• Journal of Distribution Research
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• v.17 no.1
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• pp.37-63
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• 2012

In franchise business, exclusive sales territory (sometimes EST in table) protection is a very important issue from an economic, social and political point of view. It affects the growth and survival of both franchisor and franchisee and often raises issues of social and political conflicts. When franchisee is not familiar with related laws and regulations, franchisor has high chance to utilize it. Exclusive sales territory protection by the manufacturer and distributors (wholesalers or retailers) means sales area restriction by which only certain distributors have right to sell products or services. The distributor, who has been granted exclusive sales territories, can protect its own territory, whereas he may be prohibited from entering in other regions. Even though exclusive sales territory is a quite critical problem in franchise business, there is not much rigorous research about the reason, results, evaluation, and future direction based on empirical data. This paper tries to address this problem not only from logical and nomological validity, but from empirical validation. While we purse an empirical analysis, we take into account the difficulties of real data collection and statistical analysis techniques. We use a set of disclosure document data collected by Korea Fair Trade Commission, instead of conventional survey method which is usually criticized for its measurement error. Existing theories about exclusive sales territory can be summarized into two groups as shown in the table below. The first one is about the effectiveness of exclusive sales territory from both franchisor and franchisee point of view. In fact, output of exclusive sales territory can be positive for franchisors but negative for franchisees. Also, it can be positive in terms of sales but negative in terms of profit. Therefore, variables and viewpoints should be set properly. The other one is about the motive or reason why exclusive sales territory is protected. The reasons can be classified into four groups - industry characteristics, franchise systems characteristics, capability to maintain exclusive sales territory, and strategic decision. Within four groups of reasons, there are more specific variables and theories as below. Based on these theories, we develop nine hypotheses which are briefly shown in the last table below with the results. In order to validate the hypothesis, data is collected from government (FTC) homepage which is open source. The sample consists of 1,896 franchisors and it contains about three year operation data, from 2006 to 2008. Within the samples, 627 have exclusive sales territory protection policy and the one with exclusive sales territory policy is not evenly distributed over 19 representative industries. Additional data are also collected from another government agency homepage, like Statistics Korea. Also, we combine data from various secondary sources to create meaningful variables as shown in the table below. All variables are dichotomized by mean or median split if they are not inherently dichotomized by its definition, since each hypothesis is composed by multiple variables and there is no solid statistical technique to incorporate all these conditions to test the hypotheses. This paper uses a simple chi-square test because hypotheses and theories are built upon quite specific conditions such as industry type, economic condition, company history and various strategic purposes. It is almost impossible to find all those samples to satisfy them and it can't be manipulated in experimental settings. However, more advanced statistical techniques are very good on clean data without exogenous variables, but not good with real complex data. The chi-square test is applied in a way that samples are grouped into four with two criteria, whether they use exclusive sales territory protection or not, and whether they satisfy conditions of each hypothesis. So the proportion of sample franchisors which satisfy conditions and protect exclusive sales territory, does significantly exceed the proportion of samples that satisfy condition and do not protect. In fact, chi-square test is equivalent with the Poisson regression which allows more flexible application. As results, only three hypotheses are accepted. When attitude toward the risk is high so loyalty fee is determined according to sales performance, EST protection makes poor results as expected. And when franchisor protects EST in order to recruit franchisee easily, EST protection makes better results. Also, when EST protection is to improve the efficiency of franchise system as a whole, it shows better performances. High efficiency is achieved as EST prohibits the free riding of franchisee who exploits other's marketing efforts, and it encourages proper investments and distributes franchisee into multiple regions evenly. Other hypotheses are not supported in the results of significance testing. Exclusive sales territory should be protected from proper motives and administered for mutual benefits. Legal restrictions driven by the government agency like FTC could be misused and cause mis-understandings. So there need more careful monitoring on real practices and more rigorous studies by both academicians and practitioners.

• Korean journal of communication and information
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• v.33
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• pp.169-191
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• 2006

Changing our monopoly broadcasting advertising system into free competition system may give rise to serious troubles that intensify commercialism of broadcasting and reduce diversity of public opinion. In the boundaries of public interest out of danger, korean broadcasting system should adopt a system that partially adopts the principle of free market. Broadcasting advertising sale system affect the whole broadcasting system because it functions as an effective capital-resource provider. Thus, it affects the broadcasting policies' righteousness and efficiency. Due to the non-elastic nature of the total advertising market, broadcasting advertising's size affects other media's capital allocation process. Therefore, broadcasting advertising sales system not only affects broadcast's social duty and public interest, but also affects the whole media industry. First, provide fair and open-competitive measures to support broadcast sales policy so that the market-based system can be run smoothly. Second, block any un-due influence from advertisers by separating production/programming and advertising sales. Third, sustain public broadcast system, not based on the advertising sales but based on the subscription fee. Fourth, social intervention of the advertising market. Fifth, provide policies that can set up multiple media channels/outlets and public opinion. By providing the minimum capital resources to the public broadcasting system, the broadcasting system can act on its public-interest duty and support the people's right-to-know rights.

• Journal of the Korean Dietetic Association
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• v.9 no.3
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• pp.197-208
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• 2003

This study was surveyed to provide the information on current operational practices and issues of contract-managed foodservice companies. Questionnaires were distributed to 79 contract-managed foodservice companies (eight large-size, 48 mid-size, 23 small-size companies) from March to May in 2002. The contract-managed foodservice companies provided averages of 269,184 (range 140,036-503,500), 14,837 (range 450-75,269), and 4,065 (range 930-8,050) meals daily from large, medium, and small-size companies, respectively. The companies managed to averages of 268.2 (160-619) foodservice contracts at large-size companies, 21.9 (5-63) contracts at mid-size companies, and 4.7 (1-10) contracts at small-size companies. The average numbers of dietitians were 298.6 (range 104-671) in large-size companies, 22.2(6-86) in mid-size companies, and 3.8(1-9) in small-size companies. The averages of sales were 156.5 billion at large-size companies, 6.7 billion at mid-size companies, and 1.7 billion at small-size companies in 2001. The contract was two types including management fee contract(5%), and profit and loss contract(95%). The cost ratios for office foodservice were 59.5% at food cost, 24.2% at labor cost, 6.3% at profit, and 10.1% at other cost. For hospital foodservice, the ratios were 54.0% at the food cost, 34.6% at labor cost, 3.0% at profit, and 11.8% at other cost. For high school foodservice, the ratios were 62.2% at the food cost, 21.5% at labor cost, 5.4% at profit, and 11.2% at other cost. When the contractors managed to the foodservice, the most important matters were the sanitation management and customer satisfaction. Also, the difficult problems were excess investment of equipments and low meal prices.

• Journal of Distribution Science
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• v.9 no.3
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• pp.15-23
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• 2011

This study examined the effects educational service elements have on the satisfaction of educational service; it also analyzed how such satisfaction influenced educational institutions' registration renewal and word-of-mouth communications about the schools. The key factors of educational services included the following four components: physical environment, education programs, instructors, and tuition fee. An investigation into how the factors of educational services in private educational institutions may affect consumer satisfaction was an additional goal of this study. Based on the cause-and-effect analysis of the above constructs, the degree of influence that each of the attributes and the component factors have on consumers' educational service selection, as well as the consumers' satisfaction, were explored. An empirical analysis was conducted on students who were taking classes in cram schools; the analysis was also conducted on the students' parents. The results indicated that the hypotheses regarding the elements of educational service, educational program, and the instructor factor were supported. Furthermore, a hypothesis concerning the effects educational service satisfaction has on re-registration and word of mouth was supported, as well. Upon aggregating the above study results, it was concluded that when determining the effects of satisfaction on educational service, the educational program, and the instructor factor played a crucial role, while physical surroundings and tuition did not. When addressing the influence of the educational services factors on educational services satisfaction, education programs and instructors had a positive effect, whereas physical environment and tuition fee had no statistically significant impact. According to the influence of educational services satisfaction on registration renewal and word-of-mouth effects, educational services satisfaction was found to be a positive influential factor for both. In addition, it was found that satisfaction of educational service had a positive effect on renewing enrollment and forming word-of-mouth recommendations. Although the research seems simple, some theoretical implications can be drawn, as follows: First, one interpretation of the findings that the programs' and instructors' factors had a positive effect on educational services satisfaction but the physical environment and tuition fee factors did not have a significant effect suggests that the greatest influence factors in educational services are educational programs and instructors. Second, increased educational services satisfaction may result in consumer behavior changing, resulting in more registration renewals and more favorable word-of-mouth comments. Third, increased educational services satisfaction may result in enhancing consumer responses, resulting in more registration renewals and more favorable word-of-mouth opinions. Further research directions should include developing an integrated model that will allow for variation over time, before and after purchases, in relation to consumers' choices of educational services.

• The Journal of Society for e-Business Studies
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• v.26 no.3
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• pp.55-66
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• 2021

The mobile application (APP) market is growing at an unprecedented speed. Amid such growth, the global platform providers are mandating exclusive in-app payments and charging 30% for platform commission fees. A serious tension has arisen between mobile global platform providers and local content providers. The present study attempts to analyze the domestic mobile game market and in-app payment commission fees. This study estimates the size of the domestic mobile game market and platform commission fees by directly using publicly available financial statements and footnote information of some representative listed mobile game firms. Also, the study analyzes the cost structures of the same sample firms and attempts to draw some implications on sustainable growths of the mobile game ecosystem. We estimated that, in 2019, the domestic mobile game market is around 4.9 trillion Won and the ensuing in-app payment commission fees market was 1.5 trillion Won. High market share firms display a proportional increase in in-app payment commission fees in relation to sales growth. This, in turn, makes the in-app payment commission fees a primary cost item far exceeding employee salaries and R&D expenses. During the same period, low market share firms generated a mere profit or experienced net loss. Analysis of the cost structure reveals that these firms are even more liable to higher in-app payment commission fee cost structure than high market share. Most constituents of the mobile game ecosystem are small business entrepreneurs. By employing a micro-level analysis, the study estimates that, in 2019, a representative median firm generates 530 million Won in sales. At the same time, it spends 190 million Won in employee salaries, 50 Won million in R&D and 190 million Won in in-app payment commission fees, respectively. In the absence of other cost items, these three cost items alone account for 73.8% of sales revenue. The results imply that a sustainable growth of the local mobile game market heavily depends upon the cost structure of such representative median firm, the in-app payment commission fees being the primary cost item of such firm.

• Journal of Navigation and Port Research
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• v.38 no.6
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• pp.701-708
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• 2014

This study is aimed to obtain the influence of port hinterlands on container cargo volumes of Incheon port using System Dynamics(SD). Also, macro economic index such as exchange rates(US dollar), balance of current account, capital balance, Japan trade, China trade, export unit value index, import unit value index, total turnover of Incheon port were used as the factors that influence container cargo volumes of Incheon port. Moreover micro index regarding port hinterlands' operating companies such as total sales, rental fee, number of employees were introduced in the simulation model. In order to measure accuracy of the simulation, this study implemented MAPE analysis. And after the implementation, the simulation was decided as a much more accurate model because MAPE value was calculated to be within 10%. This study respectively examined factors using the sensitivity analysis. As a result, in terms of the effects on cargo volume in Incheon Port, the factor named 'cargo volumes of port hinterlands' operating companies' is most significant. And increasing the rental fee of hinterland was resulted in decreasing the cargo volumes of Incheon port.

• Korean Journal of Agricultural Science
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• v.38 no.2
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• pp.369-381
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• 2011

Ginseng in Korea has not only the big production value but also till a good reputation from overseas in the name of 'Korea Ginseng'. Having spread rapidly nationwide from 2000 year, its production keeps on increasing but its consumption becomes lazy and its price is also falling down because of comsumer's concern about mainly overusing pesticide for ginseng. In order to cope with this problem, the government introduced the GAP certification system to ginseng in 2006 to reflect consumer's needs for food safety. This system will be a good opportunity to promote ginseng consumption dramatically. In this aspect it is very important to know how well this system is established and how ginseng farmers build marketing strategies to draw new wind in the market. This study was carried out to look over the GAP certified ginseng system and show its marketing strategies using 4P's(product, place, promotion and price). The main results are as follows. GAP ginseng system currently has some weaknesses such as lack of systematic certification management and after-service, nonrealistic certification fee and poor linkage from production to consumption. In the marketing mix strategies, product strategy suggests that the most desirable appearance be transplanted ginseng filled with branch roots and 4 to 5 year-ginseng, and it is necessary to choose multi-brand strategy divided for present into for self-sufficiency and family brand strategy by use if its brand enlarges to processed products in the future. In the place strategy, 3 stages like 'producer group' - 'GAP certified facility' - 'sales shop' are based as the physical marketing channel according to traceability, and connected with giant retail market and environment friendly stand, and if its sales volume enlarges, it should be considered the GAP ginseng specialized marketplace which is a type of chain store. In the promotion strategy, the promotion of government level is necessary at first and producer alliances require the promotion targeting at the group of women under 40 with differentiation from price, quality, and safety. In the price strategy, the early stage-high price strategy which sets 20~25% higher for self-sufficiency and 30~35% for present is desirable.

• Management & Information Systems Review
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• v.28 no.3
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• pp.99-115
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• 2009

This research analyzed determining factors of expenditure for processing fee by targeting trade show participants under a microeconomic approach in order to analyze determining factors of the participations of trade shows. As a result, with regard to the participation fees, income and the level of education seemed to be the socioeconomic factors that positively affected visitors in paying admission fees: and age and gender were negative elements. With regard to the participating businesses, the sales and the corporate history of the businesses were the positive elements to their willingness to pay the participation fees: however, the ratio of male and female personnel turned out to be a negative element in incurring the participation fees. The purchase of ticket was a positive mode-of participation factor to the visitors: however, distance tended to be a negative element for the visitors. For the participating businesses, the number of participation tended to be a positive element: however, distance was a negative one. The positive satisfaction factors that affected visitors' willingness to pay the participation fees included exhibited items, location, and schedules for events of the convention: for the participating businesses, the actual sales at the convention, the effects of advertisement and the level of satisfaction for location tended to play positive parts.

• Asia-Pacific Journal of Business Venturing and Entrepreneurship
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• v.18 no.6
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• pp.117-132
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• 2023

With the recent spread of COVID-19, the size of the online shopping market continues to increase, and various online platforms are appearing in the market, and many small and medium businesses are entering the platform. As the recent increase in the use of the platform by small andmedium businesses as raised the issue of appropriate platform fees, the need for social discussions on the use of the platform and fees is raised. Currently, most discussions regarding fees primarily focus on specific cases from a negative perspective, and discussions that comprehensively consider the platform's utilization value and fees are insufficient. Therefore, this study aims to systematically and comprehensively understand platform fees by considering the value of using platform services and commission costs together. To achieve this, the economic value of each platform service was estimated and analyzed in detail. It selected two industries that are actively using online platforms, delivery services and e-commerce, and paid attention to changes in expected profits generated by sellers using platform services, and compared and analyzed expected profits based on estimated sales and costs for each scenario, such as whether sellers entered the platform and whether they used the service. As a result of the study, our results that entering the platform and using the platform service enable sales increase and cost reduction, which have a positive effect on the seller's expected profit. Through this study, we intend to understand platform fees from the perspective of user fees for platform service use and value acquisition, and based on this, estimate the economic value of platform services and fees to expand the value and cost of using platform services to a comprehensive and systematic discussion.

• Journal of Korea Port Economic Association
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• v.28 no.2
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• pp.195-211
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• 2012

As the globalisation of corporate's managemental environment, all parts of logistics such as procurement, production and sales are globalized. The ways of transportation in Korea and Japan, where are difficult to use land-transportation, are sea-transportation and air-transportation. Sea & air is a way of the international transportation which is combined by Sea and Air to reduce the transportation fee and shorten the delivery time. The main body of multimodal transportation service is the corporate, actual carrier who undertakes the actual transport. It is essential to establish service quality to maintain their going concern. In other words, the actual carrier has to emphasize the importance of service quality to forwarder tan any other business conditions. In this study, we examine the determinants of service quality for actual carrier in multimodal transportation. Through the multi-regression analysis based on SERVPERF by Cronin and Taylor (1992), we analyze the service quality dimensions of actual carrier. Also we examine the relations between the determinants and customer's satisfaction. Using statistical hypothesis testing, the determinants of service quality are reliability, responsiveness, assurance, tangibles, and we could look into the factors which the actual carrier should control with priority.