conclusion: Safety culture is not a specific independent element, which makes it difficult to either evaluate it properly or establish countermeasures from the lessons. It may continue to expose similar human errors such as concealment of incident and manipulation of bad data. Application: Not only will this work establish the course of research for organization and safety culture, but this work will also contribute to the revitalization of Korea's nuclear industry from the disappointment after the export contract to UAE.

A Basic Study on the Estimating the Value of Sand Beach using amenities (어메니티요소를 활용한 백사장 가치평가의 기초적 연구)

  • Shin, Bum-Shick;Kim, Kyu-Han
    • Journal of Korean Society of Coastal and Ocean Engineers
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    • v.24 no.6
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    • pp.373-380
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    • 2012
  • The sandy beach along the east coast of Korea offers beautiful scenery with high-quality sand for leisure, and is also famous for the white-sand and pine-tree which is an important scenic resource. Furthermore, the sandy beach helps to maintain natural environment of the costal area and functionates as a disaster prevention system against high waves. There are two major value evaluation methods, Travel Cost Method and Contingent Valuation Method, to assess the value of coastal sandy beach. Contingent Valuation Method is considered to be more appropriate for simultaneous evaluation on the usefulness and the uselessness of the beach. But in order to apply Contingent Valuation Method to coastal sandy beach evaluation, close examination and investigation on the potential bias, such as on questionnaires, surveys and replies, are required. In this study, the characteristic of primary amenity of sandy beach users is investigated, in prior to evaluating the usefulness and the uselessness of the beach measured by contingent valuation method. The characteristic of amenity on major sandy beaches on the east coast of Korea is studied and compared by diverse value evaluation methods.

Reliability Analysis of Access Door Opening Force Measured with a Digital Force Gauge of a Pressurized Smoke Control Zone and Presentation of Optimum Conditions for the Opening Force (디지털 측정기로 측정된 급기가압 제연구역의 출입문 개방력에 대한 신뢰성 분석 및 최적 조건 제시)

  • Lee, Jae-Ou;Choi, Chung-Seog
    • Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society
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    • v.17 no.1
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    • pp.468-473
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    • 2016
  • The aim of this study was to measure the opening force of an access door of a pressurized smoke control zone and verify the reliability of the opening force. For the access door opening force, the opening load of the access door was measured before and after pressurized air had entered the smoke control zone. The reliability of the measured values was verified using the Anderson Darling's statistical analysis method of the Minitab Program. Because the analyzed P values were greater than 0.05 except for some floors before and after the operation of the smoke control equipment, the opening force was found to have 95% reliability. The normal distribution of the measured values showed no relationship with the operation of the smoke control equipment and the precision of the force gauge was believed to be reliable. The major factors for the optimal design of the pressurized smoke control equipment include the precision and reliability of the force gauge, the correct posture of the measuring person, and the same conditions for access doors. Therefore, a digital force gauge is believed to be suitable for measuring the opening force of the access door of a pressurized smoke control zone. In addition, standardization of the posture of a measuring person, the setup of the initial opening force of an access door, etc., are major variables for effective measurements of the door opening force of an access door.

A review on urban inundation modeling research in South Korea: 2001-2022 (도시침수 모의 기술 국내 연구동향 리뷰: 2001-2022)

  • Lee, Seungsoo;Kim, Bomi;Choi, Hyeonjin;Noh, Seong Jin
    • Journal of Korea Water Resources Association
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    • v.55 no.10
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    • pp.707-721
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    • 2022
  • In this study, a state-of-the-art review on urban inundation simulation technology was presented summarizing major achievements and limitations, and future research recommendations and challenges. More than 160 papers published in major domestic academic journals since the 2000s were analyzed. After analyzing the core themes and contents of the papers, the status of technological development was reviewed according to simulation methodologies such as physically-based and data-driven approaches. In addition, research trends for application purposes and advances in overseas and related fields were analyzed. Since more than 60% of urban inundation research used Storm Water Management Model (SWMM), developing new modeling techniques for detailed physical processes of dual drainage was encouraged. Data-based approaches have become a new status quo in urban inundation modeling. However, given that hydrological extreme data is rare, balanced research development of data and physically-based approaches was recommended. Urban inundation analysis technology, actively combined with new technologies in other fields such as artificial intelligence, IoT, and metaverse, would require continuous support from society and holistic approaches to solve challenges from climate risk and reduce disaster damage.

Karst Studies in the Korean Geographical Society: Achievements for the Past Fifty Years (한국 지리학계의 카르스트 연구)

  • PARK, Sunyurp
    • Journal of The Geomorphological Association of Korea
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    • v.18 no.4
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    • pp.127-140
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    • 2011
  • Research achievement of Korean geographers on karst studies was evaluated based on the number of publications for the past fifty years, which were divided into four main periods, including beginning, youth, growth, and maturity stages. The descriptive statistics of research papers published in major geography journals were computed and these articles were classified according to their main subjects and study areas. The role of moisture is particularly important in Karst geomorphology compared to the other geomorphological fields. The morphology, landscape, and formation processes of tropical and temperate karst are different from each other, and the regional and altitudinal characteristics of karst environments are significantly diverse. Thus, it is likely that the detailed records of climatic changes are preserved in the northeast Asian karst landform. Since karst geomorphology can be a major cause of natural hazards, such as collapsed surfaces or subsidence, which are associated with anthropogenic activities, including underground-water pumping and land use, education and training of physical geographers, specializing on monsoon effects, distributions of limestone, and soil characteristics, are critical issues to foster the capacity of disaster management in the nation. Moreover, knowing that the unique and spectacular landscape of karst geomorphology is a valuable, natural resource of tourism and has aesthetic values on its own, contributions of geographers to the introduction, conservation, research, and development of karst environment should be emphasized.

Geochemical Characteristics of Stream Sediments in the Konyang Area (곤양지역 하상퇴적물에 대한 지구화학적 특성)

  • Park Yaung-Seog;Park Dae-Woo
    • Economic and Environmental Geology
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    • v.39 no.3 s.178
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    • pp.329-342
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    • 2006
  • The purpose of this study is to determine the geochemical characteristics for the stream sediments in the Konyang area. So we can estimate the environment contamination and understand geochemical disaster. We collect the stream sediments samples by wet sieving along the primary channels and slowly dry the collected samples in the laboratory and grind to pass a 200mesh using an alumina mortar and pestle for chemical analysis. Mineralogy, major, trace and rare earth elements are determined by XRD, XRE, ICP-AES and NAA analysis methods. For geochemical characteristics on the geological groups of stream sediments, the studied area was grouped into quartz porphyry area, sedimentary rock area, anorthosite area and gneiss area. Contents of major elements for the stream sediments in the Konyang area were $SiO_2\;41.86{\sim}76.74\;wt.%,\;Al_{2}O_{3}\;9.92{\sim}30.00\;wt.%,\;Fe_{2}O_{3}\;2.74{\sim}12.68\;wt.%,\;CaO\;0.22{\sim}3.31\;wt.%,\;MgO\;0.34{\sim}3.97\;wt.%,\;K_{2}O\;0.75{\sim}0.93\;wt.%,\;Na_{2}O\;0.25{\sim}1.92\;wt.%,\;TiO_{2}\;0.40{\sim}3.00\;wt.%,\;MnO\;0.03{\sim}0.21\;wt.%,\;P_{2}O_{5}\;0.05{\sim}0.38\;wt.%$. The contents of trace and rare earth elements for the stream sediments were $Cu\;7{\sim}102\;ppm,\;Pb\;15{\sim}47\;ppm,\;Sr\;48{\sim}513\;ppm,\;V\;29{\sim}129\;ppm,\;Zr\;31{\sim}217\;ppm,\;Li\;14{\sim}94\;ppm,\;Co\;5.6{\sim}32.1\;ppm,\;Cr\;23{\sim}259\;ppm,\;Cs\;1.7{\sim}8.7\;ppm,\;Hf\;2.1{\sim}109.0\;ppm,\;Rb\;34{\sim}247\;ppm,\;Sc\;4.5{\sim}21.9\;ppm,\;Zn\;24{\sim}609\;ppm,\;Sb\;0.8{\sim}2.6\;ppm,\;Th\;3{\sim}213\;ppm,\;Ce\;22{\sim}1000\;ppm,\;Eu\;0.7{\sim}5.3\;ppm,\;Yb\;0.6{\sim}6.4\;ppm$. Generally, the contents of $Al_{2}O_{3}\;and\;SiO_2$ had a good relationships with each other in rocks but it had a bad relationships in stream sediments for this study area. The contents of $Fe_{2}O_3$, CaO, MnO and $P_{2}O_{5}$ had a good relationships with major and minor elements in stream sediments of this study area. The contents of Co and V in the stream sediments had a good relationships with other toxic elements.

A Case Study of Shanghai Tang: How to Build a Chinese Luxury Brand

  • Heine, Klaus;Phan, Michel
    • Asia Marketing Journal
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    • v.15 no.1
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    • pp.1-22
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    • 2013
  • This case focuses on Shanghai Tang, the first truly Chinese luxury brand that appeals to both Westerners and, more recently, to Chinese consumers worldwide. A visionary and wealthy businessman Sir David Tang created this company from scratch in 1994 in Hong Kong. Its story, spanned over almost two decades, has been fascinating. It went from what best a Chinese brand could be in the eyes of Westerners who love the Chinese culture, to a nearly-bankrupted company in 1998, before being acquired by Richemont, the second largest luxury group in the world. Since then, its turnaround has been spectacular with a growing appeal among Chinese luxury consumers who represent the core segment of the luxury industry today. The main objective of this case study is to formally examine how Shanghai Tang overcame its downfall and re-emerged as one the very few well- known Chinese luxury brands. More specifically, this case highlights the ways with which Shanghai Tang made a transitional change from a brand for Westerners who love the Chinese culture, to a brand for both, Westerners who love the Chinese culture and Chinese who love luxury. A close examination reveals that Shanghai Tang has followed the brand identity concept that consists of two major components: functional and emotional. The functional component for developing a luxury brand concerns all product characteristics that will make a product 'luxurious' in the eyes of the consumer, such as premium quality of cachemire from Mongolia, Chinese silk, lacquer, finest leather, porcelain, and jade in the case of Shanghai Tang. The emotional component consists of non-functional symbolic meanings of a brand. The symbolic meaning marks the major difference between a premium and a luxury brand. In the case of Shanghai Tang, its symbolic meaning refers to the Chinese culture and the brand aims to represent the best of Chinese traditions and establish itself as "the ambassador of modern Chinese style". It touches the Chinese heritage and emotions. Shanghai Tang has reinvented the modern Chinese chic by drawing back to the stylish decadence of Shanghai in the 1930s, which was then called the "Paris of the East", and this is where the brand finds inspiration to create its own myth. Once the functional and emotional components assured, Shanghai Tang has gone through a four-stage development to become the first global Chinese luxury brand: introduction, deepening, expansion, and revitalization. Introduction: David Tang discovered a market gap and had a vision to launch the first Chinese luxury brand to the world. The key success drivers for the introduction and management of a Chinese luxury brand are a solid brand identity and, above all, a creative mind, an inspired person. This was David Tang then, and this is now Raphael Le Masne de Chermont, the current Executive Chairman. Shanghai Tang combines Chinese and Western elements, which it finds to be the most sustainable platform for drawing consumers. Deepening: A major objective of the next phase is to become recognized as a luxury brand and a fashion or design authority. For this purpose, Shanghai Tang has cooperated with other well-regarded luxury and lifestyle brands such as Puma and Swarovski. It also expanded its product lines from high-end custom-made garments to music CDs and restaurant. Expansion: After the opening of his first store in Hong Kong in 1994, David Tang went on to open his second store in New York City three years later. However this New York retail operation was a financial disaster. Barely nineteen months after the opening, the store was shut down and quietly relocated to a cheaper location of Madison Avenue. Despite this failure, Shanghai Tang products found numerous followers especially among Western tourists and became "souvenir-like" must-haves. However, despite its strong brand DNA, the brand did not generate enough repeated sales and over the years the company cumulated heavy debts and became unprofitable. Revitalizing: After its purchase by Richemont in 1998, Le Masne de Chermont was appointed to lead the company, reposition the brand and undertake some major strategic changes such as revising the "Shanghai Tang" designs to appeal not only to Westerners but also to Chinese consumers, and to open new stores around the world. Since then, Shanghai Tang has become synonymous to a modern Chinese luxury lifestyle brand.

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Geochemical Characteristics of Stream Sediments Based on Bed Rocks in the Cheongpung Area (기반암에 따른 청풍지역 하상퇴적물의 지구화학적 특성)

  • Park, Young-Seog;Park, Dae-Woo;Kim, Jong-Kyun;Song, Yeung-Sang;Lee, Jang-Jon
    • Economic and Environmental Geology
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    • v.39 no.6 s.181
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    • pp.675-687
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    • 2006
  • The purpose of this study is to determine the geochemical characteristics of the stream sediments in the Cheongpung area. So that we can understand the natural background and predict the prospects of geochemical disaster, if any. We collected the stream sediments samples by wet sieving along the primary channels and slow dried the collected samples in the laboratory and ground them to pass a 200 mesh using an alumina mortar and pestle for chemical analysis. Miner-alogical characteristics, major, trace and rare earth elements were determined by XRD, XRF, ICP-AES and NAA analysis methods. For geochemical characteristics on the geological group of stream sediments, the studied area was grouped into granitic gneiss area, metatectic gneiss area, Dado tuff area, Yuchi conglomerate area, and Neungju flow area in the Cheongpung area. Contents of major elements for the stream sediments in the Cheongpung area were $SiO_2\;47.31{\sim}72.81\;wt.%,\;A1_2O_3 \;11.26{\sim}21.88\;wt.%,\;Fe_2O_3\;2.83{\sim}8.39\;wt.%,\;CaO\;0.34{\sim}7.54\;wt.%,\;MgO\; 0.55{\sim}3.59\;wt.%,\;K_2O\;1.71{\sim}4.31\;wt.%,\;Na_2O\;0.56{\sim}2.28\;wt.%,\;TiO_2\;0.46{\sim}1.24\;wt.%,\;MnO\;0.04{\sim}0.27\;wt.%,\;P_2O_5\;0.02{\sim}0.45\;wt.%$. The con-tents of trace and rare earth elements for the stream sediments were $Ba\;700ppm{\sim}8990ppm,\;Be\;1.0{\sim}3.50ppm,\;Cu\;6.20{\sim}60ppm,\;Nb\;12{\sim}28ppm,\;Ni\;4.4{\sim}61ppm,\;Pb\;13{\sim}34ppm,\;Sr\;65{\sim}787ppm,\;V\;4{\sim}98ppm,\;Zr\;32{\sim}164ppm,\;Li\;21{\sim}827ppm,\;Co\;3.68{\sim}65ppm,\;Cr\;16.7{\sim}409ppm,\;Cs\;2.72{\sim}37.1ppm,\;Hf\;4.99{\sim}49.2ppm,\;Rb\;71.9{\sim}649ppm,\;Sb\;0.16{\sim}5.03ppm,\;Sc\;4.97{\sim}52ppm,\;Zn\;26.3{\sim}375ppm,\;Ce\;60.6{\sim}373ppm,\;Eu\;0.82{\sim}6ppm,\;Yb\;0.71{\sim}10ppm$.