• Journal of Intelligence and Information Systems
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• v.23 no.4
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• pp.169-196
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• 2017

The fourth industrial revolution represents a revolutionary change in the business environment and its ecosystem, which is a fusion of Information Technology (IT) and other industries. In line with these recent changes, the Ministry of Employment and Labor of South Korea announced 'the Fourth Industrial Revolution Leader Training Program,' which includes five key support areas such as (1) smart manufacturing, (2) Internet of Things (IoT), (3) big data including Artificial Intelligence (AI), (4) information security, and (5) bio innovation. Based on this program, we can get a glimpse of the South Korean government's efforts and willingness to emit leading human resource with advanced IT knowledge in various fusion technology-related and newly emerging industries. On the other hand, in order to nurture excellent IT manpower in preparation for the fourth industrial revolution, the role of educational institutions capable of providing high quality IT education services is most of importance. However, these days, most IT educational institutions have had difficulties in providing customized IT education services that meet the needs of consumers (i.e., learners), without breaking away from the traditional framework of providing supplier-oriented education services. From previous studies, it has been found that the provision of customized education services centered on learners leads to high satisfaction of learners, and that higher satisfaction increases not only task performance and the possibility of business application but also learners' recommendation intention. However, since research has not yet been conducted in a comprehensive way that consider both antecedent and consequent factors of the learner's satisfaction, more empirical research on this is highly desirable. With the advent of the fourth industrial revolution, a rising interest in various convergence technologies utilizing information technology (IT) has brought with the growing realization of the important role played by IT-related education services. However, research on the role of IT education service quality in the context of IT education is relatively scarce in spite of the fact that research on general education service quality and satisfaction has been actively conducted in various contexts. In this study, therefore, the five dimensions of IT education service quality (i.e., tangibles, reliability, responsiveness, assurance, and empathy) are derived from the context of IT education, based on the SERVPERF model and related previous studies. In addition, the effects of these detailed IT education service quality factors on learners' educational satisfaction and their work application/recommendation intentions are examined. Furthermore, the moderating roles of learner position (i.e., practitioner group vs. manager group) and participation motivation (i.e., voluntary participation vs. involuntary participation) in relationships between IT education service quality factors and learners' educational satisfaction, work application intention, and recommendation intention are also investigated. In an analysis using the structural equation model (SEM) technique based on a questionnaire given to 203 participants of IT education programs in an 'M' IT educational institution in Seoul, South Korea, tangibles, reliability, and assurance were found to have a significant effect on educational satisfaction. This educational satisfaction was found to have a significant effect on both work application intention and recommendation intention. Moreover, it was discovered that learner position and participation motivation have a partial moderating impact on the relationship between IT education service quality factors and educational satisfaction. This study holds academic implications in that it is one of the first studies to apply the SERVPERF model (rather than the SERVQUAL model, which has been widely adopted by prior studies) is to demonstrate the influence of IT education service quality on learners' educational satisfaction, work application intention, and recommendation intention in an IT education environment. The results of this study are expected to provide practical guidance for IT education service providers who wish to enhance learners' educational satisfaction and service management efficiency.

• Journal of Distribution Science
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• v.11 no.2
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• pp.35-44
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• 2013

Purpose - Until recently, studies on customer values for restaurants recognized two path structures; the SERVQUAL model, that is, service quality? perceived value? customer satisfaction? behavioral intention, and the customer value? customer satisfaction? behavioral intention path that categorizes customer values into functional value and hedonic value. This study, instead, classifies the consumption values of fast-food restaurants based on the consumption value system provided by Sheth, Newman and Gross (1991) and illustrates the new path structure, consumption value? customer satisfaction? behavioral intention, targeting college students for a generalization of the consumption value system of fast-food restaurants. Research design, data, and methodology - This study establishes five hypotheses based on the relationship between each type of consumption value (functional, emotional, social, and epistemic) and customer satisfaction, and the relationship between customer satisfaction and behavioral intention. For this analysis, data was collected by conducting a pre-test and administering a survey to 213 college students who are regular customers at fast-food restaurants in Seoul, Korea. The data collected was then analyzed using SPSS 15.0 and AMOS 6.0 statistical packages. Results - The study showed that: First, the consumption values of fast-food restaurants are classified into the following four categories: functional value, emotional value, social value, and epistemic value while consumption value can be applied to customer value of fast-food restaurants. Second, the functional and epistemic values had a positive impact on customer satisfaction. The resulting satisfaction is attributed to the intrinsic characteristics of fast-food restaurants like the consistent quality of food, reasonable prices, fast service, and unique or new experiences on every visit. On the other hand, emotional and social values did not affect customer satisfaction. The results on emotional value differed from the general studies on restaurants while the results obtained for social value were not consistent with the studies on high-end restaurants. Third, customer satisfaction had a positive impact on behavioral intention. The survey showed that college students reflected behavioral intention - repurchase intention and word-of-mouth - if they were satisfied with the food quality and employee services provided. Simultaneously, it was seen that the impact of functional value on customer satisfaction of fast food restaurant goers was more than that of epistemic value. Conclusions - The consumption values of fast-food restaurant users could be classified into four categories, functional, emotional, social and epistemic values, based on the consumption value system provided by Sheth, Newman and Gross (1991). It proved that the customer values of restaurant goers can be extended to the path structure of consumption value? customer satisfaction? behavioral intention to confirm its generalization. The study also showed that marketing managers need to focus more on the factors that influence functional value as the fast-food restaurant users consider timely services with the consistent quality of food at a reasonable price and at a convenient place more important than the new experiences or uniqueness.

• Korea Journal of Hospital Management
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• v.12 no.4
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• pp.45-67
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• 2007

This study is focused on the medical services market in china which would be the largest one in the world sooner or later. An empirical research has been performed on the country images and related buying attitudes of the Chinese potential consumers for foreign medical services of more higher level. Upon the basis of this research results, the components of a country image has been restructured and the country image effects on the process of a purchasing decision of the advanced foreign medical services in China has been investigated and analyzed. This research shows that the forming process and the dimensions of a country image in Chinese consumers are rather simplified than the former researches of the same kind in any other countries. In China the expectation and buying intension for foreign medical services is found to be affected directly by a country image. Furthermore among various components of a country image the expected service quality level of the Chinese is found to be mostly dependent on the social stability and safety rather than on the degree of economic developments. Recently breaking through the domestic medical market crisis, more and more hospitals consider to advance into Chinese medical market. This research shows that the reexamination and political concerns on the country image of Korea are needed in the level of government's public relations. Especially the proactive policy making and propaganda of political, social and economic stability and safety in Korea are thought to be more important for successful entry in Chinese medical services market.

• Korea Journal of Hospital Management
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• v.8 no.1
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• pp.112-134
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• 2003

The purpose of this study is to analyze the consumer's expectation before the health care service and the consumer's satisfaction after it. The participants of the study are inpatients in a general hospital located in Seoul. The resources were collected from the self-administration questionnaire survey run parallel with face to face interview. In order to measure the degree of the consumer's expectation, 349 samples were collected from the first questionnaire survey on the date of admission to the hospital. The second questionnaire survey was carried out on the date of discharge to the hospital with the participants responding to the first questionnaire survey. There are 154 samples collected from this survey. The results from the analysis of these resources are as follow. First, the survey shows that one of the highest consumers' expectations was about the generosity, kindliness and sincerity from the staff at the hospital, specially from doctors. Second, according to the analysis of the factors affecting the expectations of the consumers, with regard to path of admission to a hospital relating to patient's features, outpatient who gets into a hospital expected good medical care much more than the other patients. In regard of doctor's features, patients usually and highly expect good medical care from doctors who have good carrier and much experience. Third, according to the second questionnaire survey, what patients are satisfied most with is about the generosity and sincerity from staff at a hospital, especially from doctors and their gem attitudes. The results from survey show that the differences among the degree of consumers' satisfaction are very variable, depending on surrounding environments and facilities. The only fact that expectation didn't meet with satisfaction appeared to the case about technology and skill of medical care and the case about updated medical skills and equipments. Fourth, comparing the degree of expectation with the degree of satisfaction of consumers, correlative analysis was concerned significantly and specifically about the part of overall cleanliness relating to facilities and surrounding environments, the items about medical examination and test plan procedure relating to skill of medical care, professional specialties and convenience for procedure, and the items about satisfying explanations and concern about patients from doctors relating to staff's generosity and sincerity. Fifth, the analysis of the factors affecting the degree of how much patients are satisfied with shows that relating to sociodemographical features, patients are not satisfied with the case when the time and process of medical treatment are getting longer. It is surveyed that consumer were satisfied with the motivation to visit a hospital and the insurance type in patient's feature and so were the medical department and the factor of the degree of the expectation in disease's feature. Sixth, according to analysis based on the survey, patients would join again a hospital when they get satisfaction from the medical care and also they want to come again regarding to doctor's capability. For example, when doctors are old, have a good carrier and much experience, patients would come again. As seen from the above, consumers are usually satisfied with the medical treatment more than that they expected before. They would intend to use again when they get satisfaction from the medical care provided at a hospital. Patients and consumers highly expect good attitude as well as capacity from medical doctors and they are also generally satisfied with those things. Therefore, in order to increase the degree of consumer's satisfaction and their intention to come again, the hospital staff would have to commit themselves to achieve high quality service continuously and would have to make an effort to offer the finest quality service.