• The Journal of Asian Finance, Economics and Business
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• v.10 no.1
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• pp.101-109
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• 2023

This study examined the relationships among owner-manager characteristics, e-commerce adoption, and performance of small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in Malaysia. Although the growth of e-commerce was encouraging in many countries, studies of e-commerce adoption among SMEs in developing countries such as Malaysia are insufficient. Furthermore, studies that investigated individual characteristics and e-commerce adoption are still low in number. This study specifically employed the technology-organization-environmental (TOE) framework to develop its research model. The sample was selected by using a non-probability judgmental sampling technique because the desired population frame was unavailable. A total of 111 owner-managers of SMEs were surveyed using online self-administered questionnaires. Subsequently, the data was analyzed through partial least square-structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM). The results revealed significant relationships between owner-manager characteristics and e-commerce adoption, as well as between e-commerce adoption and the performance of SMEs. The findings suggested that owner-manager characteristics played an important role in determining e-commerce adoption among SMEs. Moreover, e-commerce adoption was crucial in affecting the performance of SMEs. This paper provided new insights into factors affecting e-commerce adoption and firm performance. It could further benefit the government and SMEs in strategizing e-commerce adoption and development, especially in the era of Industrial Revolution 4.0 (IR 4.0) and the post-COVID-19 pandemic.

• The Journal of Industrial Distribution & Business
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• v.14 no.8
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• pp.27-35
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• 2023

The main objective of this study is to examine the impact of entrepreneurial orientation (EO) on small and medium-sized enterprises' (SMEs) performance in the context of subcontracting buyer-supplier relation. Specifically, we seek to examine whether the power dynamics between buyer and supplier either support or hamper subcontracting SMEs' ability to effectively pursue EO for enhancing their performance. Research design, data, and methodology: We collected survey questionnaires from Korean SMEs that are certified with Inno-biz by the Korean Ministry of SMEs and Startups. The collected data was analyzed using SPSS 26 and AMOS to create an integrated model. Result: Based on the analysis, our findings indicate that the proactiveness and innovativeness dimensions of EO have a positive effect on the SMEs' performance. However, the risk-taking dimension of EO has a negative effect on performance. Additionally, buyer dependency exhibit both positive and negative moderating effects on different dimensions of EO. Conclusion: For SMEs that rely heavily on a particular buyer in terms of sale, pursuing innovativeness dimension of EO could lead to positive performance, while pursuing proactiveness dimension of EO had a negative moderating effect on performance.

• Journal of Distribution Science
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• v.21 no.10
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• pp.1-9
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• 2023

Purpose: This study analyses the current development of cross-border e-commerce in China, outlines the challenges faced by Chinese cross-border e-commerce SMEs, and finally summarises the development strategies of Chinese cross-border e-commerce SMEs in the post-covid-19 era, which will provide opinion references for the development of Chinese cross-border e-commerce SMEs. Research design, data and methodology: The methodology used in this study is to analyse the current situation of cross-border e-commerce development in China in the context of covid-19 through literature; and to summarise the challenges encountered by Chinese cross-border e-commerce SMEs through semi-structured interviews. Results: The article summarises the current status of China's cross-border e-commerce development in the context of covid-19 in terms of cross-border e-commerce trade volume, cross-border e-commerce enterprise and user scale, cross-border e-commerce logistics, cross-border e-commerce global co-operation, government policy, and cross-border e-commerce product distribution, outlining challenges encountered by China's cross-border e-commerce SMEs in terms of logistic pricing, operating capital chain, product service support, and trade protection The paper Finally, it is pointed out that Chinese cross-border e-commerce SMEs must adopt new strategies to adapt to the new development in the context of covid-19. Conclusions: Specific development strategies are provided for Chinese cross-border e-commerce enterprises and reference suggestions are provided for the post-covid-19 era.

• Korea Trade Review
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• v.46 no.3
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• pp.171-184
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• 2021

The purpose of this study is to analyze the effect of internationalized human capital on SME's export performance and to examine the moderating effects of export experience and export market diversification of SMEs that can affect the relationship between internationalized human capital and export performance of SMEs. The results of empirical analysis of 150 small and medium-sized enterprises located in Jeonnam province are as follows. First, the internationalized human capital of SMEs was found to have a positive (+) effect on export performance. Second, as a result of empirically analyzing the moderating effect of internationalized human capital on export performance, the export experience of SMEs was found to have a negative (-) moderating effect on the relationship between internationalized human capital and export performance of SMEs, and the export market diversification had a negative (-) moderating effect on the relationship between internationalized human capital and export performance of SMEs. This study provides meaningful theoretical implications in that this study identified the role of human capital by analyzing the relationship between internationalized human capital as an important source of competitive advantage of SMEs and export performance.

• International Journal of Quality Innovation
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• v.8 no.3
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• pp.35-45
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• 2007

This paper describes the development of a scale for measuring top management commitment towards continual quality performance improvement in small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). A set of self-assessment questions of the ISO 9004: 2000 Standard was used to assess the adoption status of quality management practices. This paper investigates the inter-item reliability and the content validity of the Quality Management Principles Scale (QMPS) in an integrated improvement process in SMEs. An empirical study was conducted to acquire senior management views on the use of the QMPS in manufacturing sectors in Trinidad and Tobago. Based on 328 responses from 110 SMEs, statistical software packages were used to analyse the empirical data and determine the reliability and validity of the QMPS. The paper contributes to develop a self-assessment scale that can be used to measure top management commitment. It is anticipated that the findings would provide practical insights for evaluating the levels of maturity on performance improvement in SMEs.

• Proceedings of the KIEE Conference
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• 2002.07b
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• pp.685-687
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• 2002

For several decades researches and developments on superconducting magnetic energy storage (SMES) system have been done for efficient electric power management. Korea Electrotechnology Research Institute(KERI) have developed of a 1MJ. 300kVA SMES System for improving power quality in sensitive electric loads. We developed the code for design of a SMES magnet. which could find the parameters of the SMES magnet having minimum amount of superconductors for the same stored energy. and designed the 1MJ SMES magnet by using it. This paper describes the design. fabrication and experimental results for the SMES magnet. cryostat, HTS current lead and power converter.

• Knowledge Management Research
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• v.12 no.4
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• pp.55-75
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• 2011

Scant attention has been given to analyzing how knowledge sourcing strategies affect firm performance in SMEs and what are the differences between SMEs and large firms in the patterns of knowledge sourcing strategies adoption. This study attempts to advance the current literature by examining the impact of knowledge sourcing strategies on SMEs performance. The empirical segment of our work is based on data on knowledge sourcing strategies of SMEs and organizational performance from a sample of 166 Korean firms. Our results indicate knowledge sourcing adoption patterns of SMEs are different from large firms. In addition, the results confirm that substitutability between internal- and external-oriented, person- and external-oriented sourcing strategies. This study sheds new light on knowledge management (KM) research by identifying the relationship between knowledge sourcing strategies and SMEs performance.

• Journal of Korea Society of Digital Industry and Information Management
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• v.5 no.3
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• pp.155-173
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• 2009

Budget for the industry-university co-operation is expanded by the increasing of the importance of industry-university co-operation. Even though, industry and university do not co-operate voluntarily. Until now, there is no research about industry-university co-operation focusing on SMEs. This paper is about industry-university co-operation focusing on SMEs. In this paper, we introduce the status and structural problems of industry-university co-operation related with SMEs. And we derive the problems of industry-university co-operation in terms of co-operation purpose. Industry-university co-operation in terms of co-operation purpose can be categorized as R&D, technology transfer, infrastructure, and manpower training. And last, we suggest how we improve the industry-university co-operation system to benefit SMEs.

• Asian Journal of Innovation and Policy
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• v.8 no.3
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• pp.417-427
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• 2019

This article puts forward the opinion of a policy expert, who had been involved in Korea's science and technology policy for 30 years, about technology policy for SMEs. This article first explains why technology policies for SMEs are needed, and from what point of view. The next section looks at the current problems facing Korean SMEs, followed by the introduction of past and current polices to support SMEs. The comparison between current issues facing SMEs and past and current policies leads to lessons that can be learned. There are four lessons for the policy itself and three for the implementation of these policies. As for policy, the first four are about stages of development, concentration, R&D and diffusion, and policy mix. The latter three are policymakers, institutional building, and cooperation between ministries. This article makesfour suggestions for future policy: the importance of startups' culture, cooperation with others, infrastructure to reduce uncertainty, and policy monitoring and evaluation.

• The Transactions of The Korean Institute of Electrical Engineers
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• v.59 no.12
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• pp.2190-2194
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• 2010

Wind power generation system (WPGS) of Ulleung Island causes frequency and voltage fluctuation due to wind speed variation during night time. Superconducting magnetic energy storage (SMES) system can overcome the fluctuations through the fast response time of energy charging and discharging. The SMES system should be connected to the terminal of the WPGS for frequency stabilization. To demonstrated the effectiveness of SMES system for power quality improvement, Ulleung Island power network was modeled in a real time digital simulator (RTDS). The RTDS-based simulation results of power quality improvement with SMES are investigated and discussed in detail.