• Korean small business review
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• v.31 no.4
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• pp.67-93
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• 2009

The purpose of this paper is to explore the relations between financial constraints and dividend smoothing of innovative small and medium sized enterprises(SMEs) listed on Korea Securities Market and Kosdaq Market of Korea Exchange. The innovative SMEs is defined as the firms with high level of R&D intensity which is measured by (R&D investment/total sales) ratio, according to Chauvin and Hirschey (1993). The R&D investment plays an important role as the innovative driver that can increase the future growth opportunity and profitability of the firms. Therefore, the R&D investment have large, positive, and consistent influences on the market value of the firm. In this point of view, we expect that the innovative SMEs can adjust dividend payment faster than the noninnovative SMEs, on the ground of their future growth opportunity and profitability. And also, we expect that the financial unconstrained firms can adjust dividend payment faster than the financial constrained firms, on the ground of their financing ability of investment funds through the market accessibility. Aivazian et al.(2006) exert that the financial unconstrained firms with the high accessibility to capital market can adjust dividend payment faster than the financial constrained firms. We collect the sample firms among the total SMEs listed on Korea Securities Market and Kosdaq Market of Korea Exchange during the periods from January 1999 to December 2007 from the KIS Value Library database. The total number of firm-year observations of the total sample firms throughout the entire period is 5,544, the number of firm-year observations of the dividend firms is 2,919, and the number of firm-year observations of the non-dividend firms is 2,625. About 53%(or 2,919) of these total 5,544 observations involve firms that make a dividend payment. The dividend firms are divided into two groups according to the R&D intensity, such as the innovative SMEs with larger than median of R&D intensity and the noninnovative SMEs with smaller than median of R&D intensity. The number of firm-year observations of the innovative SMEs is 1,506, and the number of firm-year observations of the noninnovative SMEs is 1,413. Furthermore, the innovative SMEs are divided into two groups according to level of financial constraints, such as the financial unconstrained firms and the financial constrained firms. The number of firm-year observations of the former is 894, and the number of firm-year observations of the latter is 612. Although all available firm-year observations of the dividend firms are collected, deletions are made in the case of financial industries such as banks, securities company, insurance company, and other financial services company, because their capital structure and business style are widely different from the general manufacturing firms. The stock repurchase was involved in dividend payment because Grullon and Michaely (2002) examined the substitution hypothesis between dividends and stock repurchases. However, our data structure is an unbalanced panel data since there is no requirement that the firm-year observations data are all available for each firms during the entire periods from January 1999 to December 2007 from the KIS Value Library database. We firstly estimate the classic Lintner(1956) dividend adjustment model, where the decision to smooth dividend or to adopt a residual dividend policy depends on financial constraints measured by market accessibility. Lintner model indicates that firms maintain stable and long run target payout ratio, and that firms adjust partially the gap between current payout rato and target payout ratio each year. In the Lintner model, dependent variable is the current dividend per share(DPS_t), and independent variables are the past dividend per share(DPS_t-1) and the current earnings per share(EPS_t). We hypothesized that firms adjust partially the gap between the current dividend per share(DPS_t) and the target payout ratio(Ω) each year, when the past dividend per share(DPS_t-1) deviate from the target payout ratio(Ω). We secondly estimate the expansion model that extend the Lintner model by including the determinants suggested by the major theories of dividend, namely, residual dividend theory, dividend signaling theory, agency theory, catering theory, and transactions cost theory. In the expansion model, dependent variable is the current dividend per share(DPS_t), explanatory variables are the past dividend per share(DPS_t-1) and the current earnings per share(EPS_t), and control variables are the current capital expenditure ratio(CEA_t), the current leverage ratio(LEV_t), the current operating return on assets(ROA_t), the current business risk(RISK_t), the current trading volume turnover ratio(TURN_t), and the current dividend premium(DPREM_t). In these control variables, CEA_t, LEV_t, and ROA_t are the determinants suggested by the residual dividend theory and the agency theory, ROA_t and RISK_t are the determinants suggested by the dividend signaling theory, TURN_t is the determinant suggested by the transactions cost theory, and DPREM_t is the determinant suggested by the catering theory. Furthermore, we thirdly estimate the Lintner model and the expansion model by using the panel data of the financial unconstrained firms and the financial constrained firms, that are divided into two groups according to level of financial constraints. We expect that the financial unconstrained firms can adjust dividend payment faster than the financial constrained firms, because the former can finance more easily the investment funds through the market accessibility than the latter. We analyzed descriptive statistics such as mean, standard deviation, and median to delete the outliers from the panel data, conducted one way analysis of variance to check up the industry-specfic effects, and conducted difference test of firms characteristic variables between innovative SMEs and noninnovative SMEs as well as difference test of firms characteristic variables between financial unconstrained firms and financial constrained firms. We also conducted the correlation analysis and the variance inflation factors analysis to detect any multicollinearity among the independent variables. Both of the correlation coefficients and the variance inflation factors are roughly low to the extent that may be ignored the multicollinearity among the independent variables. Furthermore, we estimate both of the Lintner model and the expansion model using the panel regression analysis. We firstly test the time-specific effects and the firm-specific effects may be involved in our panel data through the Lagrange multiplier test that was proposed by Breusch and Pagan(1980), and secondly conduct Hausman test to prove that fixed effect model is fitter with our panel data than the random effect model. The main results of this study can be summarized as follows. The determinants suggested by the major theories of dividend, namely, residual dividend theory, dividend signaling theory, agency theory, catering theory, and transactions cost theory explain significantly the dividend policy of the innovative SMEs. Lintner model indicates that firms maintain stable and long run target payout ratio, and that firms adjust partially the gap between the current payout ratio and the target payout ratio each year. In the core variables of Lintner model, the past dividend per share has more effects to dividend smoothing than the current earnings per share. These results suggest that the innovative SMEs maintain stable and long run dividend policy which sustains the past dividend per share level without corporate special reasons. The main results show that dividend adjustment speed of the innovative SMEs is faster than that of the noninnovative SMEs. This means that the innovative SMEs with high level of R&D intensity can adjust dividend payment faster than the noninnovative SMEs, on the ground of their future growth opportunity and profitability. The other main results show that dividend adjustment speed of the financial unconstrained SMEs is faster than that of the financial constrained SMEs. This means that the financial unconstrained firms with high accessibility to capital market can adjust dividend payment faster than the financial constrained firms, on the ground of their financing ability of investment funds through the market accessibility. Futhermore, the other additional results show that dividend adjustment speed of the innovative SMEs classified by the Small and Medium Business Administration is faster than that of the unclassified SMEs. They are linked with various financial policies and services such as credit guaranteed service, policy fund for SMEs, venture investment fund, insurance program, and so on. In conclusion, the past dividend per share and the current earnings per share suggested by the Lintner model explain mainly dividend adjustment speed of the innovative SMEs, and also the financial constraints explain partially. Therefore, if managers can properly understand of the relations between financial constraints and dividend smoothing of innovative SMEs, they can maintain stable and long run dividend policy of the innovative SMEs through dividend smoothing. These are encouraging results for Korea government, that is, the Small and Medium Business Administration as it has implemented many policies to commit to the innovative SMEs. This paper may have a few limitations because it may be only early study about the relations between financial constraints and dividend smoothing of the innovative SMEs. Specifically, this paper may not adequately capture all of the subtle features of the innovative SMEs and the financial unconstrained SMEs. Therefore, we think that it is necessary to expand sample firms and control variables, and use more elaborate analysis methods in the future studies.

• Journal of the Korean association of regional geographers
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• v.3 no.1
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• pp.183-198
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• 1997

This case study was conducted by verification the site characteristics based on the questionnaire and interview obtained from the all factories located at No. 1 developing area in Kumi industrial complex. The site characteristics were presumed from the process of location behavior and spatial linkage. Kumi industrial complex was developed to improve export industry at national levels by providing chief land price and benefiting various tax. Kumi industrial complex which enticed many factories is playing an important role in export industry in Korea. At beginning, the detention of large enterprises promoted the establishment of related small to medium sized factories into the complex. Two distinctive industries. textile and electronic, were reflected by the purpose to establish the complex and industrial characteristics of Taegu city. respectively. In Kumi industrial complex, positive responses on traffic and raw material supply and negative reactions on the environmental impact on social community as well as high labor charge were investigated. Especially the higher labor cost prevented to hire laborers effectively. In the linkages of spatial and raw material, most factories in the complex depended on the availability of out side the Kumi city. For the textile factories, the supply of raw material and parts were relied on Taegu and/or other cities, whereas in electronic factories purchased them mainly from other cities and partly from abroad. Although questionnaire and interview suggested it, most of the parts were supplied by a parts maturing companies on the complex to a few large enterprises. In the marketing linkage, textile factories revealed higher relation-ship with the foreign countries and sewing factories in Korea. On the other hand, electronic factories have strong relation-ships in the marketing linkage to the parts supplying companies in the complex or large-scale resembling companies in other cities. In the textile companies, the right for decision on purchasing raw materials and parts is belonging to the owner whereas mother enterprise usually have the right for the marketing. In the case of the electronic factories, all the purchasing activities are related to the sub-contracting companies. In the service linkage, the Quality of the service created spatial distinction. There was high linkages on inside of Kumi complex for the low grade services such as repairing and installing machines, whereas strong linkages on outside of the complex for the high grade services such as management, law, taxation, new product development. and manufacturing technology. In the linkages of activity on the R&D (research and development), electronic factories do not have sufficiently qualified institutes in the complex. Strong regional linkages in the field of textile and electronic industries revealed limitations of the local industrial complex. In the sub-contracting linkage, high linkage ship within Kumi boundary reflected the characteristics of industrial site in the complex. There, most decisions by the companies centered by the mother enterprise.

• Journal of Distribution Science
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• v.9 no.3
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• pp.83-94
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• 2011

Most domestic companies, with the exclusion of major firms, are reluctant to implement a supply chain management (SCM) network into their operations. Most small- and medium-sized enterprises are not even aware of SCM. Due to the inherent total-systems efficiency of SCM, it coordinates domestic manufacturers, subcontractors, distributors, and physical distributors and cuts down on cost of inventory control, as well as demand management. Furthermore, a lack of SCM causes a decrease in competitiveness for domestic companies. The reason lies in the fundamentality of SCM, which is the characteristic of information sharing, process innovation throughout SCM, and the vast range of problems the SCM management tool is able to address. This study suggests the contemplation and reformation of the current SCM situation by analyzing the SCM strategic plan, discourses and logical discussions on the topic, and a successful case for adapting SCM; hence, the study plans to productively "process" SCM. First, it is necessary to contemplate the theoretical background of SCM before discussing how to successfully process SCM. I will describe the concept and background of SCM in Chapter 2, with a definition of SCM, types of SCM promotional activities, fields of SCM, necessity of applying SCM, and the effects of SCM. All of the defects in currently processing SCM will be introduced in Chapter 3. Discussion items include the following: the Bullwhip Effect; the breakdown in supply chain and sales networks due to e-business; the issue that even though the key to a successful SCM is cooperation between the production and distribution company, during the process of SCM, the companies, many times, put their profits first, resulting in a possible defect in demands estimation. Furthermore, the problems of processing SCM in a domestic distribution-production company concern Information Technology; for example, the new system introduced to the company is not compatible with the pre-existing document architecture. Second, for effective management, distribution and production companies should cooperate and enhance their partnership in the aspect of the corporation; however, in reality, this seldom occurs. Third, in the aspect of the work process, introducing SCM could provoke corporations during the integration of the distribution-production process. Fourth, to increase the achievement of the SCM strategy process, they need to set up a cross-functional team; however, many times, business partners lack the cooperation and business-information sharing tools necessary to effect the transition to SCM. Chapter 4 will address an SCM strategic plan and a case study of LG Electronics. The purpose of the strategic plan, strategic plans for types of business, adopting SCM in a distribution company, and the global supply chain process of LG Electronics will be introduced. The conclusion of the study is located in Chapter 5, which addresses the issue of the fierce competition that companies currently face in the global market environment and their increased investment in SCM, in order to better cope with short product life cycle and high customer expectations. The SCM management system has evolved through the adaptation of improved information, communication, and transportation technologies; now, it demands the utilization of various strategic resources. The introduction of SCM provides benefits to the management of a network of interconnected businesses by securing customer loyalty with cost and time savings, derived through the consolidation of many distribution systems; additionally, SCM helps enterprises form a wide range of marketing strategies. Thus, we could conclude that not only the distributors but all types of businesses should adopt the systems approach to supply chain strategies. SCM deals with the basic stream of distribution and increases the value of a company by replacing physical distribution with information. By the company obtaining and sharing ready information, it is able to create customer satisfaction at the end point of delivery to the consumer.

• Journal of Korea Port Economic Association
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• v.39 no.1
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• pp.131-147
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• 2023

Gwangyang Port Marine Industry Cluster is the only marine industry cluster in Korea that is currently in operation, but despite the implementation of various revitalization policies since its opening, the occupancy rate has been low so far. Accordingly, this study aims to identify the constraints of the current system that hinder the inducement of tenant companies and to suggest revitalization measures. For this purpose, this study analyzed the current status of research and development(R&D) projects in the port, shipping and logistics sector, which is a core industry of the Gwangyang Port Marine Industry Cluster. And a survey was conducted on companies with potential to move in. As a result, the proportion of R&D in the core industry sectors is lower than in other sectors, and most of R&D projects are being carried out mainly by small and medium-sized enterprises. In addition, the low need for port facilities and low accessibility to Gwangyang Port were derived as constraints. Considering the results, this study suggests four revitalization measures to induce tenant companies as follows. First, it is necessary to expand the scope of core industries from the current shipping, ports, and logistics to the entire maritime and fisheries, so that companies performing R&D in the industry can move in. Second, the industry code currently specified as a qualification need to be revised to include both the industry of the enterprise carrying out R&D projects and the core industry. Therefore, this study suggests an expanded industry code list that can replace current list. Third, a transition of tenant recruitment system from the regular system(once or twice a year) to the occasional system is proposed so that companies can move in flexibly when demand arises. Finally, in order to overcome geographically low accessibility, technology development support projects specialized in R&D that prospective tenant companies actually need are needed rather than financial support.

• Asia-Pacific Journal of Business Venturing and Entrepreneurship
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• v.13 no.3
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• pp.125-140
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• 2018

According to statistics, it is shown that domestic SMEs rely on bank loans for the majority of fund procurement. From financial information shortage (Thin file) that does not provide information necessary for credit evaluation from banks such as financial statements. In order to overcome these problems, recently, in alternative finance such as P2P, using differentiated information such as demographics, trading information and the like utilizing Fintech instead of existing financial information, small funds A new credit evaluation method has been expanding to provide SMEs with small amounts of money. In this paradigm of environmental change, in this research, credit evaluation which can expand fund supply to SMEs by utilizing big data based on trade area information such as sales fluctuation, location conditions etc. In this research, we try to find such a solution. By analyzing empirically the big data generated in the trade area, we verify the effectiveness as a credit evaluation factor and try to derive the main parameters necessary for the business performance evaluation of the founder of SMEs. In this research, for 17,116 material businesses in Seoul City that operate the service industry from 2009 to February 2018, we collect trade area information generated for each business location from Big Data specialized company NICE Zini Data Co., Ltd.. We collected and analyzed the data on the locations and commercial areas of the facilities that were difficult to obtain from SMEs and analyzed the data that affected the Corporate financial Distress. It is possible to refer to the variable of the existing unused big data and to confirm the possibility of utilizing it for efficient financial support for SMEs, This is to ensure that commercial lenders, even in general commercial banks, are made to be more prominent in one sector of the financing of SMEs. In this research, it is not the traditional financial information about raising fund of SMEs who have basically the problem of information asymmetry, but a trade area analysis variable is derived, and this variable is evaluated by credit evaluation There is differentiation of research in that it verified through analysis of big data from Trading-area whether or not there is an effect on.

• Journal of Venture Innovation
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• v.1 no.1
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• pp.49-65
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• 2018

For a long time the German economy was primarily defined by large corporations and thriving small and medium-sized enterprises. Since about 2005 a second strand has started to emerge and it is one which is becoming increasingly important and is creating jobs - start-ups in the digital sector. This start-up activity is taking an important role in Germany's economic development: Start-up companies spawn innovations and create jobs, thus promoting the concept of competition. In general "start-up" refers to digitally-driven companies that are not more than five years old. Germany's start-up policy consists of three main parts. First of all, Germany has the characteristics of technology-based start-ups. The Hartz reform since 2002 has shown its focus on technology-based start-ups. In particular, it is the most appropriate for a start-up company to take the role of a new technology company to respond to changes in the global industrial structure. Second, it is approaching from a long-term perspective. In this regard, the small business policy, including Germany's new business policy, is seen as a tradition that can be consistent and can make policy decisions based on the basics rather than following the times. Third, the government is implementing policies centered on demand. Germany's start-up policy is summarized as a technology-based policy and new job creation. The policy response is that the government seeks the best combination of policies by adapting them to the times from the broad trend of employment market policies. What is important here is that policies are made based on consumers, not suppliers, in the process of policy making and implementation. With the Digital Agenda 2020 the Federal government has likewise committed itself to preparing the digital economy for international competition and making Germany the "No. 1 digital growth country in Europe". Ever since 1998 the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy (BMWi) has awarded the "EXIST" start-up scholarship to students and graduates. The Ministry also invests in the High Tech start-up fund. Together with Kreditanstalt für Wiederaufbau (KfW) and 18 other investors from the world of business the seed investor promotes young technology companies. Germany offers start-ups a good infrastructure and lots of funding opportunities. Berlin is regarded as Europe's start-up capital and also attracts lots of international young entrepreneurs.

• Asia-Pacific Journal of Business Venturing and Entrepreneurship
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• v.13 no.2
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• pp.51-61
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• 2018

As Korean society becomes more matured, more people consider trust valuable, as a social capital. Researchers introduced trust literatures focusing on public policy, sociology than business. In this paper, it is empirically analyzed how Organizational Justice, Shared Values, Organizational Trust, 3 dimensions of social capital explained by Nahapiet & Ghoshall, together with Job Satisfaction and Innovative Behavior, as a proxy of performance at the organizational level. The results of this study are as below. Firstly Organizational Justice, consisted of 4 sub-variables of Distributional Justice, Procedural Justice, Interpersonal Justice and Informational Justice, classified by Colquitt, affects Job Satisfaction positively. Secondly Shared Values, consisted of 2 sub-variables of CEO's Core Value and Organizational Culture, availing Competing Value Model of Cameron & Quinn, affect Job Satisfaction positively. Thirdly Job Satisfaction, consisted of 2 sub-variables of economical satisfaction and self-efficacy, affects Innovative Behavior positively. Lastly Organizational Trust has mediating effect on the relationship between Job Satisfaction and Innovative Behavior. However, while the direct effect of Job Satisfaction on Innovative Behavior shows 69%, the indirect effect of Organizational Trust on Innovative Behavior shows 31%, which may not be ignorable. Furthermore in case of smaller organization with less than 30 members, the indirect effect of Organizational Trust shows 64%, comparing to 36% of direct effect of Job Satisfaction. This study was able to confirm that organizations need to maintain Organizational Trust as much as they strive to increase Job Satisfaction through securing Organizational Justice and Shared Values in order to effectively increase Innovative Behavior. For small organizations with less than 30 members, they can never achieve Innovative Behavior without Organizational Trust. Conclusively it is acknowledged that Organizational Trust is the most important prior condition for innovation and long-term survival of SME ventures.

• Archives of design research
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• v.17 no.2
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• pp.425-436
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• 2004

A new design field called eDesign appears as if eBiz is an online related business in which an industrialized design creates the individual value added facing a digital revolution. The field of eDesign requires a special design process and management methodology regardless of the fact that human sensitivity will be satisfied through a dehumanized computer technique. However, it is the reality of eDesign that has been dependent upon a simple process or project management tool of general design. In this study, we develop an eDesign platform based on an eDesign process and template mainly focused on eBusiness in order to overcome the wrong situation. The template is a kind of document that has a standardization form. We aim to establish a general process through various case projects, store information using a necessary template, and use for the way of visual communication. We propose a standard of eDesign platform that can be widely applied to the field of design, medium and small enterprises focused on IT businesses or design-team through this project performed as an educational-industrial study. It makes it possible to get a detailed process methodology, which can be applied to many small design related companies that don't have their own process yet, and will be a scale for comparing their own process in which the company has a process of opened standard eDesign with it. In addition, it makes possible a systematic control of the own projects within and outside the firm, accumulating information for the firm through the database, and easy communication. Furthermore, it can be applied to check the process of the project as a checklist, and then it will reduce trial and error repeated for every project that has been done.

• Journal of Korea Society of Industrial Information Systems
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• v.23 no.5
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• pp.119-134
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• 2018

Today, many firms face the environment of high uncertainty and severe competition due to the rapid technology development and the diverse needs of customers. In the business environment, one of the most important ways to gain sustainable competitive advantage and future growth engine is related to NPD (New Product Development), which is a very important issue for practice and academia. Thus, this study intends to provide new values to practitioners and researchers related to NPD by analyzing current research trends and future trends in NPD field. For this, we bibliometrically analyzed keyword networks which consist of keywords that were already published in the eminent journals from Scopus database to generate insights that have not been captured in the previous reviews on the topic. As a result, we could understand the extant research streams in NPD field, and suggest the changes of specific research topics based on the connected relationships among keywords over the time. In addition, we also foresaw the general future research trends in NPD field based on the keywords according to preferential attachment processes. Through this study, it was confirmed that NPD keyword network is a small world network that follows the distribution of power law and the growth of network is formed by link formation by keyword preferential attachment. In addition, through component analysis and centrality analysis, keywords such as Innovation, New product innovation, Risk management, Concurrent engineering, Research and development, and Product life cycle management are highly centralized in NPD keyword network. On the other hand, as a result of examining the change of preferential attachment of keywords over the time, we suggested the required new research direction including i) NPD collaboration with suppliers, ii) NPD considering market uncertainty, iii) NPD considering convergence with the other academic areas like technology management and knowledge management, iv) NPD from SME(Small and medium enterprises) perspective. The results of this study can be used to determine the research trends of NPD and the new research themes for interdisciplinary studies with other disciplines.

• Journal of Venture Innovation
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• v.7 no.3
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• pp.183-228
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• 2024

This study aimed to develop a competency evaluation scale tailored to the specific needs of key talent in the ICT startup sector. Existing competency assessment tools are mostly designed for environments in large corporations or traditional small and medium-sized enterprises, failing to adequately reflect the dynamic requirements of rapidly evolving startups. For startups, where a small number of individuals directly impact company success, key talent is a critical asset. Accordingly, this study sought to create a scale that measures the competencies suited to the challenges and opportunities faced by startups, helping domestic startups establish more effective talent management strategies. The research initially selected 71 items through a literature review and in-depth interviews. Based on expert feedback that emphasized the need for more precise and clear descriptions, the item descriptions were revised, and a total of 65 items were developed through four rounds of content validation. Following preliminary and main surveys, a final set of 58 items was developed. The main survey conducted further factor analysis based on the three broad competency factors?knowledge, skills, and attitude?identified in the preliminary survey. As a result, 10 latent factors emerged: 6 items for task comprehension, 6 items for practical experience (tacit knowledge), 6 items for collaboration, 9 items for management and problem-solving, 9 items for practical skills, 4 items for self-direction, 5 items for goal orientation, 5 items for adaptability, 5 items for relationship orientation, and 3 items for organizational loyalty. The developed scale comprehensively covers the multifaceted nature of competencies, allowing for a thorough evaluation of essential skills such as technical ability, teamwork, innovation, and leadership, which are critical for startups. Therefore, the scale provides a tool that helps startup managers objectively and accurately assess candidates' competencies. It also supports the growth of employees within startups, maximizing the overall organizational performance. By utilizing this tool, startups can build a strong internal talent pool and continuously enhance employees' competencies, thereby strengthening organizational competitiveness. In conclusion, the competency evaluation scale developed in this study is a customized tool that aligns with the characteristics of startups and plays a crucial role in securing sustainable competitiveness in rapidly changing market environments. Additionally, it offers practical guidance to support the successful growth of domestic startups and help them maintain their competitive edge in the market, contributing to the development of the startup ecosystem and the growth of the national economy.