• Journal of Distribution Science
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• v.13 no.12
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• pp.41-52
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• 2015

Purpose - Given globalization, the new niche market of medical tourism is likely to experience sustainable growth for various reasons, such as aging populations and a shift in the medical consumerism paradigm toward prevention. Importantly, understanding medical customers' behavior is necessary to benefit from a competitive advantage in this industry. The existing research primarily accessed the key factors of medical quality and costs to explain health customers' behavior but is limited in terms of enabling an understanding of the decision process. This limitation exists because, given the intangibility and greater associated risks in the highly professional industry of international medical tourism, most customers lack the knowledge and experience needed to evaluate the central factors-such as the medical competence of health care countries-before purchases. Therefore, they actively search for useful information through various distributions to reduce uncertainty and to make better choices. Interestingly, most of these information channels are associated with word-of-mouth (WOM). However, no evidence is found in the literature to estimate the effect of WOM in the medical tourism field. Thus, this study focuses on WOM to explore its interaction with key medical characteristic factors and the attractiveness of destinations referred to by sources. This study also affects customers' evaluations and, in turn, influences their intention to seek health care services abroad. Research design, data, and methodology - The literature review addressed an interesting research model for estimating the relations among WOM, medical characteristics, attractiveness, and customers' choice intention regarding international health care. In the key economic regions in China, such as Beijing, Shanghai, Jiangsu, Shandong, and Guangdong, 2,500 survey questionnaires were distributed to potential customers of different ages, education, and income levels. A resulting 1,717 (68.68 percent of the original 2,500) usable surveys were obtained for analysis. Moderated regression analysis was used to determine the effects of WOM in the decision process regarding international health care destinations. Results - The results indicate that WOM is a good moderator of the relationships between the factors evaluated by sources and customers. More importantly, the WOM effects reflect the factors of tie strength, credibility, and vividness. The results also reveal that, given the moderating role of WOM, the intention of potential Chinese customers to seek the referred health care country varies according to the medical characteristics of medical competency and reputation as evaluated by customers. In contrast, the travel attractiveness of the attractions, facilities, accessibility, and social environment are critical determinants of destination choice intention. Conclusions - The moderating role of WOM has been confirmed through the international healthcare destination selection process. Medical tourism managers should user WOM as an effective marketing tool for industry development. Specially, marketers should consider the effects of WOM determinants, such as tie strength, credibility, and vividness, to develop an effective strategy. Furthermore, this study estimates the factors that affect customers' selection of medical tourism destinations. Health care managers or policy makers should consider a broad variety of variables that may attract more Chinese customers to international health care.

• Journal of Distribution Science
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• v.12 no.6
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• pp.59-65
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• 2014

Purpose - The competitiveness of logistics in the 21st century rests on ensuring the efficiency and effectiveness of its local hub. While considering entry into a niche market in local logistics, it is pertinent to note that Budapest is emerging as a hub in EU enlargement in Eastern Europe. Big, small, and medium-sized businesses in Korea entered Hungary in the early 1990s since then, there has been a significant increase in Korean presence, of approximately 130 times. This study aimed to identify the key distribution issues that have emerged in relation to Eastern Europe. Research design, data, and methodology - This study indicates that 33 major Korean companies were located in Hungary, which serves as an out post to enter the European marketplace. However, Korea's exports to Hungary have declined (-32.0% in 2012) because of a loss of competitiveness against multinational corporations, due to factors such as the rise in current local distribution costs and wages. Hungary, on the other hand, through diversification and expansion of foreign trade with the non-EU markets, including Korea, is increasing its exports. Strategies of emerging countries are compared and reviewed in this study, by examining the vicissitudes of Hungary's distribution methods. Results - There are issues regarding Hungary's innovative ability. Hungary has a history of low wages and high skilled labor. However, the outflow of high-quality human resources for high-wages has become more extensive, and this underlines concerns that the CEE's trade hub is moving to neighboring countries. After the European financial crisis in 2010, the Hungarian economy is now developing, because of the IMF's measures, and it is being transformed into a trade surplus nation, while regaining distribution volumes rapidly. However, if there is continued lack of investment, the supply chain is weakened and exports decline amidst competition with TNCs or with China's distribution networks. Conclusions - It is necessary to create a new logistics approach for increasing trade between Korea and Hungary. First, Korean small and medium enterprises (SMEs) should build trust by working with advanced Hungarian talent, and they should expand into state-of-the-art fields instead of being confined to traditional sectors. Second, this study focuses on limiting and lowering their high expectations for success according to foreign direct investment (FDI) inflows and the role in the CEE distribution hub Korea should try to strengthen the distribution hub with its centralized population, using better, more highly educated human resources, thereby sustaining more innovative ability. Further, the positive effects of these measures are manifested in enhanced business on both sides of Hungary, namely, the EU and non-EU nations such as Turkey and emerging markets around Europe, and a better engagement in the core placement of culture and industry. For this, Korea can contribute to, and benefit from, a Hungarian logistics center, for adopting the high-tech cluster systems and commercializing distribution technology such as RFID·USN.

• Journal of Korea Port Economic Association
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• v.25 no.1
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• pp.87-106
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• 2009

This paper is intended to suggest benchmarking ascension for the Gwangyang Port as a hub for international logistics. Most countries that seek to join. and lead, the global trading system as they work to develop production and logistics systems that establish a reputation for leadership in international logistics. Our focus in this research is on the Gwangyang Port and whether Gwangyang Port is capable of carving out a competitive niche as a hub of international logistics. Our analysis is based on comparison and analysis with benchmark port developments around the world. As proposals to promote and activate Gwangyang Port as a hub for international logistics, we recommended in this paper several benchmarks. First, Gwangyang Port FTZ must strengthen the incentive system for tenant companies and providing an inducement for new global companies. Second, Gwangyang Port needs to moderation of regulation on the investment tenant companies and strengthening one-stop service. Third, it is required to stabilize labor and management relationship and securing of flexibility of labor market. Lastly, Gwangyang Port must strengthen mutual interaction of Free Economic Zone (FEZ), Customs Free Zone(CFZ) and Free trade Zone(FTZ) in Korea.

• Proceedings of the Korea Inteligent Information System Society Conference
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• 2000.11a
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• pp.247-256
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• 2000

오늘날의 기업은 상품을 판매하는 것 뿐만 아니라 기업의 신용과 이미지를 위해 그 상품에 대한 사후처리(After Service) 업무에 많은 투자를 하고 있다. 이러한 양질의 사후서비스를 고객에게 공급하기 위해서는 많은 인력을 합리적으로 관리해야 하고 요청되는 고장수리 서비스 업무를 빠르게 해결하기 위해서는 업무를 인력들에게 합리적으로 배정을 하고 회사의 비용을 최소화하면서 정해진 시간에 요청된 작업을 처리하기 위해서는 인력들에게 작업을 배정하고 스케줄링하는 문제가 발생된다. 본 논문에서는 이러한 문제를 해결하기 위해 화학계기의 A/S 작업을 인력에게 합리적으로 배정하는 스케줄링 시스템에 관한 연구이다. 먼저 스케줄링 모델을 HP 사의 화학분석 및 시스템을 판매, 유지보수 해 주는 "영진과학(주)"회사의 작업 스케줄을 분석하여 필요한 도메인과 고객서비스전략과 인력관리전략에서 제약조건을 추출하였고 여기에 스케줄링 문제를 해결하기 위한 방법으로 제약만족문제(CSP) 해결기법인 도메인 여과기법을 적용하였다. 도메인 여과기법은 제약조건에 의해 변수가 갖는 도메인의 불필요한 부분을 여과하는 것으로 제약조건과 관련되어 있는 변수의 도메인이 축소되는 것이다. 또한, 스케줄링을 하는데에 있어서 비용적인 측면에서의 스케줄링방법과 고객 만족도에서의 스케줄링 방법을 비교하여 가장 이상적인 해를 찾는데 트래이드오프(Trade-off)를 이용하여 최적의 해를 구했으며 실험을 통해 인력에게 더욱 효율적으로 작업들을 배정 할 수 있었고 또한, 정해진 시간에 많은 작업을 처리 할 수 있었으며 작업을 처리하는데 있어 소요되는 비용을 감소하는 결과를 얻을 수 있었다. 검증하였다.를, 지지도(support), 신뢰도(confidence), 리프트(lift), 컨빅션(conviction)등의 관계를 통해 다양한 방법으로 모색해본다. 이 연구에서 제안하는 이러한 개념계층상의 흥미로운 부분의 탐색은, 전자 상거래에서의 CRM(Customer Relationship Management)나 틈새시장(niche market) 마케팅 등에 적용가능하리라 여겨진다.선의 효과가 나타났다. 표본기업들을 훈련과 시험용으로 구분하여 분석한 결과는 전체적으로 재무/비재무적 지표를 고려한 인공신경망기법의 예측적중률이 높은 것으로 나타났다. 즉, 로지스틱회귀 분석의 재무적 지표모형은 훈련, 시험용이 84.45%, 85.10%인 반면, 재무/비재무적 지표모형은 84.45%, 85.08%로서 거의 동일한 예측적중률을 가졌으나 인공신경망기법 분석에서는 재무적 지표모형이 92.23%, 85.10%인 반면, 재무/비재무적 지표모형에서는 91.12%, 88.06%로서 향상된 예측적중률을 나타내었다.ting LMS according to increasing the step-size parameter $\mu$ in the experimentally computed. learning curve. Also we find that convergence speed of proposed algorithm is increased by (B+1) time proportional to B which B is the number of recycled data buffer without complexity

• International Area Studies Review
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• v.15 no.2
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• pp.403-425
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• 2011

Canada became the first OECD/DAC member state that legislated the ODA Accountability Act in 2008, which prescribe Canada ODA policies to meet the guidelines and norms of international human rights while other OECD/DAC member states was just emphasizing the importance of abiding by the international human rights norms. Paying attention to the Canadian case, this article critically examines under what structural environments and process this Act was passed. This article argues that the legislation of the ODA Accountability Act is closely related with Canada's international position as middle power and diplomatic strategies. Bring up the human security issues as a niche market, Canada demonstrates the characteristics of middle power state by emphasizing human rights agenda as new foreign policy strategies. Reflecting on the negative outcomes from neoliberal aid policy of structural adjustment and promoting the new aid norms in post cold war era would also help foster the enabling environment for the value-oriented aid policies and enactment of the Accountability Act. Civil society organizations were also playing catalyst role in constructing Canada's state identity of human rights defender.

• Journal of Forest and Environmental Science
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• v.38 no.3
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• pp.184-194
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• 2022

Triplochiton scleroxylon K. Schum is the plant species most affected by logging activities in the East Region of Cameroon due to its market value. This logging has impacted the ecological niche of the fern plant for which limited research has been done. The aim of this study is to contribute towards improving knowledge of fern richness and biomass on T. scleroxylon within the Central African sub-region. Fern data collection was done on 20 felled/harvested T. scleroxylon where, in addition to fern inventory, fern biomass was collected by the destructive method. The diameter and height of T. scleroxylon measured were used as explanatory variables in allometric equations for fern biomass estimation. Fern inventory was characterized using diversity index. Eight fern species were recorded on T. scleroxylon (≈5 species/T. scleroxylon). The minimum diameter where fern could be found is 59.4 cm. The average fern biomass found was 23.62 kg/T. scleroxylon. Pearson correlation coefficient showed a positive correlation (r>0.55) between fern biomass and T. scleroxylon diameter. For allometric equation, the logarithmic model improved better the adjustment than the non-logarithmic model. However, the quality of the adjustment is improved more when only the diameter is considered as an explanatory variable. Fern biomass is estimated to 90.08 kg/ha^-1 with 76.02 kg/ha^-1 being lost due to T. scleroxylon exploitation in the study area. This study is a contribution towards increasing knowledge of fern diversity specific to T. scleroxylon, and also fern biomass contribution to climate change mitigation and the potential carbon loss due to T. scleroxylon exploitation.

• Korean small business review
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• v.32 no.2
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• pp.209-223
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• 2010

Korea's business is composed of a few large-sized enterprises (which can be abbreviated as LSE) and a majority of small-sized enterprises (SSE). Although there has been a growing recognition of the need for the development of medium-sized enterprises (MSE) which can serve as a link between SSE and LSE, as yet there has not yet been a consensus on the definition, characteristics and the function of the MSE in Korea. Nowadays, the world is being globalized, and Japan and China are in competition to ne a great economic power. While East Asia is experiencing rapid changes, promoting MSE which can secure flexibility and efficiency through covering up the limitation of LSE and SSE is needed in order to respond the global market which is being specialized. The features of MSE in Japan can be listed as follows. First, the MSE in Japan is developing the company through getting into niche markets which are hard for major companies to enter rather than developing markets in order to compete against major companies directly. While MSEs are endeavoring to build the business firmly in the domestic market, they can possess special and competitive technical skills through trials and errors; so that they can get a chance develop their business through independent business system rather than putting their effort to compete against major companies. Second, from the MSEs with competitive edge in the market, there are many contributions to the national exportation. Those MSEs produce in domestic and maintain the quality of high price products which need cutting-edge technology, while they relocate the low and middle priced goods to the country where manufacturing costs are low, so that they can maintain the price competitiveness. Third, the industrial structure in Japan is formed from dual structure between major companies and small sized companies. In other words, in Japan's industrial structure which are composed of subcontract structure, this dual structure has taken a major role of small sized companies' growth and manufacturing businesses' international competitive power. Forth, MSE in Japan adopt a strategy of putting their value on qualitative scale growth rather than quantitative scale growth. In this paper, the case of Japanese MSE is analyzed. Along with its long history of Industrialization, Japan has a corporate environment where the SSEs can develop as a MSE and later a LSE through a full-support system. Among its SSEs, there are a number of world class corporations equipped with a large domestic market, win-win cooperation with the LSEs and an independent technology development. It can also be observed that these SSEs develop into MSEs with sustainable growth potentials. This study will focus on the condition under which the MSEs of Japan have been developed, and how they have survived the competition between SSEs and LSEs. Through this study, this paper attempts to offer solutions to Korea's polarization between the SSE and LSE, while providing the basis for SSEs revitalization. In general, if both extremities phenomenon deepen between LSE and SSE, there are possible fears of occurring disutility in national economy by the monopolization of LSE. For that reason, enterprise group, which can make SSE or MSE compete LSE in some area and ease the monopoly and oligopoly problem, is needed. This awareness has been shared for ages long. Nevertheless, there is no legal definition for MSE in Japan, and there is no definition about the enterprise size or unified view of MSE between scholars, but it is defined differently by each of academical person or research institution and study meeting. For that reason, this paper will organize the definition of MSE in Japan, and then will propose the characteristics of the background which has made MSE secure competitiveness and sustainable growth in global market. This study focus on that because through this process, the positive change to the awareness of MSE can be proposed in Korea and to seek the policy direction for building institutional framework which can make SSE become MES. Through this way, the fundamentals for SSE to become MSE can be managed and some appropriate suggestions which will be able to make MSE enter the global market in the future can also be proposed. Due to these facts, this study is very important and well timed task. In a sense of this way, this study will examine the definition and role of MSE in Japan. after this examination, this study will deal with the status, special feature, and promotion policy for MSE. Through this analysis of MSE in Japan, the foundation which be able to set the desirable role model for MSE in Korea can be proposed. Also, the political implication which is needed to push ahead to contribute to creating employment and economic growth through sustainable growth of MSEs in economic system of Korea can be offered through this study. It has been found that Japan's MSE functions as an indispensable link among various industrial structures by holding a significant position in employment rate, production and value added. Although the MSEs took up less than 1% of the entire number of businesses with 2700 manufacturing firms and 7000 non-manufacturing firms, its employment ratios are about 15%, while taking about 25% of the manufacturing industry's exports. In industries such as machinery and electronics which is considered Japan's major industry, the MSEs showed a higher than average ratio of manufacturing exports and employment rate. It can be analyzed that behind Japan's advantageous industries, close and deeply knit MSEs exist. Although there are no clearly stated policies geared towards the MSEs by the Japanese government, various political measures exist such as the R&D Project and the inducement of cooperation between enterprises which gives room for MSEs to participate in the SSE policies. In relation to these findings, the following practical measures can be considered in order to revitalize Korea's MSEs: First, there is a need for a legal definition of MSE and the incentives to provide legal support for its growth. Second, if a law to support the MSEs is established, it could provide a powerful inducement for the SSE to grow as a MSE, rather than stay as a SSE. Third, there is a need for a strategy of MSEs to establish a stable base in the domestic market and then advance to the global market with the accumulated trial and error and competitiveness. Fourth, the SSE themselves need the spirit of entrepreneurship in order to make the leap to a MSE. Because if nothing is to be changed about the system on the firms that grew, and the parts of the past custom was left to be managed alone, confusion and absence of management can take place. No matter how much tax favors the government will give and no matter how much incentive there could be through the policies, there are limits for industries to higher the ability to propagate. And because of that it is a period where industries need their own innovative skills to reform their firms.

• Journal of Korea Foresty Energy
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• v.19 no.2
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• pp.93-101
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• 2000

Wood of Robinia pseudoacacia and bark of Populus alba$\times$P. glandulosa, Fraxinus rhynchophylla and Ulmus davidiana var. japonica were collected and extracted with acetone-water(7:3, v/v) in glass jar to examine whether its bioactive compounds exist. The concentrated extracts were fractionated with hexane, chloroform, ethylacetate and water, and then freeze-dried for column chromatography and bioactive tests. The isolated compounds were sakuranetin-5-O-$\beta$-D-glucopyranoside from Populus alba $\times$Pl glandulosa, 4--ethyoxy-(+)-leucorobinetinidin frm R. pseudoacacia and fraxetion from F. rhynchophylla and were characterized by $^1H$ and$^{13}C $ NMR and positive FAB-MS. Decay-resistant activity was expressed by weight loss ratio and hyphae growth inhibition in the wood dust agar medium inoculated wood rot fungi. R. pseudoacacia showed best anti-decaying property in both test and its methanol untreated samples, indicating higher activity than methanol treated samples in hyphae grwoth test. In antioxidative test, $\alpha$-tocopherol, one of natural antioxidants, and BHT, one of synthetic antioxidants, were used as references to cmpare with the antioxidant activities of the extacted fractions. Ethylacetate fraction of F. rhynchophylla bark indicated the hightest activity in this test and all fractions of R. pseudiacacia extractives also indicated higher activities compared with the other fractions. In the isolated compounds, aesculetin isolated from F. rhynchophylla bark showed best activity and followed by robonetinidin from R. pseudoacaica.

• Journal of Mushroom
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• v.5 no.1
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• pp.7-12
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• 2007

All intra-specific hybrids among ASI $2172{\times}2104$, $2172{\times}2307$, $2186{\times}2172$ and $2186{\times}2307$ in P. salmoneostramineus produced pink fruiting bodies as like wild parental types. However, three hybrids of them between ASI 2186 and 2104 were white fruiting bodies. A new commercial strain "Noeul" of Pink Oyster mushroom was developed by intra-specific hyphal anastomosis. It was improved with hybridization between monokaryotic strain derived from ASI 2172 and ASI 2104. The optimum temperature of mycelial growth and fruiting body development were $25{\sim}30^{\circ}C$ and $19{\sim}24^{\circ}C$, respectively. The pileus was bright reddish pink. Commercial strain "Noeul" was as prolific as the more commonly cultivated Pleurotus ostreatus in the conversion of substrate mass to mushrooms using bottle cultivation. Mushroom cultivator can save money for mushroom growing on summer in Korea. Mushrooms should be picked when moderately young, and handled carefully so as to not bruise the brilliantly colored gills. This pink color makes marketing an interesting challenge depending upon the market niche.

• Journal of Mushroom
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• v.6 no.2
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• pp.47-51
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• 2008

The Oyster mushroom is saprophytic fungus. The pileus is stemmed at the side and later depressed. It grows to 5-15 cm, and is of grey, grey-lilac, blackish-grey, steel grey, grey-brown, and blue-blackish. Various kinds of Oyster mushrooms such as golden, pink, brown, grey, white, and blue make marketing an interesting challenge depending upon the market niche. A new commercial strain "Chung" of oyster mushroom was developed by hyphal anastomosis. It was improved with hybridization between monokaryotic strain derived from Pleurotus ostreatus ASI 2194 and ASI 2487. The pileus of parental strain ASI 2194 and ASI 2487 was grey and light blue-grey, respectively. Most of intra-specific hybrids between strain ASI 2194 and ASI 2487 were showed similar pileus color of parents. By the way, the pileus color of variety 'Chung' was blue to bluish grey. The optimum temperatures of mycelial growth and fruiting body development was $25{\sim}30^{\circ}C$ and $12{\sim}16^{\circ}C$, respectively.