• Journal of the Korea Concrete Institute
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• v.19 no.2
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• pp.179-188
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• 2007

Recently, the concern on the receipt of poor ready-mixed concrete in the construction field and the durability of concrete has been increased. Based on the such background, a large number of measuring methods of water content for fresh concrete have been developed and enforced in a developed country. In this study, to investigate practicality for quality control of ready-mixed concrete among various water content measurement techniques, microwave range method, air meter method and capacitance measurement method as measuring methods of water content were selected. Then, it was evaluated estimating performance of water content according to the change of binder types, fine aggregate types, absorption ratio, water content and water-binder ratio in series I and II. Also, it was examined influence on error occurrence of water content according to change of properties of used materials in series III. Finally, based on this study, it was proposed fundamental data to utilize measurement technique of water content to quality control of ready-mixed concrete in construction field.

• Journal of Biomedical Engineering Research
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• v.24 no.6 s.81
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• pp.533-541
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• 2003

In the paper. the health card system to integrate several cards into one card for protecting patient's privacy and security problems is proposed. Firstly, it is defined the minimal data set for integrating several patient cards into one card using IC card, and developed the issuing system to issue the integrated patient IC card. In order to secure and certificate a patient's personal information. the integrated patient IC card has applied 3-DES and the PKI certificate authority based Windows 2000 is established. The receipt and reservation system for taking care of a healthcare has developed to cooperate with the existing hospital computer system. The integrating patient IC card system proposed in this paper is implemented to 11 hospitals and used for 1.000 patients. On the result of the simulation. the proposed system can receive or reserve for a patient to take care of healthcare in the simulated hospitals and also establish the basis of the mechanism to share a medical information.

• Journal of Information Management
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• v.35 no.4
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• pp.1-16
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• 2004

In this paper, we outline the user interface problems that the text messaging users face to provide empirical basis for developing better improved mobile text messaging system. Our initial hypothesis was that the majority of the problems that the text messaging users face, namely, 1) difficulty in correctly understanding the intent of the incoming messages and 2) problem with frequently mis-addressing the recipient of the outgoing messages, can be accounted for by the poor usability of the text messaging user interface. Our analysis is based on the text message-based communication diaries, which were recorded for one week by each and every one of 75 college students, and survey taken from the same subjects. The data was collected in 2004. The students listed various difficulties including the limited message length, obscure input method, lack of mean to express emotional content, lack of receipt confirmation, lack of auto save feature when preparing messages to send, and lack of means to permanently save messages. Some of these problems were also identified in the previous studies. However, we were able to gather additional problems that the users face and also elicit potential solutions to remedy the problems. From these findings and analysis, we attempted to provide ways to improve the text messaging user interface.

• Journal of Distribution Science
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• v.13 no.1
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• pp.83-91
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• 2015

Purpose - Despite the structural irrationality of multi-level transportation and the oil price rise, the domestic freight transportation market continues to grow, mirroring the rise in e-commerce and resultant increase in courier services and freight volumes. Several studies on courier services have been conducted. However, few studies or statistics have been published regarding regular freight services although they have played a role in the freight service market. The present study identifies the characteristics of regular freight service users to seek competitiveness enhancement measures specific to regular freight services. Research design, data, and methodology - IPA is a comparative analysis of the relative importance of and satisfaction with each attribute simultaneously. This study used IPA because it facilitates the process of analyzing importance and performance, deriving implications and a visual understanding of results. To enhance the competitiveness of regular freight services, this study surveyed its current users regarding the importance of the regular freight service factors. A total of 200 copies of a questionnaire were circulated and 190 copies were returned. In addition to demographics, respondents answered questions about the importance of and satisfaction with services on a 5-point Likert scale. Excluding 3 inappropriate copies, 187 out of 190 copies were analyzed. PASW Statistics 18 was used for statistical analysis. A total of 20 question items were selected for the service factors presented in the questionnaire based on the 1st pilot survey and previous studies. Results - According to the IPA performed to compare the importance of and satisfaction with service factors, both importance and satisfaction are high in the 1st quadrant, which involves the economic advantage of using regular freight services, quick arrival at destinations, weight freight handling, and less time constraints on freight receipt/dispatch. This area requires continuous management. Satisfaction is higher than importance in the 2nd quadrant, which involves the adequacy of freight, cost savings over ordinary courier services, notification on freight arrival, and freight tracking information. This area requires intensive investment and management. Satisfaction is lower than importance in the 3rd quadrant, involving the credit card payment system, courier delivery service, distance to freight handling sites, easy access to freight handling sites, and prompt problem solving. This area requires further intensive management. Both importance and satisfaction are low in the 4th quadrant, involving the availability of collection service, storage space at freight handling sites, kindness of collection/delivery staff, kindness of outlet staff, and easy delivery checks. This area is a set of variables should be excluded from priority control targets. Conclusions - Based on the IPA, service factors that need priority controls because of high importance and low satisfaction include the credit card payment system, delivery service, distance to freight handling sites, easy access to freight handling sites, and prompt problem solving. The findings need to be applied to future marketing strategies for regular freight services and for developing competitiveness enhancement programs.

• Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society
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• v.20 no.3
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• pp.544-552
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• 2019

The purpose of this study was to find concrete measures to improve the subjective health level, happiness and quality of life of the elderly according to economic level and to propose social and policy alternatives accordingly. As a research method, 63,929 elderly people aged 65 or older were surveyed using the Community Health Survey (Indicator Bank) _v09, and the frequency of health use by economic level, subjective health level, euphoria and quality of life Analysis and Chi square analysis and independent t-test. Multi variate logistic regression analysis was performed with subjective health level as a dependent variable and multiple linear regression analysis was performed to determine the factors affecting euphoria and quality of life. The results of the study are as follows. In the case of recipients, medical use was lower than that of non-recipients, lower education level, female age of 75 years or older, and less stress, In case of present or past recipients, the result of non - receipt increased as the subjective health level was worse, and the non - recipient had higher euphoria and quality of life. As a result, there is a need for alternatives to increase opportunities for medical use among the recipients, with particular attention being paid to women and elderly people over 75 years old. It is expected to be used as a basic data to effectively improve the health promotion, happiness and quality of life of the elderly people of low income group.

• International Area Studies Review
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• v.15 no.1
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• pp.173-193
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• 2011

Most of the research regarding economic effects of policy loans has thus far been focused on whether policy loans can improve the financial status or the management performance of small and medium enterprises (SMEs). Unlike previous researches, this study implemented an empirical analysis focused on the contribution of policy loans to easing the liquidity restriction of investment. To analyze whether investment liquidity restriction can be alleviated or not, this study attempted an empirical analysis utilizing the nonlinear Euler equation induced through optimization of investment and GMM (generalized method of moments) as its analysis methodology. With the SMEs that received policy financing from the Small and medium Business Corporation (SBC) in 2004, this study analyzed three years of panel data before(2001~2003) and after(2004~2006) receipt of policy loans. According to the empirical results, it appears that policy loans had effects on resolving liquidity restriction of investment, implying that policy financing eases the liquidity restriction of SME investment and would contribute to the growth and development of SMEs. Further, I checked robustness of empirical results using Tobin's q model. The empirical results also support that policy loans help to resolve liquidity constraint. With these results, it is understood that the critical view to date, which has emphasized the ineffectiveness of policy financing due to it having no or insignificant economic effects, may be wrong.

• Asia Marketing Journal
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• v.13 no.4
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• pp.159-189
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• 2012

What attracts consumers to bloggers' reviews? Consumers would be attracted both by the Bloggers' expertise (i.e., knowledge and experience) and by his/her unbiased manner of delivering information. Expertise and trustworthiness are both virtues of information sources, particularly when there is uncertainty in decision-making. Noting this point, we postulate that consumers' motives determine the relative weights they place on expertise and trustworthiness. In addition, our hypotheses assume that tie strength moderates consumers' expectation on bloggers' expertise and trustworthiness: with expectation on expertise enhanced for power-blog user-group (weak-ties), and an expectation on trustworthiness elevated for personal-blog user-group (strong-ties). Finally, we theorize that the effect of credibility on willingness to accept a review is moderated by tie strength; the predictive power of credibility is more prominent for the personal-blog user-groups than for the power-blog user groups. To support these assumptions, we conducted a field survey with blog users, collecting retrospective self-report data. The "gourmet shop" was chosen as a target product category, and obtained data analyzed by structural equations modeling. Findings from these data provide empirical support for our theoretical predictions. First, we found that the purposive motive aimed at satisfying instrumental information needs increases reliance on bloggers' expertise, but interpersonal connectivity value for alleviating loneliness elevates reliance on bloggers' trustworthiness. Second, expertise-based credibility is more prominent for power-blog user-groups than for personal-blog user-groups. While strong ties attract consumers with trustworthiness based on close emotional bonds, weak ties gain consumers' attention with new, non-redundant information (Levin & Cross, 2004). Thus, when the existing knowledge system, used in strong ties, does not work as smoothly for addressing an impending problem, the weak-tie source can be utilized as a handy reference. Thus, we can anticipate that power bloggers secure credibility by virtue of their expertise while personal bloggers trade off on their trustworthiness. Our analysis demonstrates that power bloggers appeal more strongly to consumers than do personal bloggers in the area of expertise-based credibility. Finally, the effect of review credibility on willingness to accept a review is higher for the personal-blog user-group than for the power-blog user-group. Actually, the inference that review credibility is a potent predictor of assessing willingness to accept a review is grounded on the analogy that attitude is an effective indicator of purchase intention. However, if memory about established attitudes is blocked, the predictive power of attitude on purchase intention is considerably diminished. Likewise, the effect of credibility on willingness to accept a review can be affected by certain moderators. Inspired by this analogy, we introduced tie strength as a possible moderator and demonstrated that tie strength moderated the effect of credibility on willingness to accept a review. Previously, Levin and Cross (2004) showed that credibility mediates strong-ties through receipt of knowledge, but this credibility mediation is not observed for weak-ties, where a direct path to it is activated. Thus, the predictive power of credibility on behavioral intention - that is, willingness to accept a review - is expected to be higher for strong-ties.

• Journal of Hospice and Palliative Care
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• v.21 no.1
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• pp.23-32
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• 2018

Purpose: Little is known regarding the extent to which dying patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) receive life-sustaining procedures and palliative care in U.S. hospitals. We examine hospital cost trends and the impact of palliative care utilization on the use of life-sustaining procedures in this population. Methods: Retrospective nationwide cohort analysis was performed using National Inpatient Sample (NIS) data from 2005 and 2014. We examined the receipt of both palliative care and intensive medical procedures, defined as systemic procedures, pulmonary procedures, or surgeries using the International Classification of Diseases, 9th revision (ICD-9-CM). Results: We used compound annual growth rates (CAGR) to determine temporal trends and multilevel multivariate regressions to identify factors associated with hospital cost. Among 77,394,755 hospitalizations, 79,314 patients were examined. The CAGR of hospital cost was 5.83% (P<0.001). The CAGRs of systemic procedures and palliative care were 5.98% and 19.89% respectively (each P<0.001). Systemic procedures, pulmonary procedures, and surgeries were associated with increased hospital cost by 59.04%, 72.00%, 55.26%, respectively (each P<0.001). Palliative care was associated with decreased hospital cost by 28.71% (P<0.001). Conclusion: The volume of systemic procedures is the biggest driver of cost increase although there is a cost-saving effect from greater palliative care utilization.

• Korean Journal of Social Welfare Studies
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• v.42 no.3
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• pp.291-327
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• 2011

The purpose of this study is to classify the type of retirement process among the mature-aged in Korea. The study used the panel data from Korean Labor Panel (year2~6) for the classification of retirement process through Optimal Matching and Cluster Analysis. Classification is made in 5 categories as 'peripheral-economically active', 'private-transfer dependent', 're-entering limited', 'securely exiting', 'exit-and-reentering'. First, "peripheral-economically active" is a group which frequently experienced job status change and work insecurity. Second, "private-transfer dependent" is a group in which private transfer is likely to be supplements income in the incidence of unemployment. Third, "re-entering limited" is a group in which the proportion of no financial support combined with the absence of any economic activity is the largest. Fourth, the type "Securely exit" is th group whose members switches over to non-economically active status with pension receipt. The last type is "exit-and-reenter" that the member are highly possible to reenter in the labor market and stay in long time regardless of with or without pension plan. To examine the inequality among the types of retirement process, the duration of each status is analyzed. First, in the situation of being non-economically active, the duration of status is maintain public pension receiving and duration stabile in "securely exit" group. For "private-transfer dependent" type, members are mostly dependent on private financial support and that duration of it is longest. Through the analysis of retirement process without under other financial supports, it is "securely-exiting" type for which the duration of full-time employment is longest. It appears that the duration of part-time employment is longest in "peripheral-economically active" type. And for the case of non-waged employment it is "exit-and-reenter" type. Finally, the redistribution policy based on life course perspective is necessary to prevent that the opportunity in the structure before retirement stage and the unfavorable position in labor market make worse disadvantage in retirement process and after that.

• Journal of agricultural medicine and community health
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• v.29 no.1
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• pp.65-75
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• 2004

Objectives: Immunizations have been one of the most effective measures preventing from infectious diseases. It is quite important national infectious disease prevention policy to keep the immunizations rate high and monitor the immunizations rate continuously. To do this, Korean CDC introduced the National Immunization Registry Program(NIRP) which has been implementing since 2000 at the Public Health Centers(PHC). The National Immunization Registry Program will be near completed after sharing, connecting and transfering vaccination data between public and private sector. The aims of this study was to evaluate the immunization module of non-chart system in private clinic with health information system of public health center(made by POSDATA Co., LTD) and immunization registry program(made by BIT Computer Co., LTD). Methods: The analysis and survey were done by specialists in medical, health field, and health information fields from 2001. November to 2002. January. We made the analysis and recommendation about the immunization module of non-chart system in private clinic. Results and Conclusions: To make improvement on immunization module, the system will be revised on various function like receipt and registration, preliminary medical examination, reference and inquiry, registration of vaccine, print-out various sheet, function of transfer vaccination data, issue function of vaccination certification, function of reminder and recall, function of statistical calculation, and management of vaccine stock. There are needs of an accurate assessment of current immunization module on each private non-chart system. And further studies will be necessary to make it an accurate system under changing health policy related national immunization program. We hope that the result of this study may contribute to establish the National Immunization Registry Program.