• Journal of Intelligence and Information Systems
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• v.19 no.2
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• pp.157-175
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• 2013

Since Korean government announced 'Smartwork promotion strategy' in 2010, Korean firms and government organizations have started to adopt smartwork. However, the smartwork has been implemented only in a few of large enterprises and government organizations rather than SMEs (small and medium enterprises). In USA, both Yahoo! and Best Buy have stopped their flexible work because of its reported low productivity and job loafing problems. In addition, according to the literature on smartwork, we could draw obstacles of smartwork adoption and categorize them into the three types: institutional, organizational, and technological. The first category of smartwork adoption obstacles, institutional, include the difficulties of smartwork performance evaluation metrics, the lack of readiness of organizational processes, limitation of smartwork types and models, lack of employee participation in smartwork adoption procedure, high cost of building smartwork system, and insufficiency of government support. The second category, organizational, includes limitation of the organization hierarchy, wrong perception of employees and employers, a difficulty in close collaboration, low productivity with remote coworkers, insufficient understanding on remote working, and lack of training about smartwork. The third category, technological, obstacles include security concern of mobile work, lack of specialized solution, and lack of adoption and operation know-how. To overcome the current problems of smartwork in reality and the reported obstacles in literature, we suggest a novel smartwork service model based on NFC(Near Field Communication). This paper suggests NFC-based Smartwork Service Model composed of NFC-based Smartworker networking service and NFC-based Smartwork space management service. NFC-based smartworker networking service is comprised of NFC-based communication/SNS service and NFC-based recruiting/job seeking service. NFC-based communication/SNS Service Model supplements the key shortcomings that existing smartwork service model has. By connecting to existing legacy system of a company through NFC tags and systems, the low productivity and the difficulty of collaboration and attendance management can be overcome since managers can get work processing information, work time information and work space information of employees and employees can do real-time communication with coworkers and get location information of coworkers. Shortly, this service model has features such as affordable system cost, provision of location-based information, and possibility of knowledge accumulation. NFC-based recruiting/job-seeking service provides new value by linking NFC tag service and sharing economy sites. This service model has features such as easiness of service attachment and removal, efficient space-based work provision, easy search of location-based recruiting/job-seeking information, and system flexibility. This service model combines advantages of sharing economy sites with the advantages of NFC. By cooperation with sharing economy sites, the model can provide recruiters with human resource who finds not only long-term works but also short-term works. Additionally, SMEs (Small Medium-sized Enterprises) can easily find job seeker by attaching NFC tags to any spaces at which human resource with qualification may be located. In short, this service model helps efficient human resource distribution by providing location of job hunters and job applicants. NFC-based smartwork space management service can promote smartwork by linking NFC tags attached to the work space and existing smartwork system. This service has features such as low cost, provision of indoor and outdoor location information, and customized service. In particular, this model can help small company adopt smartwork system because it is light-weight system and cost-effective compared to existing smartwork system. This paper proposes the scenarios of the service models, the roles and incentives of the participants, and the comparative analysis. The superiority of NFC-based smartwork service model is shown by comparing and analyzing the new service models and the existing service models. The service model can expand scope of enterprises and organizations that adopt smartwork and expand the scope of employees that take advantages of smartwork.

• The Journal of Industrial Distribution & Business
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• v.2 no.2
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• pp.15-24
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• 2011

Modern enterprises should concentrate their efforts on continuous improvements in focusing their development in the core areas of business and to reduce their expenses and to enhance the quality of service for customers. The enterprises should focus on their core business while outsourcing the non-core areas of business to external specialists for the purpose of reducing cost. In South Korea, the enterprises are becoming increasingly interested in outsourcing their logistics function, especially in using IT technologies to the 3PL. The underlying reason for this trend is because the logistics costs of Korean businesses are much higher than that of other advanced countries. This higher logistic costs weakens the price competitiveness of Korean companies in the overseas export markets and even dampening the balance of international trade. Domestically, the higher logistics costs have the effect of raising prices in the local markets and thus affecting the local economy. Therefore a solution is urgently needed to save the logistics costs for the Korean companies in the interest of increasing national competitiveness. Outsourcing to the 3PL is becoming an attraction solution to this problem. Thanks to the increasing supply of professional logistics companies, many of the enterprises are switching to the Third Party Logistics. Nevertheless the enterprises do not yet utilize the integrated third-party logistics services on a full scale. This study analyzes present conditions and problems of the domestic third-party logistics market and suggests directions for future development. To solve the problems in the domestic third-party logistics market, four actions are recommended. First there should be new supporting policies in the laws and regulations and a system for small and medium sized companies to grow. Solutions to structural problems such as abnormal multilevel merchandising, illegal operation of private cars, and freight dumping should be implemented concurrently. Furthermore, standards for new companies entry into the market should be enhanced to allow only the competitive distribution companies to enter the market. Second, development of variety of educational programs is needed through establishing human-resource development system and specialized formal educational institution focused on this market. Third, the third party distribution companies, which seek long-term relationships with the owners of goods, should endeavor to strengthen their communications capability. Fourth, adoption of high-tech distribution system and the advent of U-Logistics, making use of RFID is urgent. This study has the limitation of objectivity because it does not include various comparative case studies about companies relating to the Third Party Logistics and domestic franchise companies. However, this study is significant to the extent that it analyzes the general present conditions and the problems of domestic Third Party Logistics and suggests recommendations for revitalization of Third Party Logistics. For future studies, analyzing the successful cases of international third party logistics companies' empirical data and studying the application into domestic franchise companies would improve the objectivity of the results. This would assist the domestic third party logistics companies not only to perform excellent domestic logistics function but also to enter into the global market for international logistics.

• Journal of Technology Innovation
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• v.29 no.3
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• pp.33-62
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• 2021

This study compares and analyzes the efficiency of R&D activities of technology-innovative small and medium-sized enterprises(SMEs) between industries and proposes ways to improve efficiency. The research samples are 6,708 technology-innovative SMEs, which have received a guarantee by the KIBO from 2008 to 2011. Input variables are the level of R&D personnel, R&D investment, and output variables are patent applications, prototype. Efficiency is measured by the DEA model, and indirect comparisons that are individually measured by industry are performed. As a result of the analysis, the CCR for determining the optimal returns to scale is 0.19, the BCC for determining the optimal input distribution is 0.70, and the SE for determining the optimal output is 0.30. By industry type, the medium and low-tech industries have high CCR and BCC, while the high-end and high-tech industries have high SE. R&D activities need to be operated on an optimal scale through managing R&D performance because there is the inefficiency of scale across the industry. The contribution of the study is to analyze the R&D efficiency of each industry of technology-innovative SMEs by the technology evaluation data of the KIBO.

• The Journal of the Institute of Internet, Broadcasting and Communication
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• v.21 no.1
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• pp.19-26
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• 2021

The purpose of this study is to provide an environment that can support the development of the virtual asset industry. The limiting factors and countermeasures currently possessed by the virtual asset industry were considered in terms of legal and institutional aspects, technical aspects, and market aspects.Small businesses classified as virtual asset operators have difficulty meeting the government's requirements.Accordingly, SMEs with insufficient funds and manpower are withdrawn from the market, creating an environment where only large-scale enterprises with capital power survive.It is difficult to develop desirable technologies and markets in the virtual asset technology industry. In addition, small and medium-sized companies may be expelled from the market, causing damage to current users. Therefore, in terms of legal and institutional aspects, there is a lack of an exact scope of virtual asset providers, and thus it is necessary to respond to the controversial elements of virtual asset providers. In terms of technology, it is necessary to cope with the slowdown of the P2P method, the difficulty in recovering errors, and the absence of operational experts. Therefore, technology standardization and stabilization are required, and efforts must be made to cultivate operational technical personnel who can support them.In terms of the market, it is necessary to prepare measures to protect users of virtual assets and to establish countermeasures for companies operating virtual assets against weak user protection, inadequate application of the AML method, and limitations of taxation. This study is expected to contribute to active utilization support or related policies in the virtual asset industry.

• Journal of Arbitration Studies
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• v.32 no.4
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• pp.53-85
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• 2022

Small and medium-sized enterprises ("SMEs") are vulnerable to trade secret misappropriation. Korea's legislation for the protection of SMEs' trade secrets and provision of civil, criminal, and administrative remedies includes the SME Technology Protection Act, the Unfair Competition Prevention Act, the Industrial Technology Protection Act, the Mutually Beneficial Cooperation Act, and the Subcontracting Act. Among these acts, the revised SME Technology Protection Act of 2018 introduced the "administrative technology misappropriation investigation system" to facilitate a rapid resolution of SMEs' technology misappropriation disputes. On September 27, 2021, Korea's Ministry of SMEs announced that it had reached an agreement to resolve the dispute between Hyundai Heavy Industries and Samyeong Machinery through the administrative technology misappropriation investigation system. However, not until 3 years and a few months passed since the introduction of the system could it be used to resolve an SME's technology misappropriation dispute with a large corporation. So there arose a question on the usefulness of the system. Therefore, we conducted a comparative legal analysis of Korea's laws enacted to protect trade secrets of SMEs and to address technology misappropriation, focusing on their legislative purpose, protected subject matter, types of misappropriation, and legal remedies. Then we analyzed the administrative technology misappropriation investigation system and the cases where this system was applied. We developed a proposal to enhance the usefulness of the system. The expert interviews of 4 attorneys who are experienced in the management of the system to check the practical value of the proposal. Our analysis shows that the lack of compulsory investigation and criminal sanctions is the fundamental limitation of the system. We propose revising the SME Technology Protection Act to provide correction orders, criminal sanctions, and compulsory investigation. We also propose training professional workforces to conduct digital forensics, enabling terminated SMEs to utilize the system, and assuring independence and fairness of the mediation and arbitration of the technology misappropriation disputes.

• International Commerce and Information Review
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• v.18 no.4
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• pp.3-29
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• 2016

Recently, the market size of the global electronic-commerce is rapidly growing. The global market size of an overseas direct-purchase is expected to reach 1 trillion won by 2020. This study intends to determine the decision making factors of B2B overseas direct-purchase(DP) and reverse direct-purchase(RDP), and the impact on the vitalization of the small to middle-sized companies'(SMC) overseas DP and RDP. Ultimately, the purpose of this study is to provide a policy insight on the expansion of exports by SMC. For this, we determined the necessary elements for getting good results by Korean SCM in the overseas DP and RDP market through a preceding research based on resource-based theory and industry structure theory. Afterwards, we used the multiple regression model for positive analysis of the survey documents. We were able to confirm through analysis that the company information, logistics delivery, customs process, law and regulations have positive effects on the overseas DP and RDP. This study surveyed the entire overseas DP market, rather than focusing on the cases of harm and responses of the overseas DP, which was the topic for the preceding research, and can be differentiated from the previous study by deducting influence factors for the Korean SMC to succeed in the overseas DP and RDP market. Moreover, the results of this study is meaningful in proposing a strategic direction for the SMC participating in the overseas DP market and the government enacting policies.

• Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society
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• v.18 no.3
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• pp.49-55
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• 2017

Most motor cases adopt deep drawing products, which are excellent in waterproof functions, concentricity, right angle, and quality. In addition, the blower motor and seat motor, which are installed in the car interior and do not require waterproof function, adopts a multi-forming manufacturing method. The deep drawing process requires an expensive transfer press that can digest approximately 12 processes, such as drawing, trimming and piercing. On the other hand, products can be produced with low investment because the multi-forming method is composed of one multi-forming machine or one multi-forming machine and one press. The multi-forming machine is a high-priced facility that is mostly imported and a bending / shearing process multi-foaming machine, which was developed by domestic small and medium-sized enterprises, is not enough to reduce the production cost. An integral multi - forming machine is used as a limited working method for thin material and small products. A large product and thick material has a high shear load. A large product and thick material has a high shear load and uses a single crank press. After blanking, the worker manually feeds the material to a multi-forming machine. When the bending operation is performed in the multi-forming machine, it is transferred to the press again to calibrate the dimensions. This variance in work processes has resulted in lower cost competitiveness due to the lower productivity, quality issues, and excessive operator input. The aim of this study was to establish a stable and cost - effective production system through bending / shearing process separation and facility automation.

• Journal of Distribution Research
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• v.17 no.4
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• pp.55-80
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• 2012

I. Introduction Developing the relationships between companies is very important issue to ensure a competitive advantage in today's business environment (Bleeke & Ernst 1991; Mohr & Spekman 1994; Powell 1990). Partnerships between companies are based on having same goals, pursuing mutual understanding, and having a professional level of interdependence. By having such a partnerships and cooperative efforts between companies, they will achieve efficiency and effectiveness of their business (Mohr and Spekman, 1994). However, it is difficult to expect these ideal results only in the B2B corporate transaction. According to agency theory which is the well-accepted theory in various fields of business strategy, organization, and marketing, the two independent companies have fundamentally different corporate purposes. Also there is a higher chance of developing opportunism and conflict due to natures of human(organization), such as self-interest, bounded rationality, risk aversion, and environment factor as imbalance of information (Eisenhardt 1989). That is, especially partnerships between principal(or buyer) and agent(or supplier) of companies within supply chain, the business contract itself will not provide competitive advantage. But managing partnership between companies is the key to success. Therefore, managing partnership between manufacturer and supplier, and finding causes of conflict are essential to improve B2B performance. In conclusion, based on prior researches and Agency theory, this study will clarify how business hazards cause conflicts on supply chain and then identify how developed conflicts have been managed by two control mechanisms. II. Research model III. Method In order to validate our research model, this study gathered questionnaires from small and medium sized enterprises(SMEs). In Korea, SMEs mean the firms whose employee is under 300 and capital is under 8 billion won(about 7.2 million dollar). We asked the manufacturer's perception about the relationship with the biggest supplier, and our key informants are denied to a person responsible for buying(ex)CEO, executives, managers of purchasing department, and so on). In detail, we contact by telephone to our initial sample(about 1,200 firms) and introduce our research motivation and send our questionnaires by e-mail, mail, and direct survey. Finally we received 361 data and eliminate 32 inappropriate questionnaires. We use 329 manufactures' data on analysis. The purpose of this study is to identify the anticipant role of business hazard (environmental dynamism, asset specificity) and investigate the moderating effect of control mechanism(formal control, social control) on conflict-performance relationship. To find out moderating effect of control methods, we need to compare the regression weight between low versus. high group(about level of exercised control methods). Therefore we choose the structural equation modeling method that is proper to do multi-group analysis. The data analysis is performed by AMOS 17.0 software, and model fits are good statically (CMIN/DF=1.982, p<.000, CFI=.936, IFI=.937, RMSEA=.056). IV. Result V. Discussion Results show that the higher environmental dynamism and asset specificity(on particular supplier) buyer(manufacturer) has, the more B2B conflict exists. And this conflict affect relationship quality and financial outcomes negatively. In addition, social control and formal control could weaken the negative effect of conflict on relationship quality significantly. However, unlikely to assure conflict resolution effect of control mechanisms on relationship quality, financial outcomes are changed by neither social control nor formal control. We could explain this results with the characteristics of our sample, SMEs(Small and Medium sized Enterprises). Financial outcomes of these SMEs(manufacturer or principal) are affected by their customer(usually major company) more easily than their supplier(or agent). And, in recent few years, most of companies have suffered from financial problems because of global economic recession. It means that it is hard to evaluate the contribution of supplier(agent). Therefore we also support the suggestion of Gladstein(1984), Poppo & Zenger(2002) that relational performance variable can capture the focal outcomes of relationship(exchange) better than financial performance variable. This study has some implications that it tests the sources of conflict and investigates the effect of resolution methods of B2B conflict empirically. And, especially, it finds out the significant moderating effect of formal control which past B2B management studies have ignored in Korea.

• Asia-Pacific Journal of Business Venturing and Entrepreneurship
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• v.14 no.3
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• pp.73-84
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• 2019

Despite decades of work experience, workers at small- and medium-sized enterprises(SME) here have yet to make inroads into the self-employed sector that utilizes the job competency they have accumulated at work after retirement. Unlike large companies, SME do not have a proper system for improving the long-term job competency of their employees as they focus on their immediate performance. It is necessary to analyse the independent variables affecting the job competency of employees of SME to derive practical implications for the personnel of SME. In the preceding studies, there are independent variable analyses that affect job competency in specialized industries, such as health care, public officials and IT, but the analysis of workers at SME is insufficient. This study set the person-job fit and organizational justice based on the prior studies of the independent variables that affect the job competency of SME general workers as a dependent variable. The sub-variables of each variable derived knowledge, skills, experience, and desire for person-job fit, and distribution, procedural and deployment justice for organizational justice, respectively. The survey of employees of SME in Korea was conducted from February to March 2019 by Likert 5 scales, and the survey was retrieved from 323 people and analyzed in a demonstration using the SPSS and AMOS statistics package. Among the four sub-independent variables of person-job fit, knowledge, skills and experience were shown to have a significant impact on the job competency, and desire was not shown to be so. Among the three sub-independent variables of organizational justice, deployment justice has a significant impact on job competency, but distribution and procedural justices have not. Personnel managers of SME need to improve the job competency of their employees by appropriately utilizing independent variables such as knowledge, skills, experience and deployment at each stage, including recruitment, deployment, and promotion. Future job competency modeling studies are needed to overcome the limitations of this study, which fails to objectively measure job competency.

• Journal of Korea Technology Innovation Society
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• v.12 no.4
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• pp.687-714
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• 2009

In this paper, we study empirically the relations between financial constraints and dividend adjustment speed of innovative small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs) listed on Kosdaq Market of Korea Exchange. The main results of this study can be summarized as follows. Determinants suggested by the major theories of dividends, namely, residual dividend theory, dividend signaling theory, agency theory, catering theory, and transactions cost theory explain significantly the dividend payout policy of Kosdaq SMEs. Lintner's dividend adjustment model indicates that Kosdaq SMEs have long run target payout ratio, and that Kosdaq SMEs adjust partially the gap between actual and target payout ratio each year. In the core variables of Lintner (1956) dividend adjustment model, past DPS has more effect than current EPS. These results suggest that Kosdaq SMEs maintain stable dividend policy which maintain past DPS level without corporate special reasons. Dividend adjustment speed of innovative Kosdaq SMEs is more fast than that of uninnovative Kosdaq SMEs, and dividend adjustment speed of financial unconstrained innovative Kosdaq SMEs is faster than that of financial constrained innovative Kosdaq SMEs. Futhermore, dividend adjustment speed of innovative Kosdaq SMEs classified by Small and Medium Business Administration is faster than that of unclassified innovative Kosdaq SMEs. The former is linked with financial policies and services like credit guaranteed service, venture investment fund, insurance program, and so on. In conclusion, past DPS and current EPS suggested by the Lintner's dividend adjustment model explain mainly dividend adjustment speed, and financial constraints explain also partially. Therefore, if managers of innovative Kosdaq SMEs can properly understand of the effects of financial constraints on dividend smoothing, they can maintain constantly dividend policy. This is encouraging result for Korea government as it has implemented many policies to commit to innovative Kosdaq SMEs.