• Journal of Navigation and Port Research
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• v.28 no.8
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• pp.687-697
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• 2004

This paper is aimed to guide ocean-going companies to reasonable decisions and to increase the competitiveness of Korean shipping industry by clarifying the determinants of political costs of ocean-going companies, which only depend for the enormous amount of money to introduce the operating fixed assets, or the vessels, upon the supporting policy from the government or the loan from the related financial institutions. As independent variables of the political costs, 5 elements were settled such as company size(sales, total assets and market share), debit ratio, capital concentration ratio, profitability(operating profit) and marine risk(sales fluctuation). To verify the relations and the effect level between dependent variables and political costs, the Multiple Regression Analysis Model was applied The result of the analysis shows significantly positive relations between size variables and political cost of shipping industry. Moreover, debt ratio and profitability were proved significant related with political costs of shipping industry.

• Journal of East Asia Management
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• v.3 no.2
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• pp.1-19
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• 2022

This study suggests an integrated theoretical framework for the relationship between political risk and multinational corporation (MNC) subsidiary's performance in the emerging market. The political risk would have a negative impact on MNC subsidiary's performance in the emerging countries that are developing in Asia, the Commonwealth of Independent States, Africa, and South America. The major reason is that political risks could generate a loss of benefit or a loss of control for MNC's subsidiary. In this study, I suggest that corporate social responsibility (CSR) strategy would be a solution to overcome various political risks. Specifically, the affiliated firms with diversified industries or greater financial resources could mitigate the negative impact of political risk than unaffiliated firms. Because they can use their tangible or nontangible asset such as information, technology, and construction in order to gain legitimacy and trust from local government, local community, and local firms in the emerging market. Finally, I claimed the costs of the affiliated firms would exceed the benefits at the initial stages, while the benefits of affiliated firms would exceed the costs over time when political risks become higher. The reason is that the trust gained from local stakeholders accumulates over time and the impact of CSR strategy would become an important solution to overcome the risks in and unstable context.

• Journal of the Korea Management Engineers Society
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• v.23 no.4
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• pp.125-141
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• 2018

As global competition is intensifying, companies are entering not only developed markets but also emerging and developing countries. In emerging and developing countries, business-to-governmental relations are an essential factor influencing the firm performance. The purpose of this research is to examine the effects of corporate political activities on firm performance. Using the BEEPS data developed by the EBRD and the World Bank, the effect of various bribery activities regarded as corporate political activities on the firm performance was examined. Also, the moderating effect of competition type on the firm performance was proved. As the results, the bribery contribution, which is a corporate political activity, has a positive effect on the firm performance. Specifically, when infrastructure bribery occurred, costs and sales were higher, and when permission bribery was granted, profits, costs, and sales were higher. In addition, the effect of bribery as a corporate political activity on firm performance is moderated by competition type. These findings have academic and practical implications for empirical analyzing of SMEs' firm performance, guidelines suggestion for entry into the other countries, generalization possibility of using credible data, developing and designing export support systems and programs. Finally, limitations of the research and future research directions were discussed.

• Proceedings of the Technology Innovation Conference
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• 1996.12a
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• pp.63-76
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• 1996

This study investigates the factors determining accounting method for R & D costs (capitalize vs. expense) in Korea. Using agency theory and other economic factors, probit and regression models have been developed to distinguish between firms choosing different accounting alternatives for R&D costs. The results are consistent to debt contract, R&D burden and regulation hypotheses both in probit and regression analysis. The size variable has opposite sign in univariate t-test and probit analysis but the signs are mixed and insignificant in regression which may be due to the differences of political environment between Korea and the US. Generally, the results are consistent to those of previous research. The results support the hypothesis that firms with higher leverage and larger burden of R&D costs are more likely to capitalize R&D costs. Partially, larger and regulated firms are more likely to expense R & D costs.

• Journal of Technology Innovation
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• v.5 no.1
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• pp.67-89
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• 1997

This study investigates the factors determining accounting method for R&D costs (capitalizevs. expense) in Korea. Using agency theory and other economic factors, probit and regression model have been developed to distinguish between firms choosing different accounting alternatives for R&D costs. The results are consistent to debt contract, R&D burden and regulation hypotheses both in probit and regression analysis. The size variable has opposite sign in univariate t-test and probit analysis, which may be due to the differences of political environment between Korea and the US. Generally, the results are consistent to those of previous research. The evidence suggests that larger firms with higher leverage and larger burden of R&D costs are more likely to capitalize R&D costs, while regulated firms are more likely to expense R&D costs.

• The Journal of Asian Finance, Economics and Business
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• v.8 no.5
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• pp.627-637
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• 2021

This research extends the literature on the effect of board characteristics and ownership structure on audit fees; these factors affect the firm's agency costs and how the auditor assesses various risks, hence the audit efforts and fees. The paper introduces political connections as a determinant of audit fees for the first time in Jordan, where the political connection is prevalent and affects decision making on the Jordanian boards. The sample consists of 109 manufacturing and service firms listed on the Amman Stock Exchange (ASE) over the years 2012-2019. Data is obtained from the ASE and the company's annual reports. Board characteristics are measured by board size, independence, leadership duality, meetings frequency, political connections, and audit committee. Ownership structure was measured by concentration, foreign ownership, and Institutional ownership. The study hypotheses were tested by using Generalized Least Squares regression. The Findings showed that larger boards, politically connected firms, and firms with leadership duality are more likely to pay higher fees. Besides, Firms with greater foreign ownership pay less fees, whereas the rest of the variables are insignificant. Results suggest that political connections play a major role in determining audit fees; this provides a recommendation to policymakers in Jordan to reconsider regulations regarding political connections.

• Information Systems Review
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• v.8 no.1
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• pp.265-285
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• 2006

The purpose of this research is to identify the major evaluation criteria of IT investment projects and establish the importance weights of criteria through AHP analysis. Seven evaluation criteria which have been drawn from prior studies and industry practices are direct costs, indirect costs, financial benefits, strategic value, risk, technical necessity, and political considerations. Data have been collected from 95 IT projects in 40 public organizations and private firms in Korea. After having applied the data reliability test, 79 projects have been selected. The results of AHP analysis show the importance weights and priorities of seven evaluation criteria as follows: financial benefits 25.2%, strategic value 22.36%, direct costs 14.34%, risk 12.10%, technical necessity 11.55%, political considerations 8.3%, and indirect costs 6.48%. And the weights of seven criteria shows considerable differences among three different IT project types such as transactional, informational, and infrastructural.

• Journal of Korea Trade
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• v.26 no.3
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• pp.23-44
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• 2022

Purpose - Recent issues such as vessel enlargement, strengthening of environmental regulations, and port smartization are expected to increase costs and intensify competition in the port industry. In the new normal era, when external growth has reached its limit, the efficient operation of ports is becoming indispensable for achieving sustainable growth. This study aims to identify the determinants of inefficiency by examining the cost structure and efficiency of container terminals in Korea and furthermore propose the political implications to derive the maximization of efficiency. Design/methodology - This study estimates the cost function of container terminal operators and identifies the efficiency of container terminals using stochastic cost frontier (SCF) in the first stage. In the second step, the SCF results are compared with the data envelopment analysis (DEA). Last, this paper proposes efficiency determinants on container terminal operation to establish appropriate strategies. Out of the 29 container terminal operators in South Korea, 13 operators participated in the survey. The translog cost function was estimated utilizing a total of 116 observations collected over the 2007-2017 period. Findings - Empirical analysis shows that economies of scale exist in Korea's container ports, which provides a rationale for the government's policy to establish the global terminal operator by integrating small terminal operators to enhance competitiveness. In addition, as a result of the determinants analysis, container throughput, weight of direct employment costs, and labour cost share have positive effects on improving cost efficiency, while inefficiency increases as the length of quay increases. More specifically, cost efficiency improves as the proportion of direct employment costs to outsourcing service costs increases. Originality/value - This study contributes to analyzing the inefficiency factors of container terminals through efficiency analysis with respect to a cost function. In addition, this study proposes the practical and political implications, such as establishing a long-term manpower pool, the application of the hybrid liner terminal system, and the construction of a statistical data system, to improve the cost inefficiency of terminal operators.

• Journal of Contemporary Eastern Asia
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• v.20 no.2
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• pp.210-236
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• 2021

China's Belt and Road Initiative infrastructure connectivity and other projects are presented in much of the discourse as a grand strategy to trap developing nations in debt, to exert asymmetric power and construct a new world economic order. The asymmetric relationship between China and Myanmar might therefore be expected to generate a range of political risks for stakeholders. Myanmar itself presents a "perfect storm" of problems, with dysfunctional governance, civil conflict, under-development and growing economic dependence on China. The Kyaukphyu port project and associated Special Economic Zone in Myanmar's troubled Rakhine state is investigated as a case study of risks on the Belt and Road. While worst case fears China might seize military control of the port appear unlikely, at least in current conditions, empirical observation indicates the complexity on the ground generates an array of other risks - as well as opportunities, should conditions allow. Further, despite challenges and constrained capacity, Myanmar governments have demonstrated agency, including by re-negotiating control and costs of the Kyaukphyu project. The case underlines that conditions are more complicated than simply China's asymmetric power. A sceptical approach is taken to normative discourses in order to build inductive understanding of how stakeholders and local experts perceive dynamics underway. A political risk approach is deployed to develop a framework to identify, analyse and assess risks for actors in relation to the Kyaukphyu project. The research findings are presented on an interim basis, given current constraints on field interviews due to the current crisis.

• Korea Trade Review
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• v.43 no.1
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• pp.177-197
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• 2018

This paper aims to analyze the effects of external uncertainty on the entry modes decision of multinational firms. On the basic assumption that the entry modes of the firms are dependent on ex-ante or ex-post perceived risk, we empirically analyzed the impacts of perceived risk factors on the investment patterns of firms. We found that the larger the population, the higher the level of GDP per capita, and the larger the trade volume as a ratio of GDP resulted in increased M&A FDI and greenfield FDI. The economic growth rate variables were found to be significantly positive effect on only greenfield entry mode. Regarding the main variables, lower levels of corruption and increased stability regarding political issues resulted in the host country receiving increased M&A investment. However, we found only a positive statistical significance of the political stability variable on the explaining greenfield FDI. Results show that M&A entry mode is affected by both corruption and political instability level. However, the greenfield FDI featuring sunk costs, seems more responsive to political instability.