• Asia-Pacific Journal of Business Venturing and Entrepreneurship
• /
• v.18 no.6
• /
• pp.173-189
• /
• 2023

As supreme technologies continue to be developed, industries such as artificial intelligence, biotechnology, robots, aerospace, electric vehicles, and solar energy are created, and the macro business environment is rapidly changing. Due to these large-scale changes and increased complexity, it is necessary to pay attention to the effect of social capital, which can create new value by utilizing capital increasing the importance of relationships rather than technology or asset ownership itself at the level of start-up strategy. Social capital is a concept first proposed by Hanifan in 1916, and refers to the overall sum of capabilities or resources that are latent or available for use in mutual, continuous, organic relationships or accumulated human relationship networks between individuals or social members. In addition, the diversity of start-up teams with diverse backgrounds, characteristics, and capabilities, rather than one exceptional founder, has been emphasized. Founding team diversity refers to the diversity of in-depth factors such as demographic factors, beliefs, and values of the founding team. In addition, changes in the macro environment are emphasizing the importance of technology start-ups and laboratory start-ups that lead industrial innovation and create the nation's core growth engines. This study focused on the I-Corps' program. I-Corps, which means innovation corps, is a laboratory startup program launched by the National Research Foundation (NSF) in 2011 to encourage entrepreneurship and commercialization of research results. It focuses on forming a startup team involving professors, researchers and market discovery activities. Taking these characteristics into account, this study empirically verified the impact of social capital from a network perspective and founding team diversity on I-Corps start-up performance. As a result of the analysis, the educational diversity of the founding team had a negative (-) effect on the financial performance of the founding team. On the other side, the gender diversity and the cognitive dimension of social capital had a positive (+) effect on the financial performance of the founding team. This study is expected to provide more useful theoretical and practical implications regarding the diversity, social capital, and performance interpretation of the I-Corps Lab startup team.

• Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society
• /
• v.13 no.12
• /
• pp.5776-5785
• /
• 2012

Government bodies offer various policies and programs to support small and medium sized enterprise. There's no only one business firm's performance model for the management performance assessment for the government's supporting and/or resupporting program. However assessment factor had been supposed to manage for the enterprise. Current assessment standards, that is Business Innovation Small and Medium sized firm Certification Model, Technology Innovation Small and Medium sized firm Certification Model, Productivity Management System Certification Model, Small and Medium Sized Firms of Korea Federation of Banks, and Business Performance of the State Owned Enterprise would be collected and then develop performance assessment model for the start-ups small and medium sized firms.

• Journal of Distribution Science
• /
• v.10 no.3
• /
• pp.31-42
• /
• 2012

After the rapidly changing business management environment and financial crisis, high prices and domestic recession in Korea posed threats to the business survival of small and medium enterprises (SMEs). This paper looks at the potential of micro business owners for sustainable development: those who have a spirit of entrepreneurship and the potential to be a hidden champion. Our study of micro business values uses structure equation modeling by LISREL. We have done so in order to understand the foundation of management innovation and success model of micro enterprise by increasing the entrepreneurship and management performance relationship analysis. A micro-enterprise is a type of small business, found only in Korea, often registered as having ten or fewer employees. We examine the successful type of hidden champions and the influence of entrepreneurship on start-ups in business. As compared to past research on the SME entrepreneurship, this study segments small businesses even further. Small business entrepreneurship was classified into three forms that are most appropriate for the Korean situation today: innovation, risk-taking, and pro-activeness. This research is meaningful as it is Korea's first empirical analysis on four business types: wholesale and retail sales, food and lodging business, service business, and manufacturing business. Thus far, research on small business entrepreneurship was carried out using small-scale investigative analysis. However, this research attempted to develop a model that can explain a cause-effect relation of the motivational level when it comes to the difference of entrepreneurship by each business type and small business start-up success factors. Various conceptual and operational definitions could be developed in a diverse and precise manner. Independent variables that are related to the success of small businesses can be developed additionally to examine the success factors related to the systematization in detailed manner. The research showed that the innovation, risk-taking and pro-activeness of the manifested difference in the degree of perception depending on the type of small businesses. Among the four business types, the ones that manifested the highest successful start-up rates were food, service, wholesale and retail sales and manufacturing. Results after conducting the regression analysis are shown on, which proves that the small business entrepreneurship exerts direct effect on the financial management performance of small businesses. In other words, small business entrepreneurship exerts a positive effect on the small business financial success and management performance. The R² value is 0.61. It is possible to know that the perception of systematization and variables on attitude explains the 61% of the success for small self-employed businesses management performance. We define start-up key factors that are helpful to achieve internal growth of firms by finding business survival strategies. The results also focus on Korean government policy for micro enterprise and small business support.

• Journal of Digital Convergence
• /
• v.19 no.12
• /
• pp.151-156
• /
• 2021

This study is aim to verify the mediating effect of entrepreneurial spirit on non-financial performance and self-efficacy. In this study, data were collected through a survey to investigate the relationship between variables, and empirical analysis of the research hypothesis was conducted using multiple regression analysis. The results of the study are as follows. First, entrepreneurship has a positive effect on self-efficacy; second, it suggests that the stronger entrepreneurship, the better self-efficacy. In addition, self-efficacy can produce positive results in various aspects, especially through this study, self-efficacy has resulted in improvement of non-financial performance.The results of this study have a positive effect on the various convergence of start-ups and the establishment of a stable start-up culture in the era of the Fourth Industrial Revolution.

• 한국연소학회:학술대회논문집
• /
• 2005.10a
• /
• pp.58-63
• /
• 2005

As fuel cells approach commercialization, hydrogen production becomes a critical step in the overall energy conversion pathway. Reforming is a process that produces a hydrogen-rich gas from hydrocarbon fuels. Hydrogen production via autothermal reforming (ATR) is particularly attractive for applications that demand a quick start-up and response time in a compact size. However, further research is required to optimize the performance of autothermal reformers and accurate models of reactor performance must be developed and validated. The design includes the requirement of accommodating a wide range of experimental set ups. Factors considered in the design of the reformer are capability to use multiple fuels, ability to vary stoichiometry, precise temperature and pressure control, implementation of enhancement methods, capability to implement variable catalyst positions and catalyst arrangement, ability to monitor and change reactant mixing, and proper implementation of data acquisition. A model of the system was first developed in order to calculate flowrates, heating, space velocity, and other important parameters needed to select the hardware that comprises the reformer. Predicted performance will be compared to actual data once the reformer construction is completed. This comparison will quantify the accuracy of the model and should point to areas where further model development is required. The end result will be a research tool that allows engineers to optimize hydrogen production via autothermal reformation.

• Asia-Pacific Journal of Business Venturing and Entrepreneurship
• /
• v.13 no.4
• /
• pp.211-216
• /
• 2018

This study was intended to analyze the effects of the selection of excellent design product by the KIDP(Korea Institute of Design Promotion) on the business performance of the company focused on the start-up with relatively low competitiveness. According to the statistics of KIDP in 2013, a design accounted for 27.53% of the factors affecting the sales of products and a design was the most important factor among the factors affecting the sales of products for the small sized company in terms of the scale of company. In addition, looking at the trend by industry in the data collected for this study, the technology-based industry showed a relatively higher growth rate than the retail industry and other industries. In this study, the author surveyed 186 companies of the companies that recognized the importance of design in difficult management conditions and received excellent design product certificate from KIDP(2013, 2014 and 2015) and empirically verified whether there was any difference in business performance between the start-ups with a business history of less than 7 years and the ongoing firms with a business history of more than 7 years. To evaluate the value of design, we used analytical method of measuring related values by comparison between groups. In addition, we also analyzed the difference in business performance(sales) between manufacturing companies, where the role of design was relatively large, and non-manufacturing companies among companies that received the excellent design product certificate. We have established a study hypothesis that the selection of excellent design product by the KIDP would have more positive effect on the business performance(sales) of the start-up compared to the ongoing firm, and conducted an empirical analysis by comparing both the year before and the year after the selected year. As a result, we found that the selection of excellent design product by the KIDP has a positive effect on the business performance of the start-up, and the selection of excellent design product has a significant effect on the difference in business performance between manufacturing and non-manufacturing companies. This study was conducted in the hope that the government actively supports the design-related policies so that the selection of excellent design product become an important indicator of the business performance of the start-up, and thus the design management will be a way to enhance the competitiveness of the start-up.

• Journal of Technology Innovation
• /
• v.8 no.2
• /
• pp.67-96
• /
• 2000

This study aims to provide information about the priority setting and budget coordination of government R&D spendings in Korea. Based on the result of "survey, analysis and evaluation of national R&D programs" in FY 1999, this paper reviews the government R&D expenditures by concerned variables such as program objectives, sector of performance, character of work and technology fields. This paper also carries out an analysis on the government R&D supports as ways for the promotions of high technology-based start-ups and SMEs and regional innovation activities. It is found that relatively high investment is made in the industrial technology areas and development research, and there are some redundancies of R&D programs among ministries and agencies in terms of technology fields, program objectives and character of work. Policy implications and future research directions are suggested.

• Journal of Distribution Science
• /
• v.12 no.12
• /
• pp.119-130
• /
• 2014

Purpose - Franchise industries are significant both socially and economically. However, with increasing interest, there are manifold problems. It is necessary to seek measures for mature operation constantly despite unprepared franchisors, negative perceptions of the media and society toward franchise, and rapid changes in business start-up trends and propensity to consume that make business start-ups difficult. The paper aims to explain the effects of relational commitment and performance on the franchisor's management characteristics and justice in the food service franchise system. Research design, data, and methodology - This is an exploratory survey examining franchising in Korea. Based on a literature synthesis, we extract five constructs: managerial characteristics, support, fairness, trust, and satisfaction. We hypothesize that these factors influence the trust, satisfaction, and performance of franchisees. To examine these hypotheses empirically, we conducted a survey on the database of the Franchising Council of Korea. The study employs data from May to September 2014. In total, 135 completed questionnaires were received, of which 128 were usable. The data was analyzed with SPSS/PC 22.0. First, to test unidimensionality and nomological validity of the measures of each construct, we employed a scale refinement procedure. The result of a reliability test with Cronbach's α and factor analysis warranted unidimensionality of the measures for each construct. In addition, nomological validity of the measures was warranted from the result of the correlation and regression analysis. By analyzing the data, we can confirm most hypotheses. Results - Frist, franchisor characteristics have a positive effect on trust and satisfaction. Second, franchisor fairness has an effect on trust and satisfaction. Third, franchisor support has an effect on satisfaction. Further, the franchisee trust has an effect on satisfaction. Fourth, the satisfaction of a franchisee with a franchisor affects the performance of a franchisee. Finally, there is a possibility that not only franchisee performance but also increasing the credibility and improving the image of the franchisor through communication between franchisor and franchisee can improve franchisees' performance and satisfaction by motivating the franchisee for sustainable growth. Franchisers should endeavor for franchisees to obtain stable revenue with continuous and practical support. They should recognize that they can expand their business by supporting their franchisees. Franchisors should not only instantly respond to franchisees' troubles with interactive communications but also raise the ability of supervisors for better support. Franchisors should share their visions and goals with their franchisees and provide systematic and continuous support based on trust and clear company management. Franchisees should understand franchisors' position as well as participate in establishing the basic franchise system. Contributions - The paper contributes to understanding franchising in Korea. It offers insights and assistance to franchisors hoping to start franchises. This paper explores measurement issues related to franchisee performance by estimating its determinant factors (managerial characteristics, support, fairness, trust, and satisfaction). This study provides franchisors and practitioners planning to extend their franchising business with some practical knowledge.

• Journal of Technology Innovation
• /
• v.19 no.3
• /
• pp.115-140
• /
• 2011

The fact that innovation activities of venture firms and start-ups play crucial role in driving industrial development and economic growth has significantly increased the importance of business incubator and techno-park which promote new businesses creations. This review paper aims at not only generating performance measurement index of business incubators but also categorizing performance determinants in accordance with three different theoretical perspectives of resource-based view, strategy patterns, and social networks. Futhermore, as future direction of research, this paper emphasizes structured research efforts on the critical effects of incubator's governance patterns, external and regional contexts, and analysis of government incubator policy.

• Journal of Mechanical Science and Technology
• /
• v.20 no.6
• /
• pp.864-873
• /
• 2006

As fuel cells approach commercialization, hydrogen production becomes a critical step in the overall energy conversion pathway. Reforming is a process that produces a hydrogen-rich gas from hydrocarbon fuels. Hydrogen production via autothermal reforming (ATR) is particularly attractive for applications that demand a quick start-up and response time in a compact size. However, further research is required to optimize the performance of autothermal reformers and accurate models of reactor performance must be developed and validated. The design includes the requirement of accommodating a wide range of experimental set ups. Factors considered in the design of the reformer are capability to use multiple fuels, ability to vary stoichiometry, precise temperature and pressure control, implementation of enhancement methods, capability to implement variable catalyst positions and catalyst arrangement, ability to monitor and change reactant mixing, and proper implementation of data acquisition. A model of the system was first developed in order to calculate flowrates, heating, space velocity, and other important parameters needed to select the hardware that comprises the reformer. Predicted performance will be compared to actual data once the reformer construction is completed. This comparison will quantify the accuracy of the model and should point to areas where further model development is required. The end result will be a research tool that allows engineers to optimize hydrogen production via autothermal reformation.