• Korean small business review
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• v.31 no.2
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• pp.19-37
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• 2009

The purpose of this research is to explore differences between small and medium-sized companies and large-sized companies in the impact of human resource innovativeness(HRI), learning orientation(LO), and HRI-LO interaction on innovation effect and business performance. Although learning orientation has long been considered as a key factor influencing good performance of a business, little research was devoted to exploring the effect of HRI-LO interaction on innovation effect and business performance. In this study, it is investigated whether there is a synergy effect between innovative human workforce and learning orientation corporate culture, in addition to each by itself, to generate good business performance as well as a success of new innovations in the market. Research hypotheses were as follows, including H1) human resource innovativeness(HRI), learning orientation(LO), and interactions of HRI and LO(HRI-LO interaction) positively affect innovation effect, H2) there is a difference of the effect of HRI, LO, and HRI-LO interaction on innovation effect between large-sized and small-sized companies, H3) HRI, LO, HRI-LO interaction, innovation effect positively affect business performance, and H4) there is a difference of the effect of HRI, LO, HRI-LO interaction, and innovation effect on business performance between large-sized and small-sized companies. Data were obtained from 479 practitioners through a web survey since the web survey is an efficient method to collect a national data at a variety of fields. A single respondent from a company was allowed to participate in the study after checking whether they have more than 5-year work experiences in the company. To check whether a common source bias is existed in the sample, additional data from a convenient sample of 97 companies were gathered through the traditional survey method, and were used to confirm correlations between research variables of the original sample and the additional sample. Data were divided into two groups according to company size, such as 352 small and medium-sized companies with less than 300 employees and 127 large-sized companies with 300 or more employees. Data were analyzed through t-test and regression analyses. HRI which is the innovativeness of human resources in the company was measured with 9 items assessing the innovativenss of practitioners in staff, manager, and executive-level positions. LO is the company's effort to encourage employees' development, sharing, and utilizing of knowledge through consistent learning. LO was measured by 18 items assessing commitment to learning, vision sharing, and open-mindedness. Innovation effect which assesses a success of new products/services in the market, was measured with 3 items. Business performance was measured by respondents' evaluations on profitability, sales increase, market share, and general business performance, compared to other companies in the same field. All items were measured by using 6-point Likert scales. Means of multiple items measuring a construct were used as variables based on acceptable reliability and validity. To reduce multi-collinearity problems generated on the regression analysis of interaction terms, centered data were used for HRI, LO, and Innovation effect on regression analyses. In group comparison, large-sized companies were superior on annual sales, annual net profit, the number of new products/services in the last 3 years, the number of new processes advanced in the last 3 years, and the number of R&D personnel, compared to small and medium-sized companies. Also, large-sized companies indicated a higher level of HRI, LO, HRI-LO interaction, innovation effect and business performance than did small and medium-sized companies. The results indicate that large-sized companies tend to have more innovative human resources and invest more on learning orientation than did small-sized companies, therefore, large-sized companies tend to have more success of a new product/service in the market, generating better business performance. In order to test research hypotheses, a series of multiple-regression analysis was conducted. In the regression analysis examining the impact on innovation effect, important results were generated as : 1) HRI, LO, and HRI-LO affected innovation effect, and 2) company size indicated a moderating effect. Based on the result, the impact of HRI on innovation effect would be greater in small and medium-sized companies than in large-sized companies whereas the impact of LO on innovation effect would be greater in large-sized companies than in small and medium-sized companies. In other words, innovative workforce would be more important in making new products/services that would be successful in the market for small and medium-sized companies than for large-sized companies. Otherwise, learning orientation culture would be more effective in making successful products/services for large-sized companies than for small and medium-sized companies. Based on these results, research hypotheses 1 and 2 were supported. In the analysis of a regression examining the impact on business performance, important results were generated as : 1) innovation effect, LO, and HRI-LO affected business performance, 2) HRI by itself did not have a direct effect on business performance regardless of company size, and 3) company size indicated a moderating effect. Specifically, an effect of the HRI-LO interaction on business performance was stronger in large-sized companies than in small and medium-sized companies. It means that the synergy effect of innovative human resources and learning orientation culture tends to be stronger as company is larger. Referring to these result, research hypothesis 3 was partially supported whereas hypothesis 4 was supported. Based on research results, implications for companies were generated. Regardless of company size, companies need to develop the learning orientation corporate culture as well as human resources' innovativeness together in order to achieve successful development of innovative products and services as well as to improve sales and profits. However, the effectiveness of the HRI-LO interaction would be varied by company size. Specifically, the synergy effect of HRI-LO was stronger to make a success of new products/services in small and medium-sized companies than in large-sized companies. However, the synergy effect of HRI-LO was more effective to increase business performance of large-sized companies than that of small and medium-sized companies. In the case of small and medium-sized companies, business performance was achieved more through the success of new products/services than much directly affected by HRI-LO. The most meaningful result of this study is that the effect of HRI-LO interaction on innovation effect and business performance was confirmed. It was often ignored in the previous research. Also, it was found that the innovativeness of human workforce would not directly influence in generating good business performance, however, innovative human resources would indirectly affect making good business performance by contributing to achieving the development of new products/services that would be successful in the market. These findings would provide valuable managerial implications specifically in regard to the development of corporate culture and education program of small and medium-sized as well as large-sized companies in a variety of fields.

• The Journal of Society for e-Business Studies
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• v.4 no.1
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• pp.73-86
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• 1999

Inspired by the growth of the Internet, electronic commerce(EC) has grown rapidly over the last few years and has become a major Internet application domain. EC encompasses various profit-oriented activities such as purchase of goods and services over the network, banking, and business-to-business trade. The purpose of this research is to develop an electronic commerce merchant server for the small and medium size business. The proposed solution is designed to meet a cheap, simple, extensible, and interoperable requirement. Also, our solution supports one-to-one marketing concept by using matching technology. We expect that our solution makes the small and medium size EC market more easily.

• Journal of the Korea Safety Management & Science
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• v.19 no.2
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• pp.135-146
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• 2017

The purpose of this study is to review the relationship between managerial system and incremental innovation, and the mediating effect of knowledge transfer in small business. In order to verify and achieve the purposes mentioned above, questionnaire data were gathered and analysed from 255 enterprise managers in western Kangwon-do province. Empirical survey's findings are as follows; First, CEO's support and education/training appeared to be positively related with knowledge transfer. Second, managerial system and knowledge transfer appeared to be positively related with incremental innovation. Third, knowledge transfer had mediating effect on the relationships of CEO's support-incremental innovation and education/training-incremental innovation.

• Proceedings of the KIEE Conference
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• summer
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• pp.1507-1509
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• 2004

Many domestic organizations are pushing ahead with small hydropower business to develop a renewable energy. In addition each organization gradually spreads small hydropower business with searching the best site for it. And Kowaco (Korea Waters Resources Corporation) answers a purpose of the government policy to spread the wide use of a renewable energy. This study explains the researching programs for the best development sites for small hydropower generation with using water pipes managed and controled by Kowaco.

• The Journal of Industrial Distribution & Business
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• v.11 no.5
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• pp.35-44
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• 2020

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to present a plan to expand the employment of the elderly in Small business as one of the ways to solve the problem of the supply and demand of the company due to the aging population and the problem of the elderly poverty. Research design, data and methodology: The method of this study is a qualitative research method, and the researcher visited a small and medium-sized company directly and collected data by conducting an in-depth interview with a business owner. The interview period was conducted on a total of 15 business owners from November 5, 2013 to November 18, 2013. Results: First, the reason why companies hire the elderly is because they are suitable people, and the reason why they are not employed is because the elderly are not suitable. Second, it was found that the most recruiting paths continued to work after retirement. Third, the strengths of the elderly in their businesses were diligence, integrity, leadership, wisdom, warmth, and skill. Disadvantages the elderly in their businesses include wanting to be treated as an adult, poor productivity, poor accuracy, and health risks. Fourth, in case of hiring the elderly, they were considering convergence with young employees, and it was suggested that there are no difficulties in being an elderly because the companies hiring the elderly use the elderly according to the characteristics of the elderly. Fifth, It is realistic to actively utilize the employment system after retirement. Sixth, it was found that, unlike young people, it is not easy to recruit people on the Internet, so it is necessary to improve the system. Lastly, some industries clearly distinguished between the jobs of the elderly and the jobs of the young, but in many industries, it was desirable to create jobs for the elderly by harmonizing the main and secondary jobs. Conclusion: Ultimately, the work of the elderly in small and medium-sized enterprises should be reborn as a high-quality job that can solve the poverty of the elderly by working as a regular worker in the enterprise, rather than simply working for the elderly.

• Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society
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• v.12 no.2
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• pp.686-693
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• 2011

Small-to-medium retailers in local neighborhood have been managing to survive without outside influence. However rapid change in business environment including consumer needs for goods and the quality of life has brought turbulence into retail business. Petty retailers are facing a crisis as large-sized discount stores owned by big enterprises are entering into traditional markets. To protect small-to-medium retailers from such threats and revive the traditional commercial markets the government is taking on the policy of subsidizing small-to-medium businesses. However, recent emergence of SSM (an industrialized supermarket in forms of direct management and affiliation) in local commercial areas has brought about conflicts and frictions between large companies and local merchants. Under this background this study attempted to make an analysis of vulnerable factors of small-to-medium retailers coping with SSM and probe for the alternatives to SSM business restructuring.

• Research in Community and Public Health Nursing
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• v.33 no.3
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• pp.279-289
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• 2022

Purpose: This is a descriptive correlation study to confirm the effect of stress and anxiety caused by COVID-19 on the quality of life of small business owners in an area under environment of COVID-19. Methods: The participants were 150 small business owners in an area. The collected data were analyzed by descriptive statistics, an independent t-test, a one-way ANOVA, Pearson's correlation coefficients, and multiple regression with the SPSS 25.0 Program. Results: The stress of small business owners averaged 3.67±0.65 out of 4 points, anxiety of COVID-19 was 2.65±0.52, and quality of life was 75.61±20.26 out of 130 points. The quality of life showed a significant negative correlation with 'fear of infection' (r=-.42, p<.001), 'difficulties caused by social distancing' (r=-.49, p<.001) in the stress subdomain, and anxiety (r=-.61, p<.001). On the other hand, stress, 'fear of infection' (r=.50, p<.001), 'difficulties caused by social distancing' (r=.60 p<.001), 'anger against others' (r=.35, p<.001) and anxiety showed positive correlation. Factors affecting the quality of life of the subjects were 'fear of infection' in the stress subdomain (β=-.23, p=.003), anxiety (β=-.45, p<.001), and residential area (J zone) (β=-.16, p=.030). These factors explained 47.0% of the variance. Conclusion: In order to enhance the quality of life of small business owners in an area, it is required to reduce stress and anxiety. In addition, it is necessary to prepare an intervention program that can reduce stress and anxiety of small business owners.

• Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society
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• v.13 no.6
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• pp.2551-2557
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• 2012

This study analyses the relative importance of R&D business model of the small and medium manufacturing firm. We also compare samples by classifying by its properties, technology and market circumstance. The most important factor of the R&D business model is marketing factor and infrastructure factor is relatively less important. Also the relative importance of the R&D business model is different according to firm's properties and technology. So when government establishes the R&D policy, he focuses on designing the R&D business model.

• International Journal of Computer Science & Network Security
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• v.21 no.12spc
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• pp.495-502
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• 2021

The study is devoted to substantiation of directions of intensification of development of small innovative enterprise, which has a significant impact on the overall innovation activity of the country and promotes innovative development, transition to more advanced technological systems. The outlined role of small business in innovative development in the direction of intensifying innovation in the economy, improving organization and production, as well as in the form of direct participation in the innovation process, production of science-intensive products, stimulating demand for innovation. A group of factors hindering the development of small innovative entrepreneurship was identified, including: financial aspects of the activity, shortcomings of organizational and communicative nature, underdeveloped technology market, information plan problems, internal production problems of small business, market problems. The directions of intensification of the development of small innovative entrepreneurship are substantiated, namely: financial and credit support of small innovative entrepreneurship; introduction of tax incentives; material and technical support; nationwide intensification of innovation activity; information support; development of innovation infrastructure. The involvement of the outlined directions of intensification of small innovative entrepreneurship will help to obtain a synergistic effect of innovative development of both small innovative business structures and the economy as a whole.

• Journal of Distribution Science
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• v.13 no.7
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• pp.53-61
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• 2015

Purpose - This research analyzes overseas expansion support systems for small- and medium-sized enterprises in Germany and Japan. Germany and Japan have developed overseas expansion support policies for such enterprises. The study then explores the implications for Korea and its local governments. Research design, data, and methodology - We did a comparative analysis of Japan and Germany and their support for overseas expansion of small and medium companies. Data were mainly collected from the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (Japan) and the Germany Trade and Invest (Germany) agency through statistics and literature surveys, and analysis studies. Results - First, human resources cultivation and funding support policies, which both Germany and Japan use as part of small- and medium-sized enterprise policies, should be modified to Korean circumstances and to reflect its own small- and medium-sized enterprise support needs. Second, both the German policies that support overseas expansion of small- and medium-sized enterprises and those of Japan's include the philosophy and methods that put an emphasis on these enterprises, despite the fact that there are big differences in the overseas policies in these two countries. Third, German and Japanese governments are embracing the idea that small- and medium-sized enterprises are key to their national economies and implementing policies based on the ratio occupied by these enterprises in the domestic consumption or GDP. In other words, Germany and Japan consider small- and medium-sized enterprises as central to their nation's industry, and assess them as economic industry that should definitely exist for the continued survival of big businesses, and not just as merely supplemental to big business. Fourth, whereas Germany emphasizes support to product exhibition in its overseas expansion support policies, Japan is providing integrated support containing foreign direct investment to small- and medium-sized enterprises. Fifth, there are differences in the overseas expansion support in Germany and Japan in terms of their support to big business. Whereas Germany considers support to big business unnecessary, Japan is implementing active support policies to areas corresponding to big business. Korea will have to benchmark the policies of Germany and Japan, and decide whether or not to give full support to small- and medium-sized enterprises, while excluding areas supporting big business. Conclusions - Based on this analysis of German and Japanese overseas expansion support policies, we need to choose the policies that will engender a solid outcome and derive modified policies for the circumstances of Korea. Additionally, we can use the comparison of the overseas support policies of Japan and Germany to choose small- and medium-sized enterprise overseas expansion support policies for Korea. However, we cannot provide specific overseas support policies by industry. This point will be referenced as a limitation of this study. In future research, we expect that some researchers will take an empirical approach to exploring Korean overseas expansion support through collecting cases of overseas support policies and interviewing policy authorities.