• International journal of advanced smart convergence
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• v.13 no.2
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• pp.235-248
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• 2024

The performance of informatization differs depending on its utilization, investment and construction methods. This study analyzed the key factors affecting the performance of informatization based on a public survey on the information system operation of small and medium-sized companies in Korea. Through structural equation modeling and one-way ANOVA, the study identified the pathways leading to performance. As a result of the analysis, it was confirmed that higher levels of top management support are associated with increased information system use and performance. Similarly, higher levels of information system use are correlated with better performance of information systems. This research is significant as it investigates and reveals how top management support and information system usage work in the cases of SMEs in South Korea, which is a leading country in manufacturing. The findings of this study will provide valuable insights for SMEs, whether they have already developed an information system or plan to do so, in their efforts to enhance corporate competitiveness.

• Journal of the Korea Safety Management & Science
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• v.22 no.1
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• pp.51-59
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• 2020

The importance of innovative capability, the driving force behind innovation as a company's intangible resources, is increasing. In general, companies with high innovation capability are more likely to be successful in innovation, which can be expected to have a positive impact on corporate performance. The innovation capacity of SMEs considered in this study is R&D capability and manufacturing capability. The reason for this is that not only the continuous efforts to strengthen the competitiveness of SMEs are focused on stabilizing manufacturing capability, but also considering the situation in which governmental support for SMEs' R&D capability has been actively developed. This study examines whether R&D capability and manufacturing capability have a significant influence on corporate performance and securing competitive advantage, and analyzes whether competitive advantage acts as a mediator between innovation capability and corporate performance through regression analysis. SPSS 23.0 software was used for the empirical analysis of the data obtained through the survey. The research results are as follows. First, both R&D and manufacturing capabilities of SMEs were found to have a significant positive effect on corporate performance. Second, manufacturing capability had a significant effect on securing competitive advantage of SMEs, but R&D capability was not significant. Third, the competitive advantage of SMEs was found to play a mediating role between manufacturing capability and corporate performance.

• The Journal of Information Systems
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• v.28 no.4
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• pp.131-153
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• 2019

Purpose This study examines the roles of firm-level IT competence in the relationship between marketing orientation and marketing performance in the context of Chinese SMEs. To achieve this goal, this study presents and empirically tests a model of how competitor orientation and customer orientation can be exploited to positively influence marketing performance through IT competence. Design/methodology/approach The competitor orientation and customer orientation are based on the market orientation construct developed by Trainor et al. (2011). IT competence re based on the market orientation construct developed by Reitz et al. 2018) and the marketing performance are based on the performance construct developed by Hooley et al., (2005). To complete the investigation, we conducted a survey in China from February 2019 to April 2019. Randomly contacted 150 Chinese SMEs, including SMEs of all sizes and types. To test our hypotheses, partial least squares (PLS) method was employed. Findings The findings indicate that customer orientation is antecedent to IT competence, while competitor orientation has no significant relationship with IT competence. This study provides a better understanding of the connection between IT competence and firm performance. So companies should focus on shaping customer-oriented culture and training IT competence.

• Journal of Information Technology Applications and Management
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• v.16 no.3
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• pp.113-124
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• 2009

How can action learning program promote organizational learning performance and especially project based team performance in Web-based small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs)? This article discusses the association between project based team in action learning program and the performance of Web-based SME to be learning organization. In the case of ALPACO, action learning program that promote employee communication behavior, knowledge sharing, and organizational learning are found to be positively associated with the project based team performance and organizational learning, The results indicate that action learning program in SMEs indeed associated with greater knowledge sharing, learning communication skills and changing organizational culture. Learning organization can be, in turn, positively developed by project based team through action learning program for creating competitive advantage, Also, this study offers further support for the practical perspective on learning organization performance. The evidence from this case study suggests that the project team in action learning program playa significant role in team performance and the development of learning organization of the firm. Therefore, in the future, Web-based SMEs should consider making investments in action learning program that encourage project team's effective management in decision making, knowledge sharing, and organizational learning.

• Journal of Information Technology Applications and Management
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• v.13 no.2
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• pp.99-113
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• 2006

It is hardly achieved Electronic Commerce (EC) activation if there isn't any performance in spite of the estimation that EC would improve whole economic efficiency. Therefore, there should be a need for the research whether implementation and utilization of EC really improve companies' business performance. The primary purpose of this study is to investigate the level of EC utilization in Small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs) and analyze its effect on business performance in terms of BSC. The results indicate that EC utilization in various fields of business and the use of information created through EC are significantly related to higher business performance, but EC volume is not. This study examines facing problems of SMEs in utilizing EC as well.

• Knowledge Management Research
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• v.23 no.4
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• pp.177-205
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• 2022

Small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) have strong incentives to engage in open innovation to enhance innovation efficiency and effectiveness due to their 'liability of smallness.' Previous research examined the performance effects of various open innovation practices, but whether coupled open innovation practices positively affect SMEs' firm performance is somewhat controversial. To resolve the issue, this study examined the effects of coupled open innovation activities on SMEs' firm performance using Heckman's two stage model to control endogeneity of the firms' self-selection bias in open innovation engagement. This study used the Korean Innovation Survey (KIS) 2020 collected by the Science and Technology Policy Institute (STEPI), and tested the effects of SMEs' coupled open innovation activities, R&D and non-R&D cooperation, on their innovative and financial performance indicators. The results showed that SMEs' R&D cooperation positively affects the new-to-market (NTM) product innovation only. Moreover, SMEs' non-R&D cooperation has positive effects on the product innovation, business process innovation, new-to-the-market product innovation, and new-to-firm (NTF) product innovation. However, the results showed that both R&D and non-R&D innovation cooperation activities have no significant effects on SMEs' financial performance indicators. This study contributes to research on SMEs' open innovation and provides insights for SMEs' managers and policymakers.

• International Journal of Quality Innovation
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• v.6 no.3
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• pp.153-172
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• 2005

This study develops an exploratory model to evaluate the relationship between origins of corporate competencies and business performance, which targets small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in Taiwan, analyzes 36 competence items in four functional dimensions: marketing, product design and development, manufacturing, and human resources management. The results from 760 valid samples from managers of Taiwan's SMEs reveal that in marketing competence and manufacturing competence were ranked high by Taiwan's SMEs managers. Elements contributed to manufacturing competence regarding reducing the number of suppliers has not been emphasized by Taiwan's SMEs managers. At the very top of the prevailing management competitive priority list are: (1) product or service quality, (2) timely delivery, (3) quality control improvement during the process, (4) increasing reliability of transportation, (5) introduction of new concepts and continuous improvement, and (6) improving after-sale services. The four competence dimensions are found highly correlated to business performance, which reflects the policy adjustments that Taiwan's small and medium-sized enterprises have made in the changing business environment to respond to the global market.

• Journal of Distribution Science
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• v.13 no.3
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• pp.61-67
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• 2015

Purpose - Exports have long been regarded as significant drivers of sustainable competitive advantage and growth among small and medium enterprises (SMEs). The export activities of SMEs are particularly important in the context of export-oriented economies such as Korea. Although many studies have examined the determinants of exports, it is difficult to find empirical studies about the determinants of the export performance of regional SMEs. This study investigates the determinants of export performance in the regional SME context based on an integrated approach that combines the environment factor of industrial organization theory, competitive strategy theory, and the competences of the resource-based view. Research design, data, and methodology - To empirically analyze the determinants of export performance in the regional SMEs, data were collected from firms in the Daegu metropolitan area. Data were collected directly through questionnaire surveys; in addition, secondary financial data were also taken from the KIS-VALUE database. Out of the 175 responses that were received, 143 were considered to be worth examining. After testing the reliability and validity of the variables through multiple items such as environmental turbulence and competitive strategy, hypotheses were verified by using five multi-regression models. These models were: a control model with organizational size and age, an environmental model with technology and market turbulence, a competency model with R&D and foreign distribution channels, a strategy model with product and market differentiation, and an integrated model including all of these variables. Results - First, as a control variable, the organization size has significant positive effects on export performance. Second, technology turbulence based on industrial organization theory has significant positive effects on export performance, but market turbulence does not affect export performance. Third, the foreign market distribution competency of the resource-based view has strong positive effects on export performance, but the R&D competency does not affect export performance. Fourth, the product differentiation strategy from competitive strategy theory positively impacts export performance, but market differentiation does not affect export performance. Finally, in the integrated model, only the foreign distribution competency of the resource-based view has a significant effect on export performance. Conclusions - The empirical results of this study verified the usefulness of the rationales behind the three theories to explain the export performance of the regional SMEs, especially the importance of the foreign market distribution competency from the resource-based view. With regard to practical considerations, this study's implications suggest that the use of technological environmental changes by industries is better than the use of market changes. Further, the use of the product differentiation strategy is more effective than the use of the market-driving strategy, and the distribution channel competency plays a stronger role than the technology-oriented competency with regard to the export performance position of regional SMEs. Future studies should examine relational perspectives, such as trust among channel partners. Therefore, the configuration approach is more useful in enhancing pragmatism by comparing high- and low-export companies.

• Journal of Korean Institute of Industrial Engineers
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• v.40 no.5
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• pp.451-461
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• 2014

This paper analyzed the degree of perception and performance of technology-humanities convergence in Korean SMEs. First, the meaning and activities of technology-humanities convergence were defined. Second, a survey data was collected from 277 Korean SMEs and analyzed from two perspectives-degree of performance and degree of perceived importance. Finally, based on the results, this paper signposted the important points to activate the technology-humanities convergence in SMEs.

• Information Systems Review
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• v.23 no.3
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• pp.1-23
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• 2021

The national economic policy paradigm is constantly changing according to the global business environment. Among them, fostering SMEs is a core policy of many developed countries. The growth of SMEs contributes to the creation of jobs and the development of local communities in the era of employment-free growth. In particular, the growth of SMEs is the foundation for growth into mid-sized and large enterprises. Therefore, the growth of SMEs plays an important role in the national economy. Information and communication technology (ICT) became important much more with the emergence of the 4th industrial revolution. Among them, the growth of ICT SMEs is the nation's future asset. Therefore, this study examines and verifies the main factors affecting the performance of ICT SMEs from the view of their R&D resources. On the basis of 1,999 SMEs dataset, empirical analysis was performed to investigate the influence of R&D resources on their corporate performance. Its results are as follows. First, based on theresource-based theory, ICT SMEs' R&D investment, R&D manpower, and government support policies were found to have a positive effect on securing a company's competitive advantage. Second, it was found that the level of product has a positive effect on the company's performance. Finally, it was found that M&A and technology acquisition method strategies differ according to the growth stage of the company. Therefore, in order to achieve technological innovation and corporate performance of ICT SMEs, the government support policy and investment into internal R&D personnel play as main factors. In addition, it was found that technology acquisition strategies differ depending on the growth stage of the company.