• Title/Summary/Keyword: Quality Characteristics

Search Result 18,625, Processing Time 0.053 seconds

Development of Crushing Device for Whole Crop Silage and the Characteristics of Crushed Whole Crop Silage (총체맥류 분쇄기 개발 및 분쇄 총체맥류 사일리지의 품질 특성)

  • Lee, Sunghyoun;Yu, Byeongkee;Ju, Sunyi;Park, Taeil
    • Journal of The Korean Society of Grassland and Forage Science
    • /
    • v.36 no.4
    • /
    • pp.344-349
    • /
    • 2016
  • This study was conducted to evaluate the possibility of expanding the usage of whole crop silage from beef cattle and dairy cow to hogs and chickens. For this purpose, a crushing device was developed to crush whole crop silage. The crushed silage was sealed, and analyzed for its feed value. The silage varieties used for the experiment included Saessal barley and Geumgang wheat. Whole crop barley and wheat were crushed in the crushing system as a whole without separating stems, leaves, grains, etc.. When the crushed whole crop silages (CWCS) were analyzed, full grain, grains above 10 mm in size, grains 5~10 mm in size, and grains below 5 mm in size accounted for, 20%, 4%, 27%, and 49 %, respectively. In order to facilitate the fermentation of CWCS, inoculated some fermenter into each CWCS sample (barley or wheat). As control, another set of sample was not inoculated. Crude protein (CP), ether extract (EE), crude fiber (CF), neutral detergent fiber (NDF), acid detergent fiber (ADF), lignin, cellulose content, total digestible nutrient (TDN), and relative feed value (RFV) of fermenter-inoculated Saessal barley were 2.45 %, 1.61%, 8.95%, 16.94%, 9.52%, 1.01%, 8.51%, 81.38%, and 447.5%, respectively. The CP, EE, CF, NDF, ADF, lignin, cellulose content, TDN, and RFV in the other sample of Saessal barley without inoculation of fermenter were 2.57%, 1.62%, 9.61%, 18.25%, 10.13%, 1.10%, 9.04%, 80.90%, and 412.9%, respectively. The CP, EE, CF, NDF, ADF, lignin, cellulose content, TDN, and RFV of fermenter-inoculated Geumgang wheat sample were 2.43%, 1.27%, 10.99%, 19.49%, 11.23%, 1.46%, 9.77%, 80.03%, and 382.6%, respectively. The CP, EE, CF, NDF, ADF, lignin, cellulose content, TDN, RFV of the other set sample of Geumgang wheat sample without the inoculation of fermenter were 2.28%, 1.44%, 10.08%, 18.02%, 10.44%, 1.26%, 9.18%, 80.65%, and 416.9%, respectively. The TDN and RFV content in the fermenter-inoculated Saessal barley were 81.38% and 447.5%, respectively, while the one in the fermenter-inoculated Geumgang wheat were 80.03% and 382.6% respectively. When the feed value of whole crop barley and wheat silage without crushing process was compared to the feed value of whole crop barley and wheat silage made from crushing system, the latter appeared to be higher than the former. This could be due to the process of sealing the crushed silage which might have minimized air content between samples and shortened the golden period of fermentation. In conclusion, these results indicate that a crushing process might be needed to facilitate fermentation and improve the quality of silage when making whole crop silage.

The Relation Between Work-Related Musculoskeletal Symptoms and Rapid Upper Limb Assessment(RULA) among Vehicle Assembly Workers (자동차 조립 작업자들에서 상지 근골격계의 인간공학적 작업평가(Rapid Upper Limb Assessment) 결과와 자각증상과의 연관성)

  • Kim, Jae-Young;Kim, Hae-Joon;Choi, Jae-Wook
    • Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
    • /
    • v.32 no.1
    • /
    • pp.48-59
    • /
    • 1999
  • Objectives. This study was conducted to evaluate the association between upper extremity musculoskeletal symptoms and Rapid Upper Limb Assessment(RULA) in vehicle assembly line workers. The goal of this study is to show the feasibility of RULA as a checklist for work related musculoskeletal symptoms (WMSDs) in Korean workers. Methods. The total number of 199 people from the department of assembly and 115 people from the department of Quality Control(QC) in automotive plant were subjects for this cross sectional study. A standard symptom questionnaire survey has been used for the individual characteristics, work history, musculosketal symptoms and non-occupational covariates. The data were obtained by applying one-on-one interview for the all subjects. RULA has been applied for ergonomic work posture analysis and the primary ergonomic risk sure was computed by RULA method. Association between upper extremity musculoskeletal symptoms and RULA were assessed by multiple logistic regression analysis. Results. A total of 314 workers was examined. The prevalence of musculoskeletal symptoms by NIOSH case definition was 62.4%. The distribution of musculoskeletal symptoms by the part of the body turned out to be following; back:41.4%, neck: 32.8%, shoulder: 26.4%, arm: 10.5% and hand:29.3%. The relationship of the individual RULA scores were statistically significant for the prevalence of musculoskeletal symptoms. As the result of the multiple logistic regressioin analysis, grand final score (OR=2.250 95% CI: 1.402-3.612) was associated with musculoskeletal symptoms in any part of the body.; upper arm score(OR=1.786 95% CI: 1.036-3.079) and posture score A(OR=1.634 95% CI: 1.016-2.626) in neck; muscel use score(OR=3.076 95% CI:1.782-5.310) and posture score A(OR=1.798 95% CI: 1.072-3.017) in shoulder; upper arm score(OR=1.715 95% CI: 1.083-2.715) and muscel use score(OR=2.057 95% CI:1.303-3.248) in neck & shoulder; muscle use score(OR=10.662 95% CI: 3.180-35.742) in arm; writst/wist score(OR=2.068 95% CI: 1.130-3.786) and muscle use score(OR=2.215 95% CI: 1.284-3.819) in hand & wrist.; muscle use score of trunk (OR=2.601 95% CI: 1.147-5.901) in back. Conclusions. Musculoskeletal symptoms of the extremities were strongly associated with individual RULA body score. These results show that RULA can be used as a useful assessment tool for the evaluation of musculoskeletal loading which is known to contribute to work-related musculoskeletal disorders. RULA also can be used as a screening tool or incorporated into a wider ergonomic assessment of epidemiological, physical, mental, environmental and organizational factors. As shown in this study, complement of the analysis system for the other risk factors and characterizing between the upper limb and back part will be needed for future work.

  • PDF

An Analytical Study on Stem Growth of Chamaecyparis obtusa (편백(扁栢)의 수간성장(樹幹成長)에 관(關)한 해석적(解析的) 연구(硏究))

  • An, Jong Man;Lee, Kwang Nam
    • Journal of Korean Society of Forest Science
    • /
    • v.77 no.4
    • /
    • pp.429-444
    • /
    • 1988
  • Considering the recent trent toward the development of multiple-use of forest trees, investigations for comprehensive information on these young stands of Hinoki cypress are necessary for rational forest management. From this point of view, 83 sample trees were selected and cut down from 23-ear old stands of Hinoki cypress at Changsung-gun, Chonnam-do. Various stem growth factors of felled trees were measured and canonical correlaton analysis, principal component analysis and factor analysis were applied to investigate the stem growth characteristics, relationships among stem growth factors, and to get potential information and comprehensive information. The results are as follows ; Canonical correlation coefficient between stem volume and quality growth factor was 0.9877. Coefficient of canonical variates showed that DBH among diameter growth factors and height among height growth factors had important effects on stem volume. From the analysis of relationship between stem-volume and canonical variates, which were linearly combined DBH with height as one set, DBH had greater influence on volume growth than height. The 1st-2nd principal components here adopted to fit the effective value of 85% from the pincipal component analysis for 12 stem growth factors. The result showed that the 1st-2nd principal component had cumulative contribution rate of 88.10%. The 1st and the 2nd principal components were interpreted as "size factor" and "shape factor", respectively. From summed proportion of the efficient principal component fur each variate, information of variates except crown diameter, clear length and form height explained more than 87%. Two common factors were set by the eigen value obtained from SMC (squared multiple correlation) of diagonal elements of canonical matrix. There were 2 latent factors, $f_1$ and $f_2$. The former way interpreted as nature of diameter growth system. In inherent phenomenon of 12 growth factor, communalities except clear length and crown diameter had great explanatory poorer of 78.62-98.30%. Eighty three sample trees could he classified into 5 stem types as follows ; medium type within a radius of ${\pm}1$ standard deviation of factor scores, uniformity type in diameter and height growth in the 1st quadrant, slim type in the 2nd quadrant, dwarfish type in the 3rd quadrant, and fall-holed type in the 4 th quadrant.

  • PDF

A Study on the Extraction Rate of Brain Tissues from a $^{99m}Tc$-HMPAO Cerebral Blood flow SPECT Examination of a Patient ($^{99m}Tc$-HMPAO 뇌혈류 SPECT 검사 시 환자에 따른 뇌조직 추출률에 대한 고찰)

  • Kim, Hwa-San;Lee, Dong-Ho;Ahn, Byeong-Pil;Kim, Hyun-Ki;Jung, Jin-Yung;Lee, Hyung-Nam;Kim, Jung-Ho
    • The Korean Journal of Nuclear Medicine Technology
    • /
    • v.16 no.1
    • /
    • pp.17-26
    • /
    • 2012
  • Purpose: This study mainly focuses on the patients treated with chemically stable radiopharmaceutical product $^{99m}Tc$-HMPAO (d,l-hexamethylpropylene amine oxime) which yielded reduced image quality due to a decreased brain extraction rate. $^{99m}Tc$-HMPAO will be examined further to determine whether this product may be accounted as a factor for this cause. Material and Methods: From January 2010 until December 2010, out of 272 patients who were all subjected to $^{99m}Tc$-HMPAO brain blood flow SPECT scans resulting from Cerebral Infarction; 23 patients(ages $55.3{\pm}9$, 21 males, 3 females) with decreased tissue extraction rate were examined in detail. The radiopharmaceutical product $^{99m}Tc$-HMPAO was used on patients with normal brain tissue exchange rate as well as those with reduced rate in order to prove its' chemical stability. The patients' age, sex, blood pressure, existence of diabetes, drug use, current health status, known side effects from CT/MRI, examination of the patients' past SPECT before/after images were accounted to determine the factors and correlations affecting the rate of blood tissue extractions. Result: After multiple linear regression analysis, there were no unusual correlations between the 6 factors excluding sex, and before/after examination images. Male subjects showed reduced brain tissue extraction rate than the females ($p$ > 0.05) 91.3% male, 8.7% female. Wilcoxon Matched-Pairs Signed-Ranks Test was used on the before/after images which yielded a value of 0.06, which did not indicate a significant amount of difference on the 2 tests ($p$ > 0.05). As a result, the before/after images indicated similar brain tissue extraction rates, and there were variations depending on the individual patient. Conclusion: The effects of the chemically stable radiopharmaceutical product $^{99m}Tc$-HMPAO depended on the patient's personal characteristics and status, therefore was considered to be a factor in reducing brain tissue extraction rate. The related articles of $^{99m}Tc$-HMPAO cerebral blood flow SPECT speculates a cerebrovascular disease and factors resulting from portal veins, and it was not possible to pin point the exact cause of decreasing brain tissue extraction rate. However, the $^{99m}Tc$-HMPAO cerebral blood flow SPECT scan proved to be extremely useful in tracking and inspecting brain diseases, as well as offering accurate results from patients suffering from reduced brain tissue extraction rates.

  • PDF

Community Residents' Knowledge, Attitude, and Needs for Hospice Care (일부 지역주민들의 호스피스에 대한 인지와 태도 및 간호요구 조사)

  • Ro, You-Ja;Han, Sung-Suk;Ahn, Sung-Hee;Yong, Jin-Sun
    • Journal of Hospice and Palliative Care
    • /
    • v.2 no.1
    • /
    • pp.23-35
    • /
    • 1999
  • Purpose : The hospice movement began about 30 years ago in Korea. However, basic studies have seldom been conducted about the general public's knowledge concerning hospice care and their needs for it. The purpose of this study was to investigate the general public's knowledge of and attitude toward hospice, and their needs for hospice care, and to analyze the needs for hospice care in relation to their knowledge and attitude in residents from a specific community. Methods : The survey was conducted with 924 people randomly selected from a district in Seoul. The data were collected through a self-reporting questionnaire constructed by the authors. With 30 items given in the questionnaire, the level of hospice needs showed Cronbach's alpha .89 in a pilot study and .92 in this study and the items were classified into four areas by a factor analysis. The data collected were analyzed by means of t-test and ANOVA. Results : 1) The average age of the respondents was 38. The majority of the respondents were well-educated. 2) Regarding awareness of hospice care, 54%(501 people) indicated they have heard of hospice. About 74% thought that people should be able to prepare for death in advance. About 83% wanted to be informed when they have life threatening illnesses such as terminal cancer. Also, about 63% responded that patients with terminal diseases should be provided with physical, spiritual, and psychological care for minimizing pain and peaceful death. Regarding the attitude toward hospice care, 74% responded that they would use hospice care if needed. The number of the respondents who preferred home visitation by the hospice team to care for the terminally ill ranked first with 34%. Concerning needs for hospice care : 1) By needs area, physical need showed highest mean(M=4.37), followed by social need(M=3.96), emotional need(M=3.87), and the spiritual need(M=3.79). The overall need level showed the mean value of 4.00 which reflects a considerable need for hospice care. 2) By demographic characteristics, people age over 50, the married, and the unemployed indicated higher level of needs for hospice care. Women showed higher level of needs than did men, and Catholics demonstrated higher level of needs than believers of other religion(P<0.0001). 3) As for the knowledge of and attitude toward hospice rare, the level of hospice care needs was significantly higher in the following groups: those who have heard of hospice, those who are aware of death preparation, those who want information on terminal diseases, those who want to use every method to sustain life, and those who are aware of hospice needs(P<0.001). Conclusion : It is assumed that the findings of this study on the knowledge, attitude, and needs for hospice care in the public can contribute to planning a successful hospice care program. Furthermore, the findings of this study will serve as useful data for the promotion of home hospice care to improve the quality of life of community residents, and contribute to the development of hospice care as a whole.

  • PDF

Efficacy and Accuracy of Patient Specific Customize Bolus Using a 3-Dimensional Printer for Electron Beam Therapy (전자선 빔 치료 시 삼차원프린터를 이용하여 제작한 환자맞춤형 볼루스의 유용성 및 선량 정확도 평가)

  • Choi, Woo Keun;Chun, Jun Chul;Ju, Sang Gyu;Min, Byung Jun;Park, Su Yeon;Nam, Hee Rim;Hong, Chae-Seon;Kim, MinKyu;Koo, Bum Yong;Lim, Do Hoon
    • Progress in Medical Physics
    • /
    • v.27 no.2
    • /
    • pp.64-71
    • /
    • 2016
  • We develop a manufacture procedure for the production of a patient specific customized bolus (PSCB) using a 3D printer (3DP). The dosimetric accuracy of the 3D-PSCB is evaluated for electron beam therapy. In order to cover the required planning target volume (PTV), we select the proper electron beam energy and the field size through initial dose calculation using a treatment planning system. The PSCB is delineated based on the initial dose distribution. The dose calculation is repeated after applying the PSCB. We iteratively fine-tune the PSCB shape until the plan quality is sufficient to meet the required clinical criteria. Then the contour data of the PSCB is transferred to an in-house conversion software through the DICOMRT protocol. This contour data is converted into the 3DP data format, STereoLithography data format and then printed using a 3DP. Two virtual patients, having concave and convex shapes, were generated with a virtual PTV and an organ at risk (OAR). Then, two corresponding electron treatment plans with and without a PSCB were generated to evaluate the dosimetric effect of the PSCB. The dosimetric characteristics and dose volume histograms for the PTV and OAR are compared in both plans. Film dosimetry is performed to verify the dosimetric accuracy of the 3D-PSCB. The calculated planar dose distribution is compared to that measured using film dosimetry taken from the beam central axis. We compare the percent depth dose curve and gamma analysis (the dose difference is 3%, and the distance to agreement is 3 mm) results. No significant difference in the PTV dose is observed in the plan with the PSCB compared to that without the PSCB. The maximum, minimum, and mean doses of the OAR in the plan with the PSCB were significantly reduced by 9.7%, 36.6%, and 28.3%, respectively, compared to those in the plan without the PSCB. By applying the PSCB, the OAR volumes receiving 90% and 80% of the prescribed dose were reduced from $14.40cm^3$ to $0.1cm^3$ and from $42.6cm^3$ to $3.7cm^3$, respectively, in comparison to that without using the PSCB. The gamma pass rates of the concave and convex plans were 95% and 98%, respectively. A new procedure of the fabrication of a PSCB is developed using a 3DP. We confirm the usefulness and dosimetric accuracy of the 3D-PSCB for the clinical use. Thus, rapidly advancing 3DP technology is able to ease and expand clinical implementation of the PSCB.

Effects of Light Intensity, Nutrient Solution Compositions before Harvest and the Time of Nutrient Solution Removal on Nitrate Contents in Hydroponically-Grown Leaf Lettuces in Closed Plant Production System (폐쇄형 식물생산시스템에서 광도, 수확 전 양액조성 및 양액결제시기가 잎상추의 체내 질산염 함량에 미치는 영향)

  • Yeo, Kyung-Hwan;Choi, Gyeong-Lee;Lee, Jung-Sup;Lee, Jae-Han;Park, Kyoung-Sub;Kim, Jin-Hyun
    • Journal of Bio-Environment Control
    • /
    • v.26 no.4
    • /
    • pp.393-401
    • /
    • 2017
  • The nitrate ($NO_3{^-}$) accumulation of hydroponically grown leafy vegetables may increase in the condition of a closed-type plant production system with low light intensity due to low activity of enzymes involved in nitrogen assimilation and the use of $NO_3-N$ as major nitrogen source. The objective of this study is to investigate the effects of light intensities, nutrient solution compositions and the time of nutrient solution removal before harvest on nitrate contents of hydroponically-grown lettuces in a closed plant production system. The reduction of nitrate contents in leafy lettuces 'Cheongchima' was higher in the treatments of 'TW' (nutrient solution removal) and '$(NH_4)_2CO_3$' (use of ammonium carbonate as nitrogen source) than those in other treatments, which significantly lowered fresh weight and leaf area of the plants. In the light intensity of $100{\mu}mol{\cdot}m^{-2}{\cdot}s^{-1}$, the nitrate content was effectively reduced without causing any growth retardation, by substitution of the nutrient solution composition that $NO_3-N$ was removed ('$NO_3-N$ removal' treatment) or the half strength of standard nutrient solution was applied ('1/2 S' treatment), for 7days before harvest. The effects of light intensity and the time of nutrient solution removal before harvest on growth and nitrate contents in leafy lettuces were investigated. The nitrate contents in leaves under the light condition of $300{\mu}mol{\cdot}m^{-2}{\cdot}s^{-1}$ before nutrient solution removal were lower than those of 100 or $200{\mu}mol{\cdot}m^{-2}{\cdot}s^{-1}$. The removal of nutrient solution for 7 days before harvest quickly reduced the amount of nitrates in leaves in all the light intensities with a greater degree under the $300{\mu}mol{\cdot}m^{-2}{\cdot}s^{-1}$ of light condition, while the 7 days-removal with both 200 and $300{\mu}mol{\cdot}m^{-2}{\cdot}s^{-1}$ of light conditions caused decrease in 16~31% of leaf area and 20~35% of fresh weight, compared to the 3 days-removal treatment. The nitrate contents were greatly reduced from 3,018 to 1,035 in $200{\mu}mol{\cdot}m^{-2}{\cdot}s^{-1}$, and 2,021 to 480 ppm in the light condition of $300{\mu}mol{\cdot}m^{-2}{\cdot}s^{-1}$, with the nutrient solution removal for 3 days before harvest, without causing any deterioration in growth and product quality. The vitamin C contents in leaves were higher in the treatment of nutrient solution removal for both 3 and 5 days before harvest with the light condition of $300{\mu}mol{\cdot}m^{-2}{\cdot}s^{-1}$ than those in the light condition of 100 or $200{\mu}mol{\cdot}m^{-2}{\cdot}s^{-1}$.

Chemical Characteristics of Ground Water for Hydroponics and Waste Nutrient Solution after Hydroponics in Chungbuk Area (충북지역 양액 재배용 지하수 및 폐양액의 화학적 특징)

  • Lee, Gyeong-Ja;Kang, Bo-Goo;Lee, Ki-Yeol;Yun, Tae;Park, Seong-Gyu;Lee, Cheol-Hee
    • Korean Journal of Environmental Agriculture
    • /
    • v.26 no.1
    • /
    • pp.42-48
    • /
    • 2007
  • This survey has been conducted to obtain basic data of the quality of ground water for hydroponics and waste nutrient solution after hydroponics in hydroponic farms in Chungbuk area. Ground water samples were collected and analyzed at 19 sites of hydroponic farms. Waste nutrient solution samples were analyzed at 15 sites selected of them. The values of several components in ground water for hydroponics were as follows. pH range was shown from 6.2 to 7.7 and the average was 6.8. EC range was shown from 0.10 to 0.45 dS $m^{-1}$ and the average 0.23 dS $m^{-1}$. $NO_3-N$ concentrations was ranged from 0.12 to 13.77 mg $L^{-1}$, $SO_4^{2-}$ concentrations was ranged from 1.84 to 63.01 mg $L^{-1}$ and $Cl^-$ concentrations were ranged from 10.46 to 72.09 mg $L^{-1}$. Average values of $NO_3-N$, $SO_4^{2-}$ and $Cl^-$ were 4.00 mg $L^{-1}$, 12.70 mg $L^{-1}$ and 27.57 mg $L^{-1}$, respectively. $Ca^{2+}$, $Mg^{2+}$ and $Na^+$ concentrations were ranged from 3.24 to 36.99 mg $L^{-1}$, 1.44 to 14.93 mg $L^{-1}$ and 6.12 to 25.25 mg $L^{-1}$, respectively. Average concentrations were 13.06 mg $L^{-1}$ in $Ca^{2+}$, 6.02 mg $L^{-1}$ $Mg^{2+}$ and 12.08 mg $L^{-1}$ in $Na^+$. In waste nutrient solution after hydroponics, pH range was shown from 4.3 to 8.8 and the average was 6.7. EC range was shown from 0.44 to 2.37 dS $m^{-1}$ and the average 1.15 dS $m^{-1}$. Range of $NO_3-N$, $PO_4-P$, $K^+$, $Ca^{2+}$, $Mg^{2+}$ and $Na^+$ in waste nutrient solution were $10{\sim}212$, $0.56{\sim}26.1$, $10{\sim}295$, $16{\sim}215$, $9{\sim}54$ and $10{\sim}53$ mg $L^{-1}$ respectively. Average concentration were 100 mg $L^{-1}$ in $NO_3-N$, 12.15 mg $L^{-1}$ in $PO_4-P$, 99 mg $L^{-1}$ in $K^+$, 78 mg $L^{-1}$ in $Ca^{2+}$, 26 mg $L^{-1}$ in $Mg^{2+}$ and 26 mg $L^{-1}$ in $Na^+$. Inorganic matters in waste nutrient solution after hydroponics was higher than that of ground water for hydroponics.

The Determination of Trust in Franchisor-Franchisee Relationships in China (중국 프랜차이즈 시스템에서의 본부와 가맹점간 신뢰의 영향요인)

  • Shin, Geon-Cheol;Ma, Yaokun
    • Journal of Global Scholars of Marketing Science
    • /
    • v.18 no.2
    • /
    • pp.65-88
    • /
    • 2008
  • Since the implementation of economic reforms in 1978, the Chinese economy grows rapidly at an average annul growth rate of 9% over the post two decades. Franchising has been widely recognized as an important source of entrepreneurial activity. Trust is important in that it facilitates relational exchanges by permits partners to transcend short-run inequities or risks to concentrate on long-term profits or gains. In the relationship between the franchisors and franchisees, trust has been described as an important source of competitive advantage. However, little research has been done on the factors affecting trust in Chinese franchisor-franchisee relationships. The purpose of this study is to investigate what factors affect the trust in the franchise system in China, and to provide guidelines and insights to franchisors which enter Chinese market. In this study, according to Morgan and Hunt (1994), trust is defined as the extending when one party has confidence in an exchange partner's reliability and integrity. We offered a conceptual model of the empirical study. The model shows that the factors affecting the trust include franchisor's supports, communication, satisfaction with previous outcome and conflict. We also suggested the franchisor's supports and communication like to enhance the franchisee's satisfaction with previous outcome, and the franchisor's supports, communication and he franchisee's satisfaction with previous outcome tend to decrease conflict. Before the formal study, a pretest involving exploratory interviews with owners from three franchisees was conducted to make sure the questionnaire was relevant and clear to the respondents. The data were collected using trained interviewers to carry out personal interviews with the aid of an unidentified, muti-page, structured questionnaire. The respondents comprised of owners, managers, and owner managers of franchisee-owned food service franchises located in Beijing, China. Even though a total of 256 potential franchises were initially contacted, the finally usable sample consisted of 125 respondents. As expected, the sampling method was successful in soliciting respondents with waried personal and firm characteristics. Self-administrated questionnaires were used for all measures. And established scales were used to measure the latent constructs in this study. The measures tapped the franchisees' perceptions of the relationship with the referent franchisor. Five-point Likert-type scales ranging from "strongly disagree" (=1) to "strongly agree" (=7) were used throughout the constructs (trust, eight items; support, five items; communication, four items; satisfaction, six items; conflict, three items). The reliability measurements traditionally employed, such as the Cronbach's alpha, were used. All the reliabilities were greater than.80. The proposed measurement model was estimated using SPSS 12.0 and AMOS 5.0 analysis package. We conducted A series of exploratory factor analyses and confirmatory factor analyses to assess the convergent validity, discriminant validity, and reliability. The results indicate reasonable overall fits between the model and the observed data. The overall fit of measurement model were $X^2$= 159.699, p=0.004, d.f. = 116, GFI =.879, NFI =.898, CFI =.969, IFI =.970, TLI =.959, RMR =.058. The results demonstrated that the data reasonably fitted the model. We also examined construct reliability and reliability and average variance extracted (AVE). The construct reliability of each construct was greater than.80 and the AVE of each construct was greater than.50. According to the analysis of Structure Equation Modeling (SEM), the results of path model indicated an adequate fit of the model: $X^2$= 142.126, p = 0.044, d.f. = 115, GFI =.892, NFI =.909, CFI =.981, IFI =.981, TLI =.974, RMR =.057. As hypothesized, the results showed that it is strategically important to establish trust in a franchise system, and the franchisor's supports, communication and satisfaction with previous outcome tend to reinforce franchisee's trust. The results also showed trust seems to decrease as the experience of conflict episodes increases. And we also noticed that franchisor's supports and communication tend to enhance the franchisee's satisfaction with previous outcome, and communication tend to decrease conflict. If the trust between the franchisor and franchisee can be established in a franchise system, franchising offers many benefits and reduces many costs. To manage a mutual trust of relationship with their franchisees, franchisor's should provide support effectively to their franchisees. Effective assistant services have direct effect on franchisees' satisfaction with previous outcome and trust in franchisor. Especially, franchise sales process, orientation, and training in the start-up period are key elements for success of the franchise system. Franchisor's support is an accumulated separate satisfaction evaluation with different kind of service provided by the franchisor. And providing support definitely can improve the trustworthy image of the franchisor. In the franchise system, conflicts of interests and exertions of different power sources are very common. The experience of conflict episodes seems to negatively relate to trust. Therefore, it is important to reduce the negative side of the relationship conflicts. Communication actually plays a broader role in reducing conflict and establish mutual trust in franchisor-franchisee relationship. And effective communication between franchisors and franchisees can improve franchisees' satisfaction toward the franchise system. As the diversification of Chinese markets, both franchisors and franchisees must keep the relevant, timely, and reliable communication. And it is very important to improve the quality of communication. Satisfaction with precious outcomes seems to positively relate to trust. Franchisors and franchisees that are highly satisfied with the previous outcomes that flow from their relationship will perceive their partner as advancing their goal achievement. Therefore, it is necessary for both franchisor and their franchisees to make the welfare of partner with effort. Little literature has focused on what factors affect the trust between franchisors and their franchisees in China. This study developed the hypotheses regarding the factors affecting trust in the transaction relationship. The results of data analysis supported the hypotheses strongly. There are certain limitations in this study. First, we may point out that some other factors missed in this study could be significantly important. Second, the context of this study, food service industry, limits its potential generalizability for all franchise systems. More studies in different categories of franchise system are needed to broaden its generalizability. Third, the model was tested empirically in a sample in Beijing, more empirical tests of the proposed model in other Chinese areas are needed. Finally, the analysis in this study was solely based on the perception of franchisees and the opinions of franchisors were not included.

  • PDF

Effect of Byproducts Supplementation by Partically Replacing Soybean Meal to a Total Mixed Ration on Rumen Fermentation Characteristics In Vitro (대두박 대체 부산물 위주의 TMR 사료가 반추위 내 미생물의 In Vitro 발효특성에 미치는 영향)

  • Bae, Gui Seck;Kim, Eun Joong;Song, Tae Ho;Song, Tae Hwa;Park, Tae Il;Choi, Nag Jin;Kwon, Chan Ho;Chang, Moon Baek
    • Journal of The Korean Society of Grassland and Forage Science
    • /
    • v.34 no.2
    • /
    • pp.129-140
    • /
    • 2014
  • This study was performed to evaluate the effects of replacing basic total mixed ration (TMR) with fermented soybean curd, Artemisia princeps Pampanini cv. Sajabal, and spent coffee grounds by-product on rumen microbial fermentation in vitro. Soybean in the basic TMR diet (control) was replaced by the following 9 treatments (3 replicates): maximum amounts of soybean curd (SC); fermented SC (FSC); 3, 5, and 10% FSC + fermented A. princeps Pampanini cv. Sajabal (1:1, DM basis, FSCS); and 3, 5, 10% FSC + fermented coffee meal (1:1, DM basis, FSCC) of soybean. FSC, FSCS, and FSCC were fermented using Lactobacillus acidophilus ATCC 496, Lactobacillus fermentum ATCC 1493, Lactobacillus plantarum KCTC 1048, and Lactobacillus casei IFO 3533. Replacing dairy cow TMR with FSC treatment led to a pH value of 6 after 8 h of incubation-the lowest value measured (p<0.05), and FSCS and FSCC treatments were higher than SC and FSC treatment after 6 h (p<0.05). Gas production was higher in response to 3% FSC and FSCC treatments than the control after 4-10 h. Dry matter digestibility was increased 0-12 h after FSC treatment (p<0.05) and was the highest after 24 h of 10% FSCS treatment. $NH_3-N$ concentration was the lowest after 24 h of FSC treatment (p<0.05). Microbial protein content increased in response to treatments that had been fermented by the Lactobacillus spp. compared to control and SC treatments (p<0.05). The total concentration of volatile fatty acids (VFAs) was increased after 6-12 h of FSC treatment (p<0.05), while the highest acetate proportion was observed 24 h after 5% and 10% FSCS treatments. The FSC of propionate proportion was increased for 0-10 h compared with among treatments (p<0.05). The highest acetate in the propionate ration was observed after 12 h of SC treatment and the lowest with FSCS 3% treatment after 24 h. Methane ($CH_4$) emulsion was lower with A. princeps Pampanini cv. Sajabal and spent coffee grounds treatments than with the control, SC, and FSC treatments. These experiments were designed to replace the by-products of dairy cow TMR with SC, FSC, FSCS, and FSCC to improve TMR quality. Condensed tannins contained in FSCS and FSCC treatments, which reduced $CH_4$ emulsion in vitro, decreased rumen microbial fermentation during the early incubation time. Therefore, future experiments are required to develop a rumen continuous culture system and an in vivo test to optimize the percentages of FSC, FSCS, and FSCC in the TMR diet of the dairy cows.