• International Commerce and Information Review
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• v.15 no.1
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• pp.333-356
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• 2013

The main purpose of this article is to find out the determinants of usage and performance of the uTradeHub system in Korean SMEs. To achieve the purpose of the study, the research model and the hypotheses were developed based on the previous research on uTradeHub and e-Trade. And to test the research hypotheses, empirical survey was conducted to Korean SMEs which were using uTradeHub services. The results of the empirical analyses are as follows. First, among the external factors, intra-industry competition and transaction intensity were significant determinants of uTradeHub usage level. Secondly, among the internal factors, only CEO's support was found to be a significant determinant. Thirdly, among the IT related factors, IT infrastructure and IT training were positively related to uTradeHub usage level. Finally, the uTradeHub usage level was found to have positive effect both on financial and non-financial export performance of the Korean SMEs.

• Journal of Korea Trade
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• v.23 no.4
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• pp.30-57
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• 2019

Purpose - This study analyzes the effect of internationalization represented as exporting on firm performance on the subject of SMEs operating in Masan Free Trade Zone which has shown poor performance recently despite its status as the oldest and largest free trade zone in Korea. We also analyze the effect of firm size on firm performance, and the moderating role of firm size in relation to internationalization and firm performance. Design/methodology - This study uses multiple regression models for unbalanced panel data as the empirical tools for the estimation of the effect that internationalization has on firm performance (ROA or ROS). Our sample consists of 91 manufacturing SMEs among all 110 companies located in Masan Free Trade Zone as of 2017. Findings - The degree of internationalization has a negative impact on firm performance. However, firm size turns out to have a positive effect and play a positive moderating role in the relation to internationalization and firm performance. This seems to be because most tenant companies operating in Masan Free Trade Zone are small firms whose costs of internationalization may exceed the benefits. Empirical results also show that longer CEO tenure has a greater negative effect on firm performance. Originality/value - The originality/value of this paper can be found in 3 aspects. First, we conducted an empirical analysis on the relationship between the internationalization and firm performance of SMEs in a specific region, namely, Masan Free Trade Zone. Second, while most previous studies focused on listed medium companies, most of the sample of this study are small and medium non-listed enterprises. Third, it is witnessed that firm size has a positive moderating effect on the relation between internationalization and firm performance.

• International Commerce and Information Review
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• v.12 no.2
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• pp.29-57
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• 2010

Global e-Trade system which electronically processes all trade transactions of trading companies is an essential platform where export and import firms enhance international competitiveness. This study is to develop research models suitable for e-Trade and empirically analyze them in order to examine and verify factors affecting e-Trade system of trading companies on the basis of previously-verified studies on global e-Trade such as TAM, TOE, and Task-Technology Fit Model(TTF). Among many factors, this paper comprehensively analyzes an acceptance factor, which is one of the factors affecting the implementation and performance of e-Trade, from the technological, organizational, and environmental context. The finding from this paper will be applied to e-Trade projects carried out by the government in the future by analyzing the correlation between acceptance and performance.

• International Commerce and Information Review
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• v.6 no.1
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• pp.99-126
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• 2004

E-Trade is expected to dominate the global trade in the 21st century and thus is being introduced as a major policy assignment for each development country. e-trade has the potential to accelerate existing trends and introduce new ways of conducting trade. and e-trade is an alternative to strengthen international competitiveness. therefore, we needs to quickly adjust to this new method of e-trade and provide a number of policy suggestions that it can make best use of. However, successful implemetation, diffusion and usage of e-trade system require cooperation, commitment and the trust of all participating members in international trade process. A number of interorganizational, intraorganizational and innovation factors can influence both the extent to which e-trade is diffused and the level of subsequent performance that accure to participating firms. Considering the characteristics of e-trade, the proposed factors are based on an interdisciplinary study. The research model is based on the theories of innovation diffusion, inter-organizational system, and IS implementation. The factors proposed for this study of external firm factors, internal firm and perception factors.

• International Commerce and Information Review
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• v.9 no.3
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• pp.131-149
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• 2007

E-tade has the potential to accelerate existing trends and introduce new ways of conducting traditional trade. The primary purpose of this research is to investigate performance factor and analyzes influence between performance of e-Trade and implementation of company. This research will be used as a basis for examining the actual results of e-Trade usage and export productivity. In order to facilitate the process, analysis began after a research prototype was created and research thesis established.

• Journal of Korea Trade
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• v.26 no.8
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• pp.58-76
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• 2022

Purpose - This study examined the Rules of Origin (RoO) as a factor affecting free trade agreements' (FTA) utilization and analyzed the causal relationship and the effects of these factors on the export performance of automobile parts companies. Design/methodology - We analyzed and verified the impact of FTA utilization and the export performance of automobile parts companies by dividing the characteristics of the RoO into complexity and uncertainty. Following which, various statistical analyses were conducted on the interrelationships among these variables. Findings - This research analyzed the effect of the RoO factors of complexity and uncertainty on the use of FTA and the export performance of automobile parts companies. We found that these characteristics of RoO were generally related to and affected the FTA use and export performance of these companies. Based on this, this study's investigation into the characteristics of the RoO would then help companies in better utilizing the FTA, as well as providing suggestions on how to effectively respond to the application of the FTA in the future. Originality/value - Companies that want to utilize FTAs in international trade must follow the RoO. In the Regional Trade Agreement (RTA), the country-of-origin is a key factor, with the RoO being an important requirement for the application of preferential tariffs. These regulations are a requirement for receiving FTA preferential treatment; however, they also cause difficulties to companies in using the FTA.

• International Commerce and Information Review
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• v.19 no.2
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• pp.213-236
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• 2017

World trade has entered a stagnant state, protection trade measures are spread due to delayed economic recovery in developed countries, sluggish investment in emerging economies such as China, economic recession in resource exporting countries, and geopolitical and political uncertainties along with the election period in the US and other major industrialized countries. Thus, in the economic structure of our country with a focus on export, for small and medium enterprises to grow, efforts for having various markets are necessary. The importance of the trade insurance system, which can support the risk management of enterprises, is emphasized by the fact that the majority of SME exporters have a risk management level and a lack of corporate capacity to enter the global market. This study was surveyed with 87 small and medium export companies in South Korea. The purpose of this study is to verify the effect relationship how service quality of trade insurance and utilization of trade insurance impact on the risk management of trade payment and export performance. The research hypothesis and model was derived from the basis of existing theory and empirical research, and obtained the following results. Firstly, Service Quality of Trade Insurance showed positive (+) effect on Export Performance. Secondly, Utilization of Trade Insurance showed positive (+) effect on Risk Management of Trade Payment. Thirdly, Risk Management of Trade Payment showed positive (+) effect on Export Performance. This study is differentiated from previous research information by empirically evaluating the relationship between the risk management of trade payment and export performance through utilization of trade insurance. This study contributed to academic by examining the research on the risk management of trade insurance and also practically suggested the direction how small and medium export company is to take the advantage of the trade insurance.

• International Commerce and Information Review
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• v.10 no.4
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• pp.3-21
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• 2008

This study analyzed the effect of degree of using online trade process services provided by e-Trade companies on the degree of user satisfaction and the online export performance in Korean small and medium-sized exporting firms(SMEs). According to the empirical survey results based on 130 sample firms, there were positive relationship among the frequency of using e-Trade companies' services, the degree of user satisfaction and the online export performance. Furthermore, the results of the moderated regression analysis showed that there were significant moderation effect of the organizational characteristics on the relationships between the degree of user satisfaction and the SMEs' online export performances. This study provides several useful implications to Korean SMEs, e-Trade companies and government policy makers.

• International Commerce and Information Review
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• v.9 no.4
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• pp.307-328
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• 2007

This paper discusses some requirement issues of future global e-trade. Korea has been making lots of efforts on e-trade promotions and many research results support that the performance of e-trade should be increased. There are still many unsolved issues as well as future demands in this area. In this paper, we propose some e-trade requirements for next generation and those are e-trade governance, collaboration enhancement among trading participants, the utilization of e-trade documents repository, the expansion of global e-trade network, and e-trade intelligence just to name a few. For each requirement, we propose some research topics as well as practical implications for improving the performance of global e-trades. One can find some useful thoughts for the future research based on the propositions made by this paper.

• International Commerce and Information Review
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• v.10 no.2
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• pp.3-22
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• 2008

As information technology has a great impacts on contemporary business environment, global electronic trade is becoming a new paradigm in international trade transaction. The internet provides a fundamentally different environment for international marketing and trade, it also requires a different approach to international business. Now it is unrealistic to apply the same marketing strategies under global environment without making some modifications to be appropriate to the electronic edge. This paper attempts to investigate what kinds of factors influence the level of electronic trade utilization and performance, and suggests some strategies for usage of electronic trade for small-medium enterprises in Korea. According to the results of this research, the usage of electronic trade by small-medium enterprises is fundamentally important for the diffusion of electronic trade. Therefore it is suggested that the government needs to support small-medium enterprises by financing them to have system for electronic trade.