• Health Policy and Management
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• v.16 no.4
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• pp.86-111
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• 2006

Either ways of understanding health care as a commodity or public work are at opposite ends of health care spectrum. These two rival conceptions reflected by viewpoint(ideology) would lead to different directions in policy-making for health care reform. The purpose of this study is to access the value differences of experts' policy views about health care issues by analyzing the extent of consensus among experts in the field of health care. Using primary data obtained through a mail survey of 558 experts in the field of health care, we analyzed the differences of experts' opinions about characteristics of health care market, policy issues and values Gdeology). The study represents from 50-50 split analysis, entropy index, and factor analysis that the wide spread disagreements over health policy, which is a major barriers to effective policy-making, could be caused by the ideological perception differences among experts. This implies that, if values play an important role in policy-making, we should identify the differences in value and seek ways to balance among the diverse values such as efficiency, equity, freedom, and security. For this, the policy issues debated on differences in values should be reconciled for narrowing gaps of experts' perceptions through various ways.

• Health Policy and Management
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• v.28 no.3
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• pp.226-232
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• 2018

The objectives of this study were to evaluate the current state of governance structure and management of the health system to achieve the goals of the health system in South Korea, and to propose reform plan. This study drew implications from the governance of United Kingdom, Germany, and Netherlands, based on the principle of health system proposed by World Health Organization. The presidency and the health ministry should make macroscopic decision-making. The government has to decentralize the enforcement by municipality to operate public health and national health insurance (NHI), and to distribute the centralized NHI fund by municipality. The front line health centers and community centers should provide integrated health and social services. The government has to establish diversified regulatory bodies to enhance both the patient-centered care and the efficiency and equity of health care, and to provide mechanisms for ensuring autonomy of providers. The governance of the health system should be composed of the centralization of macro decision-making, the decentralization of implementation by municipality, the integration of health and social services on the front line, and the well-balanced regulation and autonomy on both consumers and suppliers.

• The Journal of Asian Finance, Economics and Business
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• v.7 no.10
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• pp.523-530
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• 2020

The efficient market hypothesis explains the random walk hypothesis suggesting that stock prices are independent of each other, hence, it is impossible to earn abnormal profits. The positive effect of a well-functioning and highly efficient stock market on the performance of an economy motivated the Philippine Stock Exchange to pursue massive modernization initiatives. This research provides evidence of the existence of random walk in the Philippine stock market employing the Augmented Dickey-Fuller (1981) and Phillips-Perron (1988) unit root tests, the Lo-MacKinlay's (1988) conventional variance ratio test, and Chow-Denning's (1993) simple multiple variance ratio test. Results of the ADF and PP unit root tests confirm the necessary condition for a random walk. The Chow-Denning (1993) maximum /z/ statistic and the Wald test statistic as in Richardson and Smith (1991) for the joint hypotheses and the Lo and MacKinlay (1988) individual statistics variance ratio test generally accepted the null hypothesis of a random walk. That is, the unit root and variance ratio tests consistently indicate that the null hypothesis of random walk cannot be rejected. The existence of a random walk in weak-form efficiency can be attributed to market liquidity as a result of continuous development and modernization of the Philippine equity market.

• The Journal of Asian Finance, Economics and Business
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• v.9 no.7
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• pp.63-79
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• 2022

Past studies on the influence of corporate social responsibility (CSR) activities on firms have been inconsistent, highlighting the significance of examining how CSR affects the performance of Malaysian government-linked companies (GLCs). The study aims to investigate the impact of CSR dimensions (economic, legal, ethical, and philanthropic) on firm performance from 2016 to 2020 using a sample of 31 GLCs from the top 100 companies under the Main Board of Bursa Malaysia. A total of 35 GLCs were selected as the study sample size based on the top 100 businesses listed under the board of Bursa Malaysia as of 31 December 2020. The study employed correlation and multiple linear regression models to examine the relationship between CSR dimensions and firm performance. Financial performance is evaluated using accounting-based models of return on assets (ROA) and return on equity (ROE) and market-based models of earnings per share (EPS) and market value (MV). The CSRHub database was employed to collect information on the performance of company CSR dimensions. The findings suggested a significant positive relationship between ethical and philanthropic CSR and firm performance regarding ROE. Thus, GLCs prioritized ethical and philanthropic CSR over other dimensions.

• The Korean Journal of Franchise Management
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• v.14 no.2
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• pp.19-30
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• 2023

Purpose: Corporate management is under pressure to contribute to social values beyond profit-seeking, and interest in ESG (Environment, Social, Governance) is increasing worldwide. In the recent global climate change crisis and the COVID-19 pandemic, the importance of non-financial values such as ESG is increasing. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to prepare a strategy for future ESG management activities by analyzing the impact of it on corporate performance by food companies. Research design, data and methodology: ESG-related research trends, ESG activities, and corporate performance were analyzed. After that, a regression analysis was conducted to identify the relationship between ESG evaluation grade and corporate performance. Result: ESG management activities measured by ESG scores did not significantly affect the return on assets, one of the variables of corporate performance. However, as a result of setting the return on equity as a dependent variable, ESG management activities have a nonlinear relationship with corporate performance, and ESG management activities have a positive effect on corporate performance when investment in ESG management activities is reasonable. Conclusions: These results show that food companies should engage in an appropriate level of ESG management activities to improve corporate performance.

• Asia Marketing Journal
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• v.14 no.3
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• pp.153-167
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• 2012

KB Kookmin Card has separated as an independent corporation from KB Kookmin Bank Credit Card Business Group on March, 2011. Ever since, KB Kookmin Card worked to build its own brand identity. The strategic preparation and conscientious implementations made KB Kookmin Card position in consumer's mind with a strong and unique brand image. Its new brand image was rooted in the inherited strengths of reliable and sincere image. However, it faced the challenge to compete in credit card industry in which most competitors had an advanced and sophisticated image. The strengths of KB Kookmin Card were also at the same time their limitations. KB Kookmin Card took a strategy that strengthened the strengths and improved the weaknesses. It focused on the core competence of being a people's sincere life supporter that helps people make savings from everyday events to make a good sum rather than being a lump sum benefit. The brand introduction strategy was implemented in 2011. The implementation focused on the activities that made internal as well as external customers be aware of the brand. Communication programs using a variety of media were executed to attain this goal. In 2012, second phase communication programs were introduced to elaborate the newly established brand image. It introduced many extended products as well as accessory programs which targeted the segments. Also, various CSR activities in many social domains helped consumers and the public to consider KB Kookmin Card an authentic, caring, trustworthy, and consistently-developing supporter in their everyday lives.

• Journal of Forest and Environmental Science
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• v.29 no.1
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• pp.15-28
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• 2013

Protected area based ecotourism is now the most interesting topic to the nature lover and policy maker throughout the world because of its linkage with economic benefits, protected area management and biodiversity conservation. Based on this premise our study explores the visitors' perception on the recreational potential of Kaptai National park and its potentiality in ecotourism development in Bangladesh. The field survey was carried out both in holidays and non-holidays of the week from the late winter season in 2009 to the spring season in 2010. A total of 118 visitors were interviewed with the help of a semi-structured questionnaire. Study findings revealed that about 62% male constitute the visitors group with the maximum number of visitors in the age of between 15-25 years (35.59%). The tourists were very much attracted by boat riding (93.22%) followed by scenic beauty of Rampahar-Sitapahar (85.59%). A major portion of about 57.14% tourists wished to visit the park within a year because they got a lot of pleasure from Natural and green environment (86.44%) followed by boating on Kaptai Lake (85.59%). Most of the visitors (36%) were happy about existing facilities but defined some problems such as tour guiding facility, food and drinking water supply, etc. About 71% and 66% respondents perceived that Kaptai National Park made them to be concerned and protective of nature and supports and sustains local ecosystem respectively and 43% respondents agreed that Kaptai National Park ensures the social equity and involve local people in ecotourism which are the most important elements of sustainable ecotourism. The present study results also predict that the park might be a good recreational area for enjoying with family members and group of friends through proper management and promoting the relationships among tourism, local people and biodiversity conservation.

• Korean Management Science Review
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• v.32 no.1
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• pp.113-131
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• 2015

We examine the relationship between firms' environmental (E), social (S), and governance (G) factors, with their financial performance in order to provide an empirical rationale for CSV (creating shared value) pursuing both of firms' profitability and CSR (corporate social responsibility). The financial performance is classified into four aspects such as profitability, stability, efficiency, and cash-flow, and each of these aspects is measured by two financial ratios respectively. To measure the firms' ESG performance, we employ the published performance grades by the Korea Corporate Governance Service for a three year span, from 2011 to 2013. Total of eight regression analyses are performed. The results show that firms' non-financial performance in general has statistically significant positive relationships with return on assets, return on net sales, and cash-flow from operating activities ratio, while it has negative relationships with net working capital ratio, asset turnover ratio, and cash-flow from investing activities ratio. It has no significant relationships with debt ratio and equity turnover ratio. The results imply that firms' non-financial performance may have a negative impact on some financial performance such as liquidity and efficiency in a short term, but it would eventually improve the firms' profitability and cash-generating ability, which provides an empirical evidence for the concept of CSV, and motivates the firms to participate in social contribution activities without sacrificing their profitability for their respective sustainablity management.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.50 no.5
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• pp.303-310
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• 2017

Objectives: The aim of this study was to evaluate socioeconomic inequalities in the prevalence of dental caries among an urban population. Methods: This study was conducted among 2000 people 15-40 years of age living in Kurdistan, Iran in 2015. Using a questionnaire, data were collected by 4 trained dental students. The dependent variable was the decayed, missing, and filled teeth (DMF) index. Using principal component analysis, the socioeconomic status (SES) of families was determined based on their household assets. Inequality was measured using the concentration index; in addition, the Oaxaca analytical method was used to determine the contribution of various determinants to the observed inequality. Results: The concentration index for poor scores on the DMF index was -0.32 (95% confidence interval [CI], -0.40 to -0.36); thus, poor DMF indices had a greater concentration in groups with a low SES (p<0.001). Decomposition analysis showed that the mean prevalence of a poor DMF index was 43.7% (95% CI, 40.4 to 46.9%) in the least privileged group and 14.4% (95% CI, 9.5 to 9.2%) in the most privileged group. It was found that 85.8% of the gap observed between these groups was due to differences in sex, parents' education, and the district of residence. A poor DMF index was less prevalent among people with higher SES than among those with lower SES (odds ratio, 0.31; 95% CI, 0.19 to 0.52). Conclusions: An alarming degree of SES inequality in oral health status was found in the studied community. Hence, it is suggested that inequalities in oral health status be reduced via adopting appropriate policies such as the delivery of oral health services to poorer groups and covering such services in insurance programs.

• The Research Journal of the Costume Culture
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• v.32 no.2
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• pp.164-180
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• 2024

In the context of a globalized society where diversity, equity, and inclusion (DE&I) have emerged as pivotal values, the fashion industry is undergoing scrutiny for its practices related to body DE&I. This study examines the nature of the discourse surrounding body DE&I within the fashion industry, focusing on how such discussions are shaped, disseminated, and manifested in both the industry and broader society. Critical discourse analysis is applied by utilizing, content from the New York Times and leveraging Fairclough's analytical framework encompassing textual, discursive, and social practices. The findings indicate that the New York Times emphasizes diversity, with a significant focus on the shapes and sizes of women's bodies, developing a narrative centered around women's bodies through visible and representative domains. The analysis suggests conflicted discourse, with prevailing critiques against the fashion industry's standardization of beauty and superficial inclusivity efforts. Moreover, the industry's adaptation to social demands for body DE&I is observed as sporadic, often leveraging non-normative bodies as a marketing strategy rather than genuinely embracing diversity. This study highlights the importance of continuous, in-depth discourse and social practices regarding DE&I within the fashion industry, as well as the need for systemic changes and policies that genuinely reflect societal demands for inclusivity. The findings provide a foundation for future investigations into the multifaceted relationship between fashion discourse, DE&I, and social practices, advocating for a more inclusive and critically aware fashion industry.