• Title/Summary/Keyword: Science practice

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Success Factor in the K-Pop Music Industry: focusing on the mediated effect of Internet Memes (대중음악 흥행 요인에 대한 연구: 인터넷 밈(Internet Meme)의 매개효과를 중심으로)

  • YuJeong Sim;Minsoo Shin
    • Journal of Service Research and Studies
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    • v.13 no.1
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    • pp.48-62
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    • 2023
  • As seen in the recent K-pop craze, the size and influence of the Korean music industry is growing even bigger. At least 6,000 songs are released a year in the Korean music market, but not many can be said to have been successful. Many studies and attempts are being made to identify the factors that make the hit music. Commercial factors such as media exposure and promotion as well as the quality of music play an important role in the commercial success of music. Recently, there have been many marketing campaigns using Internet memes in the pop music industry, and Internet memes are activities or trends that spread in various forms, such as images and videos, as cultural units that spread among people. Depending on the Internet environment and the characteristics of digital communication, contents are expanded and reproduced in the form of various memes, which causes a greater response to consumers. Previously, the phenomenon of Internet memes has occurred naturally, but artists who are aware of the marketing effects have recently used it as an element of marketing. In this paper, the mediated effect of Internet memes in relation to the success factors of popular music was analyzed, and a prediction model reflecting them was proposed. As a result of the analysis, the factors with the mediated effect of 'cover effect' and 'challenge effect' were the same. Among the internal success factors, there were mediated effects in "Singer Recognition," the genres of "POP, Dance, Ballad, Trot and Electronica," and among the external success factors, mediated effects in "Planning Company Capacity," "The Number of Music Broadcasting Programs," and "The Number of News Articles." Predictive models reflecting cover effects and challenge effects showed F1-score at 0.6889 and 0.7692, respectively. This study is meaningful in that it has collected and analyzed actual chart data and presented commercial directions that can be used in practice, and found that there are many success factors of popular music and the mediating effects of Internet memes.

An Empirical Investigation of Relationship Between Interdependence and Conflict in Co-marketing Alliance (공동마케팅제휴에 있어 상호의존성과 갈등의 관계에 대한 연구)

  • Yi, Ho Taek;Cho, Young Wook;Kim, Ju Young
    • Asia Marketing Journal
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    • v.13 no.3
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    • pp.79-102
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    • 2011
  • Researchers in channel dyads have devoted much attention to relationship between interdependence (i.e. interdependence enymmetry and total interdependence) and conflict that promote channel performance. In social science, in spite of the inconsistent results in marketing practice, there are two contradictory theories explain the relationship between interdependence and conflict - bilateral deterrence theory and conflict spiral theory. The authors apply these theories to co-marketing alliance situation in terms that this relationship is also incorporated both company's dependence, either from one company's perspective or each partner about its respective dependence. Using survey data and archival data from 181 companies enlisted in a telecommunication membership program, the authors find out the relationship between interdependence and conflict as well as investigate the antecedents of interdependence - transaction age, transaction frequency, the numbers of alliance partner, and co-marketing alliance specific assets according to previous researches. Using PLS analysis, the authors demonstrate that, with increasing total interdependence in a telecommunication membership program, two co-marketing partners' conflict level is increased in accord with the author's conflict spiral theory predictions. As expected, higher interdependence asymmetry has negative value to level of conflict even though this result is not statistically significant. Other findings can be summarized as follows. In the perspective of telecommunication company, transaction age, transaction frequency, and co-marketing alliance specific assets have influence on its dependence on a partner as independent variables. To the contrary, in a partner's perspective, transaction frequency, co-marketing alliance specific assets and the numbers of alliance partner have significantly impact on its dependence on a telecommunication company. In direct effect analysis, it is shown that transaction age, frequency and co-marketing alliance specific assets have direct influence on conflict. This results suggest that it is more useful for a telecommunication company to select a co-marketing partner which is frequently used by customers and earned high rates of mileage. In addition, the results show that dependence of a telecommunication company on a co-marketing partner is more significantly effected to co-marketing alliance conflict than partner's one. It provide an effective conflict management strategy to a telecommunication company for controling customer's usage rate or having the co-marketing partner deposit high level of alliance specific investment (i.e. mileage). To a co-marketing partner of telecommunication company, it is required control the percentage of co-marketing sales in total sales revenue or seek various co-marketing partners in order for co-marketing conflict management. The research implications, limitation and future research of these results are discussed.

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Effects of The Sub ROI Changes on Exposure Index (Sub ROI 변화가 노출지수에 미치는 영향)

  • Young-Cheol Joo;Dong-Hee Hong
    • Journal of the Korean Society of Radiology
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    • v.17 no.7
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    • pp.1149-1155
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    • 2023
  • This study aims to investigate the effect of changes in the Sub ROI on exposure index(EI) and to present indicators of changes in EI values that may occur when changing Sub ROI in clinical practice. This study was conducted on a subject of 20 cm of acrylic for a setting similar to abdominal radiography, and the specifications of one acrylic sheet is 20 × 20 × 5 cm. The survey conditions were the same as 80 kVp , 320 mA, 25 ms, SID 110 cm and the Sub ROI obtained 30 images for each type using five types provided by the equipment company. The EI value provided by the equipment and entrance skin exposure(ESE) were compared and analyzed. The mean value of EI according to the change in Sub ROI was 101.18±0.27 for LS, 106.57±0.31 for AEC, 107.74±0.39 for VR, 107.90±0.38 for HR, and 109.72±0.32 for SS (p<0.01). The average value of ESE by sub ROI type (LS, AEC, VR, HR, SS) was measured to be 476.45±1.71 μGy, 476.92±1.48 μGy, 476.14±2.30 μGy, 475.61±1.96 μGy, and 477.14±1.46 μGy, with statistically significant differences (p<0.01). As a result of this study, the EI according to the sub ROI type is based on LS(109.72), which represents the minimum value. AEC increased 5.3%, VR increased 6.4%, HR increased 6.6%, SS increased 8.4%, and overall, increased by about 5.3%. As for the average value of ESE, HR(475.61 μGy)type showed the minimum value, and based on this, AEC increased 0.27%, VR increased 0.11%, LS increased 0.17%, SS increased 0.32%, and overall, increased by about 0.17%.

Effect of food-related lifestyle, and SNS use and recommended information utilization on dining out (혼밥 및 외식소비 관련 식생활라이프스타일과 SNS 이용 및 추천정보활용의 영향)

  • Jin A Jang
    • Journal of Nutrition and Health
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    • v.56 no.5
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    • pp.573-588
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    • 2023
  • Purpose: This study aimed to examine social networking service (SNS) use and recommended information utilization (SURU) according to the food-related lifestyles (FRLs) of consumers and analyze how the interaction between the FRL and SURU affects the practice of eating alone and visiting restaurants. Methods: Data on 4,624 adults in their 20s to 50s were collected from the 2021 Consumer Behavior Survey for Food. Statistical methods included factor analysis, K-means cluster analysis, the complex samples general linear model, the complex samples Rao-Scott χ2 test, and the general linear model. Results: The following three factors were extracted from the FRL data: Convenience pursuit, rational consumption pursuit, and gastronomy pursuit, and the subjects were classified into three groups, namely the rational consumption, convenient gastronomy, and smart gourmet groups. An examination of the difference in SURU according to the FRL showed that the smart gourmet group had the highest score. The result of analyzing the effects of the FRL and SURU on eating alone revealed that both the main effect and the interaction effect were significant (p < 0.01, p < 0.001). The higher the SURU, the higher the frequency of eating alone in the convenience pursuit, and gastronomy pursuit groups. The main and interaction effects of the FRL and SURU on the frequency of eating out were also significant (p < 0.01, p < 0.001). In all the FRL groups, the higher the SURU level, the higher the frequency of visiting restaurants. Specifically, the two groups with convenience and gastronomic tendencies showed a steeper increase. Conclusion: This study provides important basic data for research on consumer behavior related to food SNS, market segmentation of restaurant consumers, and development of marketing strategies using SNS in the future.

주사용 요오드화 조영제 및 MRI용 가돌리늄 조영제 유해 반응에 대한 한국 임상진료지침: 개정된 임상적 합의 및 권고안(2022년 제3판)

  • Se Won Oh;So Young Park;Hwan Seok Yong;Young Hun Choi;Min Jae Cha;Tae Bum Kim;Ji Hyang Lee;Sae Hoon Kim;Jae Hyun Lee;Gyu Young Hur;Jae Yeon Hwang;Sejoong Kim;Hyo Sang Kim;Ji Young Ryu;Miyoung Choi;Chi-Hoon Choi
    • Journal of the Korean Society of Radiology
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    • v.83 no.2
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    • pp.254-264
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    • 2022
  • The Korean Society of Radiology and Medical Guidelines Committee amended the existing 2016 guidelines to publish the "Korean Clinical Practice Guidelines for Adverse Reactions to Iodide Contrast for Injection and Gadolinium Contrast for MRI: The Revised Clinical Consensus and Recommendations (2022 Third Edition)." Expert members recommended and approved by the Korean Society of Radiology, the Korean Academy of Asthma, Allergy and Clinical Immunology, and the Korean Nephrology Society participated together. According to the expert consensus or systematic literature review, the description of the autoinjector and connection line for the infection control while using contrast medium, the acute adverse reaction, and renal toxicity to iodized contrast medium were modified and added. We would like to introduce the revised contents.

Effect of Several Herbicides in the Polyethylene - film Mulched Young Mulberry Field (P.E. 필름피복(被覆) 밀식(密植) 뽕밭에서의 수종(數種) 제초제(除草劑) 처리효과(處理效果))

  • Kim, Ho-Rak;Kwon, Yong-Woong;Cho, Yong-Woo
    • Korean Journal of Weed Science
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    • v.5 no.2
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    • pp.202-210
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    • 1985
  • Requirements in weed control in a mulberry field are much similar to those in orchards, but also feature a longer period of weed control of various kinds of persistent weeds, i.e., spring, summer, and winter annuals as well as perennials. In addition the mulberry tree is relatively more sensitive to herbicide injury. Hence, very few herbicides have been used in mulberry field. The present study was conducted to evaluate the usefulness of oxyfluorfen in comparison with alachlor and simazine, which are registered for ordinary mulberry field in Korea, for weed control efficacy in the new, rapidly increasing practice of transparent polyethylene-film mulched and densely planted younger mulberry culture. Dominant spring weeds were Galium spp., Erigeron spp., Polygonum senticosum, and Chenopodium spp. in the non-mulched interbed area in contrast to the Digitaria spp. and Potulaca spp, under mulch. Dominant summer weeds were Digitaria spp., Portulaca spp., Erigeron spp., Artemisia spp. and Calystegia japonica in the non-mulched interbed area while weeds did not occur significantly during summer under mulch which were shaded by vigorously growing mulberry trees. The weeds occurred under mulch in spring reduced shoot growth of young mulberry tree resulting in the reduced yield of mulberry leaves for silkworms. The weeds occurred in the interbed area did not affect until May, but interfered later summer- and fall-growth of mulberry tree. Early single spring application of alachlor(EC), simazine(WP) or oxyfluorfen(EC) at a rate of 650 g, 750 g or 350 g ai per ha, respectively, controlled most annuals satisfactorily to fall in the mulched bed area. In the nonmulched interbed area, however, thrice does of alchlor or simazine was necessary for satisfactory control of spring weeds, followed by summer application of alachlor or simazine at twice dose level as tank mixture with paraquat at 490 g ai per ha for satisfactory control of summer to fall weeds. Single spring application of oxyfluorfen at a rate of 1400 g ai per ha was persistently effective to control satisfactorily even summer and fall weeds. However, heavy rainfall splashed soil borne oxyfluorfen to the lower branch leaves causing some leaf burns. Spring application of oxyfluorfen at a rate of 350 g ai per ha followed by summer application of oxyfluorfen and paraquat tank mixture (350 g ai + 490 g ai) was the best choice for the non-mulched interbed area weed control among the treatments.

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Seedling - Emergence of Rice, Weedy Rice, and Echinochloa species Sown before Wintering and in the Early Spring (월동전(越冬前) 초춘(初春)에 파종(播種)한 재배(栽培)벼, 잡초성(雜草性)벼 및 피의 출현특성(出現特性))

  • Kwon, Y.W.;Lee, B.W.;Kim, D.S.
    • Korean Journal of Weed Science
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    • v.16 no.2
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    • pp.88-99
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    • 1996
  • In recent years dry direct-seeding of rice has been encouraged by the government and increasingly practiced by farmers in Korea. This has been bringing up an increased occurrence of weedy rites. Some farmers in the southern region dare to sow the rice before winter after harvest, while most farmers wish to sow as early as possible in the spring to secure the growing period, and to disperse the intensive labor in early May. The purpose of this study was to determine the feasibility of moving the sowing of rice to an earlier date under dry direct-seeding, and to elucidate the nature of emergence of an old strain of rice, weedy rites, and barnyardgrasses tinder this farming practice and their adaptive competence over present cultivate. The presently recommended rice cultivar, Dongjinbyo and an old rice strain, Dadajo which prevailed in early 1900s, almost could not emerge from soil deeper than 6cm and could emerge to only 5.3% at best from 1cm deep loamy soil field when the seeds were sown on Nov. 28. However, two strains of weedy rites being weedy for over 200 years emerged by 17.0 to 63.0% from the loamy and sandy clay loam field 1 to 6cm deep. Emergence of the weedy rites was greater in the loamy soil and at a shallow depth, and negligible from the soil depth of 9cm. Barnyardgrasses sown on Nov. 28 emerged by 13.4 to 51 % from the 1 to 3cm deep loamy soil, and 8.6 to 46.7% from the 1cm deep sandy clay loam. Echinochloa crus-galli var. crus-galli emerged more than var. praticola, and var. oryzicola least. Most of the non-emerged barnyardgrasses seem to have entered secondary dormancy. Seeding rice a month earlier than the season lowered the emergence of Dongjinbyo by ca. 10, 18, and 26%, respectively at 1, 3, and 6cm soil depths, indicating that moving the seeding date a month earlier is impractical. The old strain, Dadajo sown in the soil at a depth of 6cm responded similarly. However, the strain has shown a significantly higher ability in emergence from 9cm deep soil. Weedy rices sown a month earlier A month earlier sown weedy rices have shown very similar emergence rates at various soil depths to those sown on May 1. Barnyardgrasses have also shown similar emergence rates when sown between April 3 and May 1. Like barnyardgrasses, the old strain and weedy rices apparantly posessed a greater adaptability to emerge under lower temperatures, and from deeper soil ; Dongjinbyo${\leq}$ Echinochloa species in that order. However, emergence- speed under lower temperature(sown on April 3) was faster in the order of weedy rice

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Seeking a Better Place: Sustainability in the CPG Industry (추심경호적지방(追寻更好的地方): 유포장적소비품적산업적가지속발전(有包装的消费品的产业的可持续发展))

  • Rapert, Molly Inhofe;Newman, Christopher;Park, Seong-Yeon;Lee, Eun-Mi
    • Journal of Global Scholars of Marketing Science
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    • v.20 no.2
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    • pp.199-207
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    • 2010
  • For us, there is virtually no distinction between being a responsible citizen and a successful business... they are one and the same for Wal-Mart today." ~ Lee Scott, al-Mart CEO after the 2005 Katrina disaster; cited in Green to Gold (Esty and Winston 2006). Lee Scott's statement signaled a new era in sustainability as manufacturers and retailers around the globe watched the world's largest mass merchandiser confirm its intentions with respect to sustainability. For decades, the environmental movement has grown, slowly bleeding over into the corporate world. Companies have been born, products have been created, academic journals have been launched, and government initiatives have been undertaken - all in the pursuit of sustainability (Peattie and Crane 2005). While progress has been admittedly slower than some may desire, the emergence and entrance of environmentally concerned mass merchandisers has done much to help with sustainable efforts. To better understand this movement, we incorporate the perspectives of both executives and consumers involved in the consumer packaged goods (CPG) industry. This research relies on three underlying themes: (1) Conceptual and anecdotal evidence suggests that companies undertake sustainability initiatives for a plethora of reasons, (2) The number of sustainability initiatives continues to increase in the consumer packaged goods industries, and (3) That it is, therefore, necessary to explore the role that sustainability plays in the minds of consumers. In light of these themes, surveys were administered to and completed by 143 college students and 101 business executives to assess a number of variables in regards to sustainability including willingness-to-pay, behavioral intentions, attitudes, willingness-to-pay, and preferences. Survey results indicate that the top three reasons why executives believe sustainability to be important include (1) the opportunity for profitability, (2) the fulfillment of an obligation to the environment, and (3) a responsibility to customers and shareholders. College students identified the top three reasons as (1) a responsibility to the environment, (2) an indebtedness to future generations, and (3) an effective management of resources. While the rationale for supporting sustainability efforts differed between college students and executives, the executives and consumers reported similar responses for the majority of the remaining sustainability issues. Furthermore, when we asked consumers to assess the importance of six key issues (healthcare, economy, education, crime, government spending, and environment) previously identified as important to consumers by Gallup Poll, protecting the environment only ranked fourth out of the six (Carlson 2005). While all six of these issues were identified as important, the top three that emerged as most important were (1) improvements in education, (2) the economy, and (3) health care. As the pursuit and incorporation of sustainability continues to evolve, so too will the expected outcomes. New definitions of performance that reflect the social/business benefits as well as the lengthened implementation period are relevant and warranted (Ehrenfeld 2005; Hitchcock and Willard 2006). We identified three primary categories of outcomes based on a literature review of both anecdotal and conceptual expectations of sustainability: (1) improvements in constituent satisfaction, (2) differentiation opportunities, and (3) financial rewards. Within each of these categories, several specific outcomes were identified resulting in eleven different outcomes arising from sustainability initiatives. Our survey results indicate that the top five most likely outcomes for companies that pursue sustainability are: (1) green consumers will be more satisfied, (2) company image will be better, (3) corporate responsibility will be enhanced, (4) energy costs will be reduced, and (5) products will be more innovative. Additionally, to better understand the interesting intersection between the environmental "identity" of a consumer and the willingness to manifest that identity with marketplace purchases, we extended prior research developed by Experian Research (2008). Accordingly, respondents were categorized as one of four types of green consumers (Behavioral Greens, Think Greens, Potential Greens, or True Browns) to garner a better understanding of the green consumer in addition to assisting with a more effective interpretation of results. We assessed these consumers' willingness to engage in eco-friendly behavior by evaluating three options: (1) shopping at retailers that support environmental initiatives, (2) paying more for products that protect the environment, and (3) paying higher taxes so the government can support environmental initiatives. Think Greens expressed the greatest willingness to change, followed by Behavioral Greens, Potential Greens, and True Browns. These differences were all significant at p<.01. Further Conclusions and Implications We have undertaken a descriptive study which seeks to enhance our understanding of the strategic domain of sustainability. Specifically, this research fills a gap in the literature by comparing and contrasting the sustainability views of business executives and consumers with specific regard to preferences, intentions, willingness-to-pay, behavior, and attitudes. For practitioners, much can be gained from a strategic standpoint. In addition to the many results already reported, respondents also reported than willing to pay more for products that protect the environment. Other specific results indicate that female respondents consistently communicate a stronger willingness than males to pay more for these products and to shop at eco-friendly retailers. Knowing this additional information, practitioners can now have a more specific market in which to target and communicate their sustainability efforts. While this research is only an initial step towards understanding similarities and differences among practitioners and consumers regarding sustainability, it presents original findings that contribute to both practice and research. Future research should be directed toward examining other variables affecting this relationship, as well as other specific industries.

Development and Research into Functional Foods from Hydrolyzed Whey Protein Powder with Sialic Acid as Its Index Component - I. Repeated 90-day Oral Administration Toxicity Test using Rats Administered Hydrolyzed Whey Protein Powder containing Normal Concentration of Sialic Acid (7%) with Enzyme Separation Method - (Sialic Acid를 지표성분으로 하는 유청가수분해단백분말의 기능성식품 개발연구 - I. 효소분리로 7% Siailc Acid가 표준적으로 함유된 유청가수분해단백분말(7%)의 랫드를 이용한 90일 반복경구투여 독성시험 평가 연구 -)

  • Noh, Hye-Ji;Cho, Hyang-Hyun;Kim, Hee-Kyong
    • Journal of Dairy Science and Biotechnology
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    • v.34 no.2
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    • pp.99-116
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    • 2016
  • We herein performed animal safety assessment in accordance with Good Laboratory Practice (GLP) regulations with the aim of developing sialic acid from glycomacropeptide (hereafter referred to as "GMP") as an index ingredient and functional component in functional foods. GMP is a type of whey protein derived from milk and a safe food, with multiple functions, such as antiviral activity. A test substance was produced containing 7% (w/w) sialic acid and mostly-hydrolyzed whey protein (hereafter referred to as "7%-GNANA") by enzymatic treatment of substrate GMP. The maximum intake test dose level was selected based on 5,000 mg/kg/day dose set for male NOEL (no-observed-effect-level) and female NOAEL (no-observed-adverse-effect-level) determined by a dose-range finding (DRF) test (GLP Center of Catholic University of Daegu, Report No. 15-NREO-001) that was previously conducted with the same test substance. To evaluate the toxicity of a repeated oral dose of the test substance in connection with the previous DRF study, 1,250, 2,500, and 5,000 mg/kg of the substance were administered by a probe into the stomachs of 6-week-old SPF Sprague-Dawley male and female rats for 90 d. Each test group consisted of 10 male and 10 female rats. To determine the toxicity index, all parameters, such as observation of common signs; measurements of body weight and food consumption; ophthalmic examination; urinalysis, electrolyte, hematological, and serum biochemical examination; measurement of organ weights during autopsy; and visual and histopathological examinations were conducted according to GLP standards. After evaluating the results based on the test toxicity assessment criteria, it was determined that NOAEL of the test substance, 7%-GNANA, was 5,000 mg/kg/day, for both male and female rats. No animal death was noted in any of the test groups, including the control group, during the study period, and there was no significant difference associated with test substance, as compared with the control group, with respect to general symptoms, body weight changes, food consumption, ophthalmic examination, urinalysis, hematological and serum biochemical examination, and electrolyte and blood coagulation tests during the administration period (P<0.05). As assessed by the effects of the test substance on organ weights, food consumption, autopsy, and histopathological safety, change in kidney weight as an indicator of male NOAEL revealed up to 20% kidney weight increase in the high-dose group (5,000 mg/kg/day) compared with the change in the control group. However, it was concluded that this effect of the test substance was minor. In the case of female rats, reduction of food consumption, increase of kidney weight, and decrease of thymus weight were observed in the high-dose group. The kidney weight increased by 10.2% (left) and 8.9% (right) in the high-dose group, with a slight dose-dependency compared with that of the control group. It was observed that the thymus weight decreased by 25.3% in the high-dose group, but it was a minor test substance-associated effect. During the autopsy, botryoid tumor was detected on the ribs of one subject in the high-dose group, but we concluded that the tumor has been caused by a naturally occurring (non-test) substance. Histopathological examination revealed lesions on the kidney, liver, spleen, and other organs in the low-dose test group. Since these lesions were considered a separate phenomenon, or naturally occurring and associated with aging, it was checked whether any target organ showed clear symptoms caused by the test substance. In conclusion, different concentrations of the test substance were fed to rats and, consequently, it was verified that only a minor effect was associated with the test substance in the high-dose (5,000 mg/kg/day) group of both male and female rats, without any other significant effects associated with the test substance. Therefore, it was concluded that NOAEL of 7%-GNANA (product name: Helicobactrol) with male and female rats as test animals was 5,000 mg/kg/day, and it thus was determined that the substance is safe for the ultimate use as an ingredient of health functional foods.

Brand Equity and Purchase Intention in Fashion Products: A Cross-Cultural Study in Asia and Europe (상표자산과 구매의도와의 관계에 관한 국제비교연구 - 아시아와 유럽의 의류시장을 중심으로 -)

  • Kim, Kyung-Hoon;Ko, Eun-Ju;Graham, Hooley;Lee, Nick;Lee, Dong-Hae;Jung, Hong-Seob;Jeon, Byung-Joo;Moon, Hak-Il
    • Journal of Global Scholars of Marketing Science
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    • v.18 no.4
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    • pp.245-276
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    • 2008
  • Brand equity is one of the most important concepts in business practice as well as in academic research. Successful brands can allow marketers to gain competitive advantage (Lassar et al.,1995), including the opportunity for successful extensions, resilience against competitors' promotional pressures, and the ability to create barriers to competitive entry (Farquhar, 1989). Branding plays a special role in service firms because strong brands increase trust in intangible products (Berry, 2000), enabling customers to better visualize and understand them. They reduce customers' perceived monetary, social, and safety risks in buying services, which are obstacles to evaluating a service correctly before purchase. Also, a high level of brand equity increases consumer satisfaction, repurchasing intent, and degree of loyalty. Brand equity can be considered as a mixture that includes both financial assets and relationships. Actually, brand equity can be viewed as the value added to the product (Keller, 1993), or the perceived value of the product in consumers' minds. Mahajan et al. (1990) claim that customer-based brand equity can be measured by the level of consumers' perceptions. Several researchers discuss brand equity based on two dimensions: consumer perception and consumer behavior. Aaker (1991) suggests measuring brand equity through price premium, loyalty, perceived quality, and brand associations. Viewing brand equity as the consumer's behavior toward a brand, Keller (1993) proposes similar dimensions: brand awareness and brand knowledge. Thus, past studies tend to identify brand equity as a multidimensional construct consisted of brand loyalty, brand awareness, brand knowledge, customer satisfaction, perceived equity, brand associations, and other proprietary assets (Aaker, 1991, 1996; Blackston, 1995; Cobb-Walgren et al., 1995; Na, 1995). Other studies tend to regard brand equity and other brand assets, such as brand knowledge, brand awareness, brand image, brand loyalty, perceived quality, and so on, as independent but related constructs (Keller, 1993; Kirmani and Zeithaml, 1993). Walters(1978) defined information search as, "A psychological or physical action a consumer takes in order to acquire information about a product or store." But, each consumer has different methods for informationsearch. There are two methods of information search, internal and external search. Internal search is, "Search of information already saved in the memory of the individual consumer"(Engel, Blackwell, 1982) which is, "memory of a previous purchase experience or information from a previous search."(Beales, Mazis, Salop, and Staelin, 1981). External search is "A completely voluntary decision made in order to obtain new information"(Engel & Blackwell, 1982) which is, "Actions of a consumer to acquire necessary information by such methods as intentionally exposing oneself to advertisements, taking to friends or family or visiting a store."(Beales, Mazis, Salop, and Staelin, 1981). There are many sources for consumers' information search including advertisement sources such as the internet, radio, television, newspapers and magazines, information supplied by businesses such as sales people, packaging and in-store information, consumer sources such as family, friends and colleagues, and mass media sources such as consumer protection agencies, government agencies and mass media sources. Understanding consumers' purchasing behavior is a key factor of a firm to attract and retain customers and improving the firm's prospects for survival and growth, and enhancing shareholder's value. Therefore, marketers should understand consumer as individual and market segment. One theory of consumer behavior supports the belief that individuals are rational. Individuals think and move through stages when making a purchase decision. This means that rational thinkers have led to the identification of a consumer buying decision process. This decision process with its different levels of involvement and influencing factors has been widely accepted and is fundamental to the understanding purchase intention represent to what consumers think they will buy. Brand equity is not only companies but also very important asset more than product itself. This paper studies brand equity model and influencing factors including information process such as information searching and information resources in the fashion market in Asia and Europe. Information searching and information resources are influencing brand knowledge that influences consumers purchase decision. Nine research hypotheses are drawn to test the relationships among antecedents of brand equity and purchase intention and relationships among brand knowledge, brand value, brand attitude, and brand loyalty. H1. Information searching influences brand knowledge positively. H2. Information sources influence brand knowledge positively. H3. Brand knowledge influences brand attitude. H4. Brand knowledge influences brand value. H5. Brand attitude influences brand loyalty. H6. Brand attitude influences brand value. H7. Brand loyalty influences purchase intention. H8. Brand value influence purchase intention. H9. There will be the same research model in Asia and Europe. We performed structural equation model analysis in order to test hypotheses suggested in this study. The model fitting index of the research model in Asia was $X^2$=195.19(p=0.0), NFI=0.90, NNFI=0.87, CFI=0.90, GFI=0.90, RMR=0.083, AGFI=0.85, which means the model fitting of the model is good enough. In Europe, it was $X^2$=133.25(p=0.0), NFI=0.81, NNFI=0.85, CFI=0.89, GFI=0.90, RMR=0.073, AGFI=0.85, which means the model fitting of the model is good enough. From the test results, hypotheses were accepted. All of these hypotheses except one are supported. In Europe, information search is not an antecedent of brand knowledge. This means that sales of global fashion brands like jeans in Europe are not expanding as rapidly as in Asian markets such as China, Japan, and South Korea. Young consumers in European countries are not more brand and fashion conscious than their counter partners in Asia. The results have theoretical, practical meaning and contributions. In the fashion jeans industry, relatively few studies examining the viability of cross-national brand equity has been studied. This study provides insight on building global brand equity and suggests information process elements like information search and information resources are working differently in Asia and Europe for fashion jean market.

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