• East Asian Journal of Business Economics (EAJBE)
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• v.9 no.1
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• pp.17-26
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• 2021

Purpose-This study examines how financial slack resources and subcontracting of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) affect their internationalization. To identify slack resources, subcontracting, and internationalization of SMEs, 1,062 SME samples in the electronics industry are used in the logistic regression analysis to analyze their relationship with SMEs' export. Research design, data, and methodology-This study conducted the empirical analysis on 1,062 SMEs in the electronics industry using the sample survey method. The samples were based on data selected and distributed by the Ministry SMEs and Startups. The data analysis methods were descriptive, correlation analysis, and logistics regression analysis. Result-The analysis shows that only available resources are negatively related to SMEs' internationalization. It can be interpreted as a high tendency for SMEs to avoid relatively risky choices such as entering overseas markets if they have enough financial resources. Moreover, subcontracting has a negative relationship with internationalization. Conclusion-This study broadened the scope of SME research by analyzing subcontracting and slack resources together and provides practical implications for policymakers and managers.

• The Journal of Industrial Distribution & Business
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• v.14 no.8
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• pp.27-35
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• 2023

The main objective of this study is to examine the impact of entrepreneurial orientation (EO) on small and medium-sized enterprises' (SMEs) performance in the context of subcontracting buyer-supplier relation. Specifically, we seek to examine whether the power dynamics between buyer and supplier either support or hamper subcontracting SMEs' ability to effectively pursue EO for enhancing their performance. Research design, data, and methodology: We collected survey questionnaires from Korean SMEs that are certified with Inno-biz by the Korean Ministry of SMEs and Startups. The collected data was analyzed using SPSS 26 and AMOS to create an integrated model. Result: Based on the analysis, our findings indicate that the proactiveness and innovativeness dimensions of EO have a positive effect on the SMEs' performance. However, the risk-taking dimension of EO has a negative effect on performance. Additionally, buyer dependency exhibit both positive and negative moderating effects on different dimensions of EO. Conclusion: For SMEs that rely heavily on a particular buyer in terms of sale, pursuing innovativeness dimension of EO could lead to positive performance, while pursuing proactiveness dimension of EO had a negative moderating effect on performance.

• Journal of Information Technology and Architecture
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• v.10 no.1
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• pp.33-45
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• 2013

This study investigated how the relationship between subcontracting affects the SMEs technology in order to strengthen the competitiveness of SMEs. Depending on the trading characteristics and structural characteristics, SMEs are separated into four types that dependent, peripheral-type cooperative, stand-alone. The impacts to technological competitiveness were measured, depending on the type of SME. The results show that SMEs technology competitiveness associated companies type are cooperation and stand-alone. We had confirmed that stand-alone type has high competitiveness through the technical support policy.

• Journal of Information Technology and Architecture
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• v.9 no.2
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• pp.199-207
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• 2012

This study analyzed how the subcontracting business relations and structures of cooperation affect the relationship skills (Outcome) that is divided into three steps. We analyzed integrated data every other year from 2005 to 2009. As a results, in the execution of technical cooperation trade relations have influenced the positive attributes, but recently their influence has been weakened. As for technical cooperation, the structure should alleviate the problem of the uneven performance of technical cooperation. We suggested that technical expertise and infrastructure make possible the culmination of the long-term technological competitiveness level.

• International Commerce and Information Review
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• v.17 no.3
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• pp.133-152
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• 2015

Cause of the technology leakage and trade secrets can be leaked to the lack of infrastructure, lack of coping skills of SMEs. In addition, small businesses can avoid technology outflow and re-experience the same half of the damage, even when the external leak developed after the fact and does not demonstrate such technology leakage time for the technology and situation which did not take any action, security, infrastructure investments difficult, work-related knowledge, lack of security, trade secret protection dedicated staff, inadequate legal and institutional measures have been identified as such complaints to date. For subcontracting, etc. mid-sized transactions, hinder the growth of SMEs, SME cross-technology leakage to the increase in unfair practices, including useful, and this has been accompanied by growth-based business-to-business it weakened.

• 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 Area Studies Review
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• v.16 no.1
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• pp.197-220
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• 2012

This study is to understand those determinants of performance differences of Korean small and medium firm's subsidiaries in Vietnam based on the resource based view. We have visited 21 Korean SME's subsidiaries in Hochiminh city area in Vietnam and interviewed CEO of those subsidiaries for 1-2 hours to make each case. Based on case content analysis, we can get those results that eight management capabilities such as securing competent local managers, clear and smooth communication with local employees, establishing good labor-management relations, raising the rate of factory operation and subcontracting, firm specific quality control system, timely financing, establishing good relationships with local communities, and fostering friendly relations with local public officers are major determinants of performance differences. Also we can know that various factors including local experiences in Vietnam have influenced those management capabilities. To be a high performer in Vietnam, foreign subsidiaries of Korean SMEs have to build and develop major management capabilities continuously.

• Korean small business review
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• v.42 no.1
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• pp.19-41
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• 2020

In Korea, punitive damages were introduced in the 2011 Fair Transactions in Subcontracting Act(FTSA), and in 2019 the Patent Act, Trade Secret Protection Act(TSPA), Industrial Technology Protection Act(ITPA), and Mutually Beneficial Cooperation Act(MBCA). In punitive damages, the judgment of 'intentional' is especially important, and it is necessary to refer to US precedents since there is no accumulated case. Major Company can avoid intentional counseling through the advice of lawyers, but SMEs may have to punish punitive damages due to a lack of awareness of the system. In the case of TSPA, ITPA, FTSA, and MBCA, except for Patent Act, the provisions related to proof of damage have not been well maintained yet. Therefore, the data submission order system of these laws needs to be revised to the level of patent Act need to be. TSPA needs to be amended in the future to estimate the amount of the royalties in estimating the amount of damages so that it can receive the 'reasonably' estimated amount rather than the usual amount. On the other hand, ITPA, FTSA, and MBCA do not have any provisions for the estimation of damages. Besides, it is difficult to evaluate the technology value in the case of leakage or deodorization of new technologies. Therefore, valuation needs to be carried out by a credible institution along with the development of a model for calculating damages.

• Journal of Venture Innovation
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• v.5 no.4
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• pp.109-115
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• 2022

As the 4th industrial revolution progresses, foreign countries are promoting smart manufacturing innovation through digital transformation as a priority task early on to secure a competitive edge in the manufacturing industry. In response, the Korean government is also promoting a policy to enhance the competitiveness of small and medium-sized manufacturing companies by promoting digital transformation in the corporate sector to meet the global trend of the 4th industrial revolution era. Manufacturing powerhouses such as Germany and Japan see manufacturing as a key sector in digital transformation and are leading related policies, while emerging countries such as China are also promoting manufacturing innovation strategies such as building digital infrastructure and creating a digital innovation ecosystem. Korea is promoting the 'Korean-style smart factory dissemination and expansion strategy' by transforming Germany's manufacturing innovation strategy for smart factory supply to suit the domestic situation. However, the policy to supply smart factories so far has been conducted with support from individual companies under the leadership of the government, and most of the smart factories are at the basic level, and it is evaluated that there are limitations such as the lack of manpower to operate smart factories. In addition, while the current policy focuses on expanding the supply of smart factories in SMEs, it is necessary to establish a smart manufacturing system through linkages between large and small businesses in order to achieve the original goal of establishing a smart manufacturing system. Therefore, it can be said that from the standpoint of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), who are consumers of smart factories, it can be said that the digital transformation policy can achieve the expected results only when appropriate incentives are provided for the introduction of smart factories in a situation where management resources such as funds, technology, and human resources are lacking. In addition, it is judged that the uncertainty of the performance of digital investment always exists, and as long as large and small companies are maintained as an ecosystem of delivery and subcontracting, there is very little incentive for small and medium-sized manufacturing companies to voluntarily invest in or advance digital transformation. Therefore, the digital transformation policy of small and medium-sized manufacturing companies in the future has practical significance in that it suggests that there is a need to seek ways to attract SMEs' digital-related voluntary investment.