• Journal of Global Scholars of Marketing Science
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• v.20 no.2
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• pp.219-230
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• 2010

Digital content makes big changes to our daily lives while bringing opportunities and challenges for companies. Creative firms integrate pictures, texts, videos, audios, and data by digitalization to develop new products or services and create digital experiences to promote their brands. Most articles on digital content contribute to the basic concept or development of marketing it in literature. Actually, compared with traditional value chains for common products or services, the digital content industry seems to have more potential value. Because quite a bit of digital content is free to the consumer, price is not necessarily perceived as an indicator of the quality or value of information (Rowley 2008). It becomes evident that a current theme in digital content is the issue of "value," and research on customers' perceived value of digital content is a necessity. This article argues that experiential value has an advantage in customers' evaluations of digital content. Two different but related contributions to the understanding of "value" of digital content are made here. First, based on the comparison of digital content with products and services, the article proposes two key characteristics that make experiential strategy available for digital content: intangibility and near-zero reproduction cost. On top of that, based on the discussion of the gap between company's idealized value and customer's perceived value, this article emphasizes that digital content prices and pricing of digital content is different from products and services. As a result of intangibility, prices may not reflect customer value. Moreover, the cost of digital content in the development stage may be very high while reproduction costs shrink dramatically. Moreover, because of the value gap mentioned before, the pricing polices vary for different digital contents. For example, flat price policy is generally used for movies and music (Magiera 2001; Netherby 2002), while for continuous demand, digital content such as online games and anti-virus programs involves a more complicated matter of utility and competitive price levels. Digital content companies have to explore various kinds of strategies to overcome this gap. Rethinking marketing solutions such as advertisements, images, and word-of-mouth and their effect on customers' perceived value becomes essential. China's digital content industry is becoming more and more globalized and drawing special attention from different countries and regions that have respective competitive advantages. The 2008-2009 Annual Report on the Development of China's Digital Content Industry (CCIDConsulting 2009) indicates that, with the driven power of domestic demand and governmental policy support, the country's digital content industry maintained a fast growth of some 30 percent in 2008, obviously indicating the initial stage of industry expansion. In China, anti-virus programs and other software programs which need to be updated use a quarter-based pricing policy. Customers can download a trial version for free and use it for six months or a year. If they want to use it longer, continuous payment is needed. They examine the excellence of the digital content during this trial period and decide whether to pay for continued usage. For China’s music and movie industries, as a result of initial development, experiential strategy has not been much applied, even though firms in other countries find the trial experience and explore important strategies(such as customers listening to music for several seconds for free before downloading it). For the above reasons, anti-virus program may be a representative for digital content industry in China and an exploratory study of the advantage of experiential value in customer's perceived value of digital content is done in the anti-virus market of China. In order to enhance the reliability of the survey data, this study focused on people who were experienced users of anti-virus programs. The empirical results revealed that experiential value has a positive effect on customers' perceived value of digital content. In other words, because digital content is intangible and the reproduction costs are nearly zero, customers' evaluations are based heavily on their experience. Moreover, image and word-of-mouth do not have a positive effect on perceived value, only on experiential value. That is to say, a digital content value chain is different from that of a general product or service. Experiential value has a notable advantage and mediates the effect of image and word-of-mouth on perceived value. The results of this study help provide an understanding of why free digital content downloads exist in developing countries. Customers can perceive the value of digital content only by using and experiencing it. This is also why such governments support the development of digital content. Other developing countries whose digital content business is also in the beginning stage can make use of the suggestions here. Moreover, based on the advantage of experiential strategy, companies should make more of an effort to invest in customers' experience. As a result of the characteristics and value gap of digital content, customers perceive more value in the intangible digital content only by experiencing what they really want. Moreover, because of the near-zero reproduction costs, companies can perhaps use experiential strategy to enhance customer understanding of digital content.

• Journal of Distribution Science
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• v.14 no.6
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• pp.81-87
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• 2016

Purpose - In recent, a research finds that advanced selling can influence a consumer's choice(Kim et al., 2013). Advanced selling is defined as the new product launching strategy which company allows consumers to preorder new product before its release(Chu & Zhang, 2011). Prior researches have focused on the benefits of advanced selling(e.g., information gathering for demand prediction, an advantage for pricing strategy, and so on) for companies using this strategy(Chen, 2001; Chu & Zhang, 2011; Li & Zhang, 2013; Tang et al., 2004; Xie & Shugan, 2009). However, Kim et al.(2013) find it can also influence a consumer's choice. In detail, they suggest that when consumers use advanced selling, they are likely to prefer high-performance options rather than low-price options based on construal level theory(Trope & Liberman, 2003). In this paper, we tried to expand the prior researches for finding the mechanism of the influence of advanced selling on a consumer's choice. The purpose of this research is to test the mediating effect on the influence of advanced selling. Research design, data, and methodology - To find the mechanism of the influence of advanced selling, we designed an experiment for testing mediation effect. we recruited 93 students from a university. We assigned participants into one of two groups using randomization method. The participants with each group were given a scenario describing the sales strategy. Finally, they made a choice between high-performance option and low-price option. Sequentially, they also responded some questions for testing mediation effect. Results - First, we replicated prior research to test the influence of advanced selling. As a result, we could find that consumers prefer the high-performance option when they preorder it to purchase at the time of consumption. Thus, the replication result is the same as prior research. Second, we tested that advanced selling can influence the perception of temporal distance. The results confirmed that consumers perceived longer temporal distance in advanced selling condition(β = 1.575, SE = 0.272, p < 0.001). Third, we predicted that temporal distance can increase the importance of desirable attributes and decrease the importance of feasible attributes. The results suggested that temporal distance decreased significantly the importance of attributes related to feasibility(β = -0.19, SE = 0.07, p < 0.01), however, it had non-significant effect on increasing the importance of desirable attributes. Finally, we used Sobel-test for testing mediation effect, and it confirmed that the importance of feasible attributes had mediating role of the influence of advanced selling(Sobel test statistic = -2.110, SE = 0.111, p < 0.05). Conclusions - In this paper, we tried to find the mechanism of the influence on advanced selling from a consumer's choice. With an experiment, we confirmed that the importance of feasible attributes could mediate the effect on advanced selling. Therefore, we suggested some theoretical and practical contributions from this research. Finally, we discussed research limitations and suggested future research topics.

• Asia pacific journal of information systems
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• v.20 no.2
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• pp.39-62
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• 2010

As an engineered product, a software package has multiple dimensions that must be designed judiciously to enhance its competitive viability. Functionality, reliability and price are three such common dimensions. However, many software products are sold as bundles of individual components and the competitive impact of bundling has received less attention in the research literature. In this paper, we examine the implications of software vendors using bundling as an element of competitive strategy. A game theoretic model of the actions of an incumbent and a new entrant is developed and the impact on vendor and consumer welfare is analyzed. Numerical experiments with the model show that (i) increasing bundle size is an effective strategy for the incumbent to increase its payoff at the cost of the entrant's payoff and consumer surplus, especially when the entrant's quality is low (ii) in the presence of bundling, the entrant can still increase its own payoff and consumer surplus at the cost of the incumbent's payoff, by increasing product quality up to the level that best segments market demand with the incumbent and (iii) an increase in bundle size by the incumbent, or an increase in quality by the entrant, can both result in an increase of total surplus. Similar results are observed in a related case where the entrant offers free software bundles. Our results provide insights into how software vendors may strategically use bundling and quality as additional product dimensions in order to stay competitive in the market. These results also inform the competing vendors of the impact of bundling related public policy actions on their respective payoffs.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Clothing and Textiles
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• v.30 no.1 s.149
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• pp.1-11
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• 2006

The purpose of this study was to analyze the current CRM situation in Korean apparel industry. Specifically, research purposes were 1) to examine the concepts and benefits of CRM, 2) to examine CRM strategies, 3) to analyze CRM system(i.e., customer relationship management service, customer segmentation criteria, DB management system), and 4) to analyze the potential problems and CRM adoption plan. The subjects for this research were thirty CRM managers in Korean apparel firms classified by the company type(woman's wear, man's wear, casual wear, children's wear, retailer) interviewed from December 2003 to March 1004. The results of this study were as follows: First, the concept of CRM represented the prime customer relationship, continuous consideration, and customer management system. The benefits of CRM reflected re-sales, improvement of profit share, and acquisition of customer's data base. Second, concerning the CRM strategies, most companies focused on persistent customer management through mileage program, membership cards and also implemented product strategies such as demand forecasting, customization based on customer data analysis. We also found that industry preferred to use pricing strategies, for example, segmentation of customer through discrepancies of price in which customers are provided by discount and gift voucher services. Regarding distribution strategy, channel diversification, localized service, and convenient delivery system were used. As promotion strategies, they chose celebrating customers' personal events and promoting cultural events and issuing coupons. Third, regarding CRM system, information service was the most frequently adopted, important and highly beneficial category. Also POS/web-POS, homepage were main sources of information. RFM is the mostly commonly used customer segmentation criteria. Fourth, potential problems in CRM adoption were lack of CRM knowledge and performance measurement of CRM. Future CRM adoption plan included CRM education and development of CRM performance measures.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Culture
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• v.21 no.4
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• pp.388-395
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• 2006

The purpose of this study was to analyze the current operating management practices and tourist royalty of restaurants at the tourism provinces in Donghae city. Forty restaurants were surveyed for sales status, customer management, menu management, advertising, marketing strategy and seventy seven tourists replied to the attitudinal and behavioral aspects of customer royalty for regular visiting restaurant. Statistical data analyses were completed using the SPSS/WIN pact(age program for descriptive analysis, paired difference test, t-test, ANOVA, and pearson correlation. The results of quantitative analysis indicated that the average sales per day on a high-demand season were 1,571 thousand won and one on a slack season were 614 thousand won. The average check on a high-demand season(109 persons) and a slack season(38 persons) were significant difference(t=6.834, p<.001). A total of 93.5% of the restaurateurs answered that menu pricing was decided by the owner and 21.7% of the subjects used the only restaurant homepage in the advertising method. A total of 40.6% of the restaurants utilized the only kind service for regular customers and 35.1% of the subjects had no method for them. The results suggest that systematic management policies and marketing strafes for regular customer is very necessary. Also, the correlation between tourists' attitudinal and behavioral aspects of customer royalty for regular visiting restaurant was found out. High correlation was existed between the overall tourists' satisfaction on regular visiting restaurant, the intention to revisit(BCL 1, p<.001), the intention to recommend(BCL 2, p<.001), and indicators of customer royalty. Finally, restaurateurs at the tourism provinces should focus on marketing strategy to keep and improve current customer to rise the tourist royalty.

• International Journal of Advanced Culture Technology
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• v.5 no.4
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• pp.15-19
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• 2017

With the increased economic profit in China, people tend to give more attention to the nurturing of children. The change in the food markets directly connected to the infants' health seem to have brought various consumption patterns different than before. Based on the actual condition survey operated by this research, the expansion in the scale of consumption and preference to the imported food for infants appeared in the Chinese food markets for infants. The rapidly increased amount of the online purchases of the food for Chinese infants was checked through the condition survey. Based on the analysis results, with the purpose of increasing the purchase opportunities of the Korean food for infants to the Chinese consumers, it should not only perform the promotion activities such as the promotion for the product's superiority and various promotional event, but also establish the pricing strategy for each entry step to the Chinese market. Because the purchase experience of the Korean food for infant plays the important role for the additional payments decision, it is estimated that there is a need to expand the opportunities for the Chinese consumers to approach the Korean food for infants both directly and indirectly.

• Journal of Navigation and Port Research
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• v.40 no.5
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• pp.337-343
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• 2016

The core decisions of bulk shipping businesses can be summarized as the timing and the choice of period for which carrying capacity is traded. In particular, frequent decisions to trade freight either with repeated spot transactions or with a one-off long-term deal critically impact business performance. Even though a variety of freight trading strategies can be employed to facilitate the decisions, chartering practitioners have not been active in utilizing these strategies, and academic research has rarely proposed applicable solutions. The specific properties of freight as a tradable commodity are not properly reflected in existing studies, and limitations have been reported in their application to the real world. This research focused on the establishment of applicable freight trading strategies by taking into account two properties of freight: time perishability and term-dependant pricing. In addition to traditional trading strategies, artificial neural networks were applied for the first time to the test of freight trading strategies. The performances of the trading strategies were measured and compared to produce a remarkable outperformance of the ANN. This research is expected to make a significant contribution to chartering practices by enhancing the quality of chartering decisions and eventually enabling the effective management of freight rate risk. In addition to methodological expansion, the result will propose a way to approach the controversial issue of freight market efficiency.

• Journal of the Korean Home Economics Association
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• v.47 no.6
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• pp.39-49
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• 2009

The purpose of this study were to compare school uniforms made in major and minor companies. Especially, purchasing motives, fitting satisfaction, and mending behaviors of school uniform were compared by middle and high school students. The most evident difference was exhibited in purchasing motive. Brand preference was the most important criterion in purchasing motive from a major company, while good pricing was the most important criterion in purchasing motive from a minor company. Apart from purchasing motive, purchasing behaviors such as fitting satisfaction, mending and mended part of school uniforms were not significantly different in relation to sex, grade, and type of company. These results indicate that major companies should consider lowering their prices and also adopt a high quality strategy for school uniform production. Minor companies need to identify areas of differentiation between themselves and larger companies, and produce niche market products that are for appealing to teenagers with a tendency to orient towards brands instead of quality. Furthermore, mature teenagers as consumers of school uniforms are receptive towards competition for reasonable price.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Clothing and Textiles
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• v.34 no.8
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• pp.1403-1414
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• 2010

Consumer decisions and responses about the price to pay vary. Some consumers might decide the appropriate price range prior to shopping, while others compare and evaluate prices. Especially, consumers can have different reference points for price evaluation based on various price searching behavior that represent heterogeneous responses for prices in the clothing purchase decision-making process. This research identifies how consumers evaluate the price and helps explain their decision-making based on price searches. By analyzing qualitative research, we found that consumers recalled price information as a representative indicator and product level price information through the internal search. Their level of internal references can be an important factor affecting price evaluations. In addition, each consumer groups were subdivided into high and low external searching. The four types of responses to price were classified in the price search process and the identified differences in the price evaluation. Therefore, pricing strategy needs to be differentiated for these various consumer types.

• The Transactions of The Korean Institute of Electrical Engineers
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• v.58 no.1
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• pp.1-6
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• 2009

The traditional demand prediction was based on the technique wherein electric power corporations made monthly or seasonal estimation of electric power consumption for each area and subscription type for the next one or two years to consider both seasonally generated and local consumed amounts. Note, however, that techniques such as pricing, power generation plan, or sales strategy establishment were used by corporations without considering the production, comparison, and analysis techniques of the predicted consumption to enable efficient power consumption on the actual demand side. In this paper, to calculate the predicted value of electric power consumption on a short-term basis (15 minutes) according to the amount of electric power actually consumed for 15 minutes on the demand side, we performed comparison and analysis by applying a 15-minute interval prediction technique to the average and that to the time series analysis to show how they were made and what we obtained from the simulations.