• Korean Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
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• v.54 no.6
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• pp.904-911
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• 2021

For the safety assessment of microbiological and chemical hazards in dried sea mustard, fifteen samples of dried sea mustards Undaria pinnatifida were purchased from the supermarkets distributed throughout Korea. The contamination levels of total viable bacteria, coliforms, Escherichia coli, and nine pathogenic bacteria [Staphylococcus aureus, Salmonella spp., Listeria monocytogenes, Bacillus cereus, Vibrio spp., Clostridium perfringens, Enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli (EHEC), Yersinia enterocolitica and Campylobacter jejuni/coli] were quantitatively or qualitatively assessed. Also, the heavy metals (lead, cadmium, total mercury, and inorganic arsenic), and radioactivity (¹³¹I, ¹³⁴CS+¹³⁷CS) were quantitatively assessed. This microbial and chemical analysis was performed using standard methods in Korean food code. The total viable bacteria ranged from 4.3×10² (5.0×10-1.5×10³) CFU/g. Coliforms and E. coli were not detected in all samples (ND, <1 log₁₀ CFU/g). All nine pathogenic bacteria were qualitatively detected as negative. The contamination levels of lead, cadmium, total mercury, and inorganic arsenic were 0.036 (0.015-0.051), 0.117 (0.088-0.156), 0.030 (0.017-0.048), and 0.058 (0.056-0.064) mg/kg, respectively. Radioactivity was also not detected in any sample. The microbial contamination levels determined in the current study may be potentially used as basis for performing microbial risk assessments of dried sea mustards.

• Journal of Navigation and Port Research
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• v.46 no.4
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• pp.351-358
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• 2022

This study analyzed changes in the market concentration of Korean ocean-going shipping companies using shipping revenue based CR (Concentration Ratio), and HHI (Herfindahl - Hirschman Index) to examine the effects of the government's selection and concentration based the shipping reconstruction scheme. The results of this study showed that the market structure of the Korean shipping industry has changed from a competitive market to a rather concentrated market, as CR as well as HHI values have increased from 2019 to 2021. In particular, the market share of the deep-sea shipping lines has risen significantly compared to the intra-Asian short-sea shipping lines and the tramp carriers, implying that the Korean liner shipping market has become a monopoly, or highly concentrated oligopoly market. Compared to other shipping markets, the high rise in ocean freight rates (i.e. Asia-Europe America) was the leading cause of the increase in the revenues of the ocean-going shipping lines, and the increased fleet through preemptive government support has enabled them to achieve more revenues. As a result, it can be interpreted that the government's fleet expansion strategy has been more effective than expected, but it is too early to conclude if the market structure of the Korean ocean-going shipping companies has been strengthened.

• Journal of Practical Agriculture & Fisheries Research
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• v.12 no.1
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• pp.137-150
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• 2010

Traditionally, like many people in mountain region of the Himalaya, the Lwang communities depend on mix of subsistence agriculture, animal husbandry, and seasonal migrant labor for their livelihoods. These traditional systems are characterized by low productivity, diverse use of available natural resources (largely for home consumption), limited markets, and some aversion for innovation. The potential to generate wealth through commerce has largely been untapped by these mountain residents and thus is undervalued in local and national economies. Introduction of organic tea farming is a part of Lwang community's several initiatives to break the vicious poverty cycle Annapurna Conservation Area Project (ACAP) played facilitating roles in all their efforts since beginning. In five years, the tea plantation emerged as a new means for secured a livelihood. This study aims to analyze the current practices in tea farming both in terms of farm management and soil nutrient status(technical) and the prosperity of the tea farmers (social). The technical aspect covers the soil and tea leaf analysis of various nutrients contents in the soil and tea leaf. Originally, the technical aspect of the study was not planned but later during the consultation with the advisor it was taken into consideration which added value to the research study. The sample were collected from different locations and analyzed on the field itself. The other part of the study i.e. the social aspect was done through questionnaire survey and focus group discussion. the tea farming provided them not only a new opportunity but also earned an identity in the region. This initiative was undertaken as a piloting measure. Now that the tea is in production with processing unit established locally, more serious consideration has to be given for better yield and economic prosperity. This research finding will help the community to analyze their efforts and make correction measures in tea garden management and application of fertilizer. It is also expected to fill up the gaps of knowledge and information required to reduce economic stresses and enhance capacity of farmers to make the tea farming a sustainable and beneficial business. The findings are expected to Sustainability of organic tea farming has direct impacts on biodiversity conservation compared to the other traditional farming practices that are more resource intensive. The study will also contribute to identify key action points required for reducing poverty while conserving environment and enhancing livelihoods

• Journal of Food Hygiene and Safety
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• v.39 no.3
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• pp.231-238
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• 2024

Vibrio parahaemolyticus is a major seafood-borne pathogen commonly detected in marine environments. In Korea, V. parahaemolyticus-induced foodborne illnesses account for 7.5% of bacterial pathogen-related food poisonings. Moreover, the amount of antimicrobial agents used in aquatic cultures is continuously increasing. In this study, we isolated V. parahaemolyticus from seafood samples and performed antimicrobial susceptibility tests using the microbroth dilution method. Furthermore, using whole-genome sequencing, we identified antimicrobial resistance genes, virulence genes, and sequence types (STs). We could isolate V. parahaemolyticus from 47 (59.5%) of the 79 seafood samples we purchased from retail markets in Seoul and Chungcheong provinces. Antimicrobial susceptibility tests revealed that 2 and all of the 47 isolates were ampicillin-resistant (4.3%) and susceptible to all tested antimicrobial agents (100%), respectively. The genotype analysis revealed that all isolates carried beta-lactam-, tetracycline-, and chloramphenicol-associated antimicrobial resistance genes. However, we could detect fosfomycin resistance only in one isolate. Concerning the virulence genes, we detected T3SS1 and T3SS2-associated genes in all and one isolate, respectively. However, we could not detect the tdh and trh genes. Of the 47 isolates, 17 belonged to 15 different STs, including ST 658 with 3 isolates. The rest 30 isolates were identified as 25 new STs. The results of this study support the need for operating a continuous monitoring system to prevent foodborne illnesses and the spread of antimicrobial resistance genes in V. parahaemolyticus.

• Journal of Korea Technology Innovation Society
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• v.10 no.1
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• pp.73-97
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• 2007

R&D into future technologies should be conducted in conjunction with technological innovation strategies that are linked to corporate survival within a framework of information and knowledge-based competitiveness. As such, future technology strategies should be ensured through open R&D organizations. The development of future technologies should not be conducted simply on the basis of future forecasts, but should take into account customer needs in advance and reflect them in the development of the future technologies or services. This research aims to select as segmentation variables the customers' attitude towards accepting future telecommunication technologies and their value orientation in their everyday life, as these factors wilt have the greatest effect on the demand for future telecommunication services and thus segment the future telecom service market. Likewise, such research seeks to segment the market from the stage of technology R&D activities and employ the results to formulate technology development strategies. Based on the customer attitude towards accepting new technologies, two groups were induced, and a hierarchical customer segmentation model was provided to conduct secondary segmentation of the two groups on the basis of their respective customer value orientation. A survey was conducted in June 2006 on 800 consumers aged 15 to 69, residing in Seoul and five other major South Korean cities, through one-on-one interviews. The samples were divided into two sub-groups according to their level of acceptance of new technology; a sub-group demonstrating a high level of technology acceptance (39.4%) and another sub-group with a comparatively lower level of technology acceptance (60.6%). These two sub-groups were further divided each into 5 smaller sub-groups (10 total smaller sub-groups) through two rounds of segmentation. The ten sub-groups were then analyzed in their detailed characteristics, including general demographic characteristics, usage patterns in existing telecom services such as mobile service, broadband internet and wireless internet and the status of ownership of a computing or information device and the desire or intention to purchase one. Through these steps, we were able to statistically prove that each of these 10 sub-groups responded to telecom services as independent markets. We found that each segmented group responds as an independent individual market. Through correspondence analysis, the target segmentation groups were positioned in such a way as to facilitate the entry of future telecommunication services into the market, as well as their diffusion and transferability.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.44 no.11
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• pp.1666-1671
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• 2015

The purpose of this study was to provide trustworthy nutritional information by analyzing sugar contents of commercial retort foods. A total of 70 retort food samples were collected, which included curry (n=21), blackbean- sauce (n=16), sauce (n=17), and meat (n=16) from markets in Seoul and Gyeonggi-do. Contents of sugars such as glucose, fructose, sucrose, maltose, and lactose were analyzed in retort foods by using a high performance liquid chromatography-refractive index detector and compared to their assigned values on nutritional information labels. Analyzed sugar contents of curries, black-bean-sauces, sauces, and meats ranged from 1.05~4.63 g/100 g, 1.76~5.16 g/100 g, 0.35~25.44 g/100 g, and 1.98~11.07 g/100 g, respectively. Sauces were found to contain the highest amounts of total sugar. These analysis values were equivalent to the reference values indicated on nutrition labels, which were 40~119.5% for curries, 29~118% for black-bean-sauces, 18~118% for sauces, and 70~119.8% for meats. Therefore, this study provides reliable analytical values for sugar contents in retort foods.

• The Journal of Industrial Distribution & Business
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• v.1 no.1
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• pp.5-12
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• 2010

The retail business of drugstore was introduced to Korea for the first time 10 years ago. Since Olive Young introduced a retail store in the name of drugstore in 1999 for the first time in Korea, new distribution channel combining drugstore, cosmetic products and dairy products, etc has been made. At initial stage, the new distribution channel grew up slowly because of low specialty and economic stagnation. However, the three big distribution channels, that is to say, Olive Young (CJ), Watsons (GS) and W Store (Kolon Well Care), etc, were established to produce new distribution system following large-scaled discount stores as well as convenience stores. The purpose of the study is to investigate ways making Korean style drugstore be new retail business in addition to traditional markets, department stores, E-Mart and other general super markets and to examine problems preventing the drugstore from being promoted and to find out solutions. The speciality retailers that is called a category killer attacking department stores as well as marts is expanding market quickly. New consumption trend that gives priority to wellbeing is being expanded in accordance with high level of standards of living life: The drugstore is thought to be new alternative of distribution because it keeps special products. Young ladies who are main customers of drugstores respond to the trend sensitively to have more buying power that is thought to be promising. And, consumers' desire has become concrete and special. This is because consumers want not only convenient shopping but also special shopping system that is current trend. These days, so called Multi-shop and Total shop and other special shops have been recently opened. Special multi-shop has been concentrated on fashion product and miscellaneous goods so far: Health total wellbeing shop shall be popular in accordance with wellbeing trends. Drugstores can play an important role. Drugstores were opened for the first time ten years ago. In particular, Olive Young succeeded in going into the black after making efforts for a long time by many persons. Drugstores could succeed in the business owing to many persons in the past as well as customers who liked drugstores. However, drugstores once lost ways and recorded poor business results. The three drugstores, that is to say, Olive Young, Watsons making efforts to go into the black and W-Store pursuing traditional drugstore shall compete each other and make effort to satisfy customers' desire. In that way, the three drugstores can be assured of present business as well as future business. The consumers' demand trend has become special at sub-division so that drugstores that can satisfy the demand can succeed in the business. Large businesses may be more interested in the 4th generation retail business to produce good income and to have bright future. Drugstore business and market are likely to expand and develop owing to large business' participation in drugstore business. Drugstores expanded shop at Seoul and Gyeonggi-do until middle of 2000. Drugstore business at station sphere in Seoul and Gyeonggi-do that have high ratio of temporary population has low customer loyalty to have limitation on continuous growth. Since 2009, drugstores have opened new shops at local towns: From the year of 2010, drugstores need to establish multiple shop strategy by accelerating business speed and to allow customers to drop in the shop anywhere in the nation and to enter consumers' life deeply, so that they can strengthen business base definitely. Drugstores need to have price competitiveness to have multiple shop opening strategy and to satisfy consumers and to supply high quality services that is future subject to solve. And, Olive Young and Watsons that are Korean style drugstore need to keep system in order and to strengthen substance as Korean style drugstore and to expand marketing, so that they can get business outcome within 5 years that was done 10 years before and they become the 4th generation retail business. The study had difficulties at collecting material from the three drugstore because of poor cooperation. And, the author had great difficulty at collecting statistical material that was made in disorder. Further effort is needed considering such problems.

• Asia-Pacific Journal of Business Venturing and Entrepreneurship
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• v.16 no.4
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• pp.115-133
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• 2021

This study examines the concept and related technologies of the 4th industrial revolution that has been mixed so far and examines the socio-economic changes and influences resulting from it, and the cases of responding to the 4th industrial revolution in major countries. Based on this, by deriving SWOT factors and calculating the importance of each factor for Korean venture companies to prepare for the forth industrial revolution, it was intended to help the government and policymakers in suggesting directions for establishing related policies. Furthermore, the purpose of this study was to suggest a direction for securing global competitiveness to Korean venture entrepreneurs and to help with basic and systematic analysis for further academic in-depth research. For this study, a total of 21 items derived through extensive literature research and data research to understand what are the necessary competency factors for internal and external environmental changes in order for Korean venture companies to have global competitiveness in the era of the 4th Industrial Revolution. After reviewing SWOT factors by three expert groups and confirming them through Delphi survey, the importance of each item was analyzed by using AHP, a systematic decision-making technique. As a result of the analysis, it was shown that Strength(48%), Opportunity(25%), Threat(16%), Weakness(11%) were considered important in order. In terms of sub-items, 'quick and flexible commercialization capability', 'platform/big data/non-face-to-face service activation', and 'ICT infrastructure and it's utilization' were shown to be of the comparatively high importance. On the other hand, in the lower three items, 'macro-economic stability and social infrastructure', 'difficulty in entering overseas markets due to global protectionism', and 'absolutely inferior in foreign investment' were found to have low priority. As a result of the correlation verification by item to see differences in opinions by industry, academia, and policy expert groups, there was no significant difference of opinion, as industry and academic experts showed a high correlation and industry experts and policy experts showed a moderate correlation. The correlation between the academic and policy experts was not statistically significant (p<0.01), so it was analyzed that there was a difference of opinion on importance. This was due to the fact that policy experts highly valued 'quick and flexible commercialization', which are strengths, and 'excellent educational system and high-quality manpower' and 'creation of new markets' which are opportunity items, while academic experts placed great importance on 'support part of government policy', which are strengths. The implication of this study is that in order for Korean venture companies to secure competitiveness in the field of the 4th industrial revolution, it is necessary to have a policy that preferentially supports the relevant items of strengths and opportunity factors. The difference in the details of strength factors and opportunity factors, which shows a high level of variability, suggests that it is necessary to actively review it and reflect it in the policy.

• Asia Marketing Journal
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• v.13 no.4
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• pp.227-251
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• 2012

This study analyzed Woori Investment and Securities' industry-leading marketing from both a brand management and a marketing decision-making perspective. By executing a different marketing strategy from its competitors, Woori Investment and Securities recognized recent changes in the asset management and investment markets as an open opportunity, and quickly responded to the market changes. First, the company launched the octo brand as a multi-account product, two years before its competitors offered their own products. In particular, it created a differentiated brand image, using the blue octopus character, which became familiar to the general financial community, and was consistently employed as part of an integrated marketing communications strategy. Second, it executed a brand expansion strategy by sub-branding octo in a variety of new financial products, responding to rapid changes in the domestic financial and asset management markets. Through this strategic evolution, the octo brand became a successful wealth management brand and representative of Woori Investment & Securities. Third, it has converged market research, demand and trend analysis, and customer needs acquired through various customer contact channels into a marketing perspective. Thus, marketing has participated in the product development stage, a rarity in the finance industry. Woori Investment and Securities has a leading marketing system. The heart of the successful product creation lies in a collaboration of their customer bases among the finance companies in the Woori Financial Group. The present study suggested a corresponding strategy for octo brand, which is expected to enter into the maturity stage of its product life cycle. In addition, this study found a need to modify the current positioning strategy in order to position and preserve sustainability in the increasingly competitive asset management market. It also suggested the need for an offensive strategy to counter the number one M/S company, and address the issue of cannibalism in the Woori Financial Group.

• Asia Marketing Journal
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• v.14 no.2
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• pp.157-176
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• 2012

Brand switching data frequently used in market structure analysis is adequate to analyze non- durable goods, because it can capture competition between specific two brands. But brand switching data sometimes can not be used to analyze goods like automobiles having long term duration because one of main assumptions that consumer preference toward brand attributes is not changed against time can be violated. Therefore a new type of data which can precisely capture competition among durable goods is needed. Another problem of using brand switching data collected from actual purchase behavior is short of explanation why consumers consider different set of brands. Considering above problems, main purpose of this study is to analyze market structure for durable goods with consideration set. The author uses exploratory approach and latent class clustering to identify market structure based on heterogeneous consideration set among consumers. Then the relationship between some factors and consideration set formation is analyzed. Some benefits and two demographic variables - age and income - are selected as factors based on consumer behavior theory. The author analyzed USA automotive market with top 11 brands using exploratory approach and latent class clustering. 2,500 respondents are randomly selected from the total sample and used for analysis. Six models concerning market structure are established to test. Model 1 means non-structured market and model 6 means market structure composed of six sub-markets. It is exploratory approach because any hypothetical market structure is not defined. The result showed that model 1 is insufficient to fit data. It implies that USA automotive market is a structured market. Model 3 with three market structures is significant and identified as the optimal market structure in USA automotive market. Three sub markets are named as USA brands, Asian Brands, and European Brands. And it implies that country of origin effect may exist in USA automotive market. Comparison between modal classification by derived market structures and probabilistic classification by research model was conducted to test how model 3 can correctly classify respondents. The model classify 97% of respondents exactly. The result of this study is different from those of previous research. Previous research used confirmatory approach. Car type and price were chosen as criteria for market structuring and car type-price structure was revealed as the optimal structure for USA automotive market. But this research used exploratory approach without hypothetical market structures. It is not concluded yet which approach is superior. For confirmatory approach, hypothetical market structures should be established exhaustively, because the optimal market structure is selected among hypothetical structures. On the other hand, exploratory approach has a potential problem that validity for derived optimal market structure is somewhat difficult to verify. There also exist market boundary difference between this research and previous research. While previous research analyzed seven car brands, this research analyzed eleven car brands. Both researches seemed to represent entire car market, because cumulative market shares for analyzed brands exceeds 50%. But market boundary difference might affect the different results. Though both researches showed different results, it is obvious that country of origin effect among brands should be considered as important criteria to analyze USA automotive market structure. This research tried to explain heterogeneity of consideration sets among consumers using benefits and two demographic factors, sex and income. Benefit works as a key variable for consumer decision process, and also works as an important criterion in market segmentation. Three factors - trust/safety, image/fun to drive, and economy - are identified among nine benefit related measure. Then the relationship between market structures and independent variables is analyzed using multinomial regression. Independent variables are three benefit factors and two demographic factors. The result showed that all independent variables can be used to explain why there exist different market structures in USA automotive market. For example, a male consumer who perceives all benefits important and has lower income tends to consider domestic brands more than European brands. And the result also showed benefits, sex, and income have an effect to consideration set formation. Though it is generally perceived that a consumer who has higher income is likely to purchase a high priced car, it is notable that American consumers perceived benefits of domestic brands much positive regardless of income. Male consumers especially showed higher loyalty for domestic brands. Managerial implications of this research are as follow. Though implication may be confined to the USA automotive market, the effect of sex on automotive buying behavior should be analyzed. The automotive market is traditionally conceived as male consumers oriented market. But the proportion of female consumers has grown over the years in the automotive market. It is natural outcome that Volvo and Hyundai motors recently developed new cars which are targeted for women market. Secondly, the model used in this research can be applied easier than that of previous researches. Exploratory approach has many advantages except difficulty to apply for practice, because it tends to accompany with complicated model and to require various types of data. The data needed for the model in this research are a few items such as purchased brands, consideration set, some benefits, and some demographic factors and easy to collect from consumers.