• Journal of Korean Society of Industrial and Systems Engineering
• /
• v.43 no.3
• /
• pp.101-111
• /
• 2020

Companies struggle to make their best products with high quality and service at a competitive price in global markets. However, customer needs and requirements keep changing with a variety of situations. Companies that face the changes can not stay the same and make an effort to adapt themselves to new circumstances. They would probably review the overall management system that is currently implementing to improve management efficiency. Among other things, quality might be considered to be a crucial element if they are manufacturing industries to be sustained in global markets. KSA (Korean Standards Association) is a government-affiliated organization under the Ministry of Trade, Infrastructure, and Energy. It is a Korean standards provider for quality and service industry. KSA confers national commendations for organizations, quality circles, artisans, QCEC (Quality Competitive Excellent Company), and the most honorable KNQA (Korean National Quality Award) every year. KSA established KNQA on the basis of Malcom Baldrige National Quality Award, Deming Prize, and European Quality Award. Research on quality awards shows that there are many similarities in the framework. Although KSA summarizes two factors for 13 evaluation indicators in the quality competitive excellent model of QCEC, the categorization is ambiguous to explain them according to earlier studies. We performed a deep analysis of foreign quality awards and background for KNQA and QCEC. We conducted a content analysis of KNQA and QCEC and matched evaluation items that were closely related. We proposed a quality competitiveness model with three factors, Technology, System, and Tools, summarizing 13 evaluation indicators in QCEC. Based on audit data for six years from 2012 to 2017 we carried out a confirmatory factor analysis for the proposed model by examining the model validity and fitness.

• Journal of Arbitration Studies
• /
• v.34 no.1
• /
• pp.75-101
• /
• 2024

"ESG management" guides companies to prioritize corporate social responsibility and sustainable development as key management objectives, going beyond mere financial performance pursuits. This approach involves creating a sustainable and robust supply chain by urging companies, acting as 'supply chain managers', to implement ESG management practices alongside their 'supply chain partners'. The domestic business community has been quick to respond to this trend, recognizing that failure to adhere to ESG standards set by organizations such as the EU and SEC could lead to severe repercussions, including exclusion from international trade and reputational damage. POSCO and NAVER, two leading Korean companies, are at the forefront of practicing ESG management effectively. They have both produced and publicly disclosed ESG management reports, showcasing their success in enhancing supply chain ESG management. However, as supply chain managers enforce ESG-related obligations on their suppliers, the likelihood of disputes between the parties may increase. In scenarios where supply chain ESG management leads to conflicts between supply chain managers and suppliers, commercial arbitration emerges as a viable solution for dispute resolution. This method offers several advantages, including the arbitrators' expertise, time and cost efficiency, the binding nature of decisions akin to a court's final judgment, international recognition under the New York Convention, confidentiality, and ample opportunity for parties to be heard. Our analysis focuses on the emerging disputes between supply chain managers and suppliers within the context of supply chain ESG management, particularly examining the cases of POSCO and NAVER. By categorizing the expected types of disputes and assessing the appropriateness of commercial arbitration for their resolution, we highlight the effectiveness of this approach. Furthermore, we propose leveraging the Korean Commercial Arbitration Board's role to enhance the use of arbitration in resolving supply chain ESG disputes, underscoring its potential as a strategic tool for maintaining sustainable and harmonious supply chain relationships.

• Journal of Arbitration Studies
• /
• v.18 no.1
• /
• pp.121-145
• /
• 2008

Northeast Asia is increasingly making a transition to distinctive and crucial region in the 21st Century and growing into one of world's top three economic spheres along with the EU and NAFTA. In 2003, Korean government announced the Northeast Asian economic hub country plan as an important agenda. As a means of coping with the changing global environment, Korean government designated Incheon in 2003 as the country's first Free Economic Zone ahead of Busan and Gwangyang Bay in the south of the country because Incheon has a geographical advantage linking North America and Europe with Incheon International Airport and Incheon Seaport. The purpose of this paper is to make research on establishment and operation of an arbitral body entitled ${\ulcorner}International Arbitration Center{\lrcorner}$ (IAC) within Incheon Free Economic Zone(IFEZ). For the purpose of this, the writer in this paper, reviewed the necessity of the IAC's establishment and its legal basis as well as the role and function of the Center. Also, the writer presented plans for how to operate the IAC and how to cooperate with the key arbitral organizations of foreign countries for the settlement promotion of commercial disputes including trade and investment. With development of the IFEZ, world-renowned enterprises will invest in the Incheon economic bloc and conduct economic activities, business operation, marketing, logistics, financing, etc. In this connection, diverse types of commercial disputes are expected to occur between foreign companies entering the IFEZ and Korean firms. In this connection, the Korean Commercial Arbitration Board(KCAB) has been operating its liaison office in the IFEZ since 2004. However, in view of the increasing arbitration demand, the IAC should be set up in the IFEZ in the near future by the positive support of the government in the respect of both administration and finance because the free economic zone-related law provides for the installation of arbitration organization. For the success of the IAC, the Center will have to provide not only good quality of arbitral services that can satisfy arbitration parties but also need to conduct researches and make efforts so that arbitration can be utilized well in the IFEZ. If the IFEZ can provide advantageous business environments to those multinational enterprises intending to the Incheon economic bloc, the IAC will also contribute to the settlement of commercial disputes arising from the Gaeseong Industrial Complex in North Korea in view of the geographical advantage and logistic benefit of the IFEZ. Finally, this paper also suggests a new model for a joint dispute resolution system by the initiative of Korean government and Korean arbitral organizations for the settlement of commercial disputes within Northeast Asia, for which the CAMCA(Commercial Arbitration and Mediation Center for the Americas) of NAFTA can be a good example.

• Journal of Korean Society for Quality Management
• /
• v.51 no.4
• /
• pp.531-550
• /
• 2023

Purpose: The unique nature of life-and-death healthcare services sets them apart from other service industries. While many studies exist on the relationship between healthcare services and customer satisfaction, most of them focus on mildly ill patients, ignoring the differences between critically ill and non-seriously ill patients. This study discusses the actual quality of healthcare services for patients who are facing life-threatening illnesses and are on life support, as well as their right to protection and dignity. Methods: The survey conducted to 149 patients with the four major illnesses: cancer, heart disease, brain disease and rare and incurable disease, those who have experiences with senior general hospitals. Results: The basic statistics of this study are adequate to represent the four major critical illnesses, and the reliability and validity of this study's hypotheses, which were measured by multiple items, were analyzed, and the internal consistency was judged to be high. In addition, it was found that the convergent validity was good and the discriminant validity was also secured. When examining the goodness of fit of the hypotheses, the SRMR, which is the standardized root mean square of residuals that measures the difference between the covariance matrix of the data variables and the theoretical covariance matrix structure of the model, met the optimal criteria. Conclusion: The academic implications of this study are differentiated from other studies by moving away from evaluating the quality of healthcare services for mildly ill patients and focusing on the rights and dignity of patients with life-threatening illnesses in four senior general hospitals. In terms of academic implications, this study enriches the depth of related studies by demonstrating the right to protection and dignity as a factor of patient-centeredness based on physical environment quality, interaction quality, and outcome quality, which are presented as sub-factors of healthcare quality. We found that the three quality factors classified by Brady and Cronin (2001) are optimized for healthcare quality assessment and management, and that the results of patients' interaction quality assessment can be used to provide a comprehensive quality rating for hospitals. Health and human rights are inextricably linked, so assessing the degree to which rights and dignity are protected can be a superior and more comprehensive measurement tool than traditional health level measures for healthcare organizations. Practical implications: Improving the quality of the physical environment and the quality of outcomes is an important challenge for hospital managers who attract patients with life and death conditions, but given the scale and economics of time, money, and human inputs, improving the quality of interactions and defining them as performance indicators in hospital quality management is an efficient way to create maximum value in the short term.

• Journal of Distribution Science
• /
• v.12 no.4
• /
• pp.85-92
• /
• 2014

Purpose - This study conducted empirical research on non-financial corporations listed on the stock exchange from 2001 to 2010, focusing on the effects of corporate governance on real earnings management of corporations. In particular, this study examined primarily the impact of the largest shareholder who could use earnings management to pursue his own self-interest, and foreign investors who played a checking role against the largest shareholders. The study also reviewed the relationship between corporate governance and earnings management while also considering corporate growth. Research design, data, and methodology - As for the measurements of real earnings management, abnormal operating cash flow and abnormal production cost were utilized. As for the independent variables, share ratio of the largest shareholder and affiliate person (M) and share ratio of foreign investors (FT) were leveraged. This study excluded those organizations that had changed their fiscal years, those that had not submitted an audit report, corporations under supervision, delisted corporations, corporations that had changed their business type, and so on, from the non-financial corporations out of the publicly traded corporations whose fiscal year ended in December from 2001 to 2010 in addition, KIS values were utilized for the corporate financial data in the study. To verify whether management structure and growth had an impact on real earnings management of a corporation through empirical analysis, a multiple regression analysis model was applied. Result - First, as a result of the analysis, the share ratio (M) of the largest shareholder and affiliate person was found to have a significant positive correlation with abnormal cash flow from operations(ACF) and abnormal production cost (APD). When controlling the growth, the share ratio (M) of the largest shareholder and affiliate person was found to have an insignificant correlation with abnormal cash flow from operations(ACF) but a significant correlation with abnormal production cost (APD). Second, foreign ownership (FT) was found to have a significant positive correlation with abnormal cash flow from operations(ACF) and abnormal production cost (APD) at the confidence level of 1 percent when not including the growth dummy. When controlling the growth, foreign ownership (FT) was found to have a significant negative correlation with abnormal cash flow from operations (ACF) and with abnormal production cost (APD). Conclusion - The results imply that the largest shareholder is closely related to earnings management through real activities regardless of corporate growth. It is also possible to determine from these results that foreign investors are related to earnings management through real activities when not considering corporate growth, but that they would reduce earnings management in the case of considering the growth. Thus, this study verified along with the existing studies that foreign investors were conducting the control function on controlling shareholders.

• Journal of Food Hygiene and Safety
• /
• v.27 no.2
• /
• pp.176-181
• /
• 2012

Persistent accidents related to food safety and expanded international trades have urged the world to be aware of the gravity of the accidents. Accordingly many countries have tried to come up with various laws, regulations, measures, support networks and educational programs for the agenda, particularly focusing on harmonizing food safety technologies among nations and fostering professionals. Also, APEC newly organized Food Safety Cooperation Forum (FSCF) in 2007 to exert multi-dimensional efforts to improve food safety for Asia Pacific nations. Up to now, 35 activities have been promoted since 2007 and additional 20 activities are waiting for their turns for action on the list of APEC project agenda. FSCF has the objective that it helps the stakeholders in food supply chain develop their own competence in that area, thus increase international trade among nations and maintain the globe healthy by applying the highest standards and best practices for the management of food safety ranging from production to consumption. To achieve this strategic objective, APEC subsequently formed Partnership Training Institute Network (PTIN) to build up the multilateral networks of specialists from governmental agencies engaging in food safety management, industries, academia and international organizations in Asia-Pacific region. This attempt made it possible for the world to exchange their scientific and technological information concerning food safety and strengthen related education and training. Today, international cooperation is essential for food safety management. Therefore, we need to participate actively in the activities of APEC FSCF to contribute to improving food safety technologies for the member countries of APEC. We also need to connect the domestic support programs with theirs.

• Asia-Pacific Journal of Business Venturing and Entrepreneurship
• /
• v.12 no.6
• /
• pp.13-24
• /
• 2017

The purpose of this study is to examine the effect of the management of receivables on the management performance of micro manufacturing industries. The results of the survey are as follows. First, among the factors of management of pre- and post-trade receivables in the micro manufacturing industries, management organization and regulations, contract execution management, bad debt control, which are the subordinate factors of credit control, are positive (+) significant effect on stability. In terms of profitability, management organizations and regulations, which are subordinate factors of credit control management, have a positive (+) significant effect on profitability. The recovery management, which is a factor of management of post - receivable receivables, did not have a significant effect on the stability and profitability of financial management performance. Second, the effect of financial performance on organizational satisfaction is positively related to stability, while profitability has no significant effect on organizational satisfaction. The implication of this study is that pre - trade receivables management is more important than post - trade receivables management in the management of accounts receivables of micro manufacturing industries. Proactive credit management refers to the procedure of establishing and managing personal guarantees and physical guarantees in order to smooth the execution of the obligations at the same time as the contract is concluded through processes such as credit investigation, analysis and evaluation, and sales decision before the contract is concluded. Post receivables management based on the assumption of default is a receivables management procedure from receipt of receivables that are already defaulted to bad debts to bad debt processing. If the collection of receivables is delayed or bad debt is increased, Furthermore, a corporation may be subject to bankruptcy risk (insolvency by paper profits). Therefore, it is meaningful that this study suggests direction to induce change of contract type in advance by understanding the possibility of settlement of accounts receivable and recovery of bad debts within the day of transition in case of contract of micro manufacturing industries.

• Journal of Arbitration Studies
• /
• v.20 no.3
• /
• pp.47-69
• /
• 2010

From the review of Korean arbitration systems with the comparison of those of other countries, we can summarize some issues to be tackled as follows: First, Korean arbitration system started with the purpose of export promotion. This may be the main reason that various domestic disputes have not been resolved by arbitration. Second, the Korean Arbitration Law applies to private disputes. The Law's arbitration scope is wider than that of China and France, but narrower than that of the U.S.A. that encompasses a variety of disputes in the filed of consumer, labor, medical services, patents, etc. Third, active judges or public officials in Korea can not be arbitrator and there is no arbitration court. However, if chief judge allows the necessity, court's judges in the UK can be arbitrator with the mutual agreement of the parties and also arbitration system is operated in the court. Fourth, the Korean Commercial Arbitration Board(KCAB), the only representative institution for arbitration in Korea, is under the Ministry of Knowledge Economy(MKE). This makes it difficult for the KCAB to handle other disputes related to the Ministry of Health and Welfare, the Ministry of Strategy and Finance, the Ministry for Food, Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, the Ministry of Employment and Labor, etc. Fifth, as mentioned, the KCAB is the unique institution for arbitration by the Law in Korea, while other countries allow have a diversity of arbitration agencies such as maritime arbitration organization, consumer arbitration institution, arbitration court, etc. Therefore, we suggest some ideas to expand the arbitration's area of coverage in Korea as follows: First, there should be more active policies that promote various domestic disputes to be settled by the arbitration system. Second, it is quite needed to expand the scope of arbitration to cover many disputes in the fields of consumer, labor, medical service, advertising, fair trade, etc. Third, there should be discussions to allow court judges as arbitrator and to introduce the arbitration court. Fourth, the KCAB should strengthen its status and roles as general arbitration organization to overcome the limited scope of commercial disputes. For this, there should be the strong support and coordination among the MKE and other government agencies. Fifth, to reduce the burden of the court's complicated and expensive procedures, more efficient disputes resolution systems should be established on the basis of the parties' free will. Each central government agency should streamline the legal barriers to allow industrial organizations under its control to establish their own or joint arbitration system with the KCAB.

• Journal of Families and Better Life
• /
• v.34 no.3
• /
• pp.15-26
• /
• 2016

Food is a kind of unconditional element for the health and survival of humanity. Eating is the most principle desire for humans among others, which can make humans feel stability and pleasure when the desire is well satisfied. The attention to food safety is increasing and food safety accidents are happening constantly, which makes the anxiety to food safety become more serious. Especially after the WTO, the floating of food hazards between countries are increasing, which makes the problems of food safety not just limited to inland but has become a matter of common interest internationally in this liberalization era. Therefore, institutional preparation and persistent management and supervision are necessary for increasing dietary life satisfaction as well as securing food safety. Meanwhile, the consumers also need to understand and trust the food safety information, and have the ability of personally pursuing a safe diet. In this study, sentiment index about food safety and dietary satisfaction were centered on Korean consumers and the factors having an effect on dietary satisfaction were analyzed. Moreover, whether the reliance to food safety information had a moderating effect on the sensory level of food safety and satisfaction to dietary food was also confirmed. The main results were different with those concluded by J. Yun and S. Joo (2014). The sensory level of food safety was decided by the reliance to food production distribution provision safety, anxiety to food varieties, and food token. The reliance to food production distribution provision safety was lower than the average level. The anxiety to food varieties was slightly higher than the average level. The reliance to food safety information was generally lower than the medium level which showed the distrust to food safety information. The satisfaction of diet by the consumers showed a slightly lower level than the average level. In addition, the reliance to food safety information had a moderating effect on the sentiment index about food safety and dietary satisfaction. Therefore, the consumer organizations or the government should actively expand various consumer education related to food safety in order to apprehend the concrete variables which can have effects on the satisfaction of diet and transform the precise information into accurate knowledge.

• Journal of Korea Technology Innovation Society
• /
• v.17 no.2
• /
• pp.421-447
• /
• 2014

Traditional medicine has been integrated into the national health system in many countries such as Korea, China, Taiwan, etc. Korea and China are most representative among them. The purpose of this study is to compare the policies on traditional medicine in Korea and China focusing on where it came from and where it is headed. In this regard, the study suggested the first analysis tool in the world for analyzing the policy of traditional medicine. The results of the study are as follows: First of all, the development process of Korean Medicine (KM) and Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) shows the same pattern, that is, both are influenced by its own national policies. Secondly, the difference between the two countries is due to the gap in the development status or the different aspects in national heath system. TCM is more vitalized in health system and has larger category, and stays ahead in globalization compared to KM. TCM covers Chinese medicine, integrative medicine and ethno-medicine. Korea emphasizes the role of KM in the declining birthrate and aging society, and promotes the overseas patient invitation strategy. China, on the other hand, establishes the medical system for emergency medical treatment and preventive treatment of major diseases and promotes overseas expansion of TCM service. In addition, Korea stressed the safety and distribution of herbal medicine, and China emphasizes production technologies. Korea has a strong medical device industry along with the government's fostering policy; however, in China, medical devices are in the R&D stage yet. Even though both countries promotes the drug development from natural products, Korea focuses on developing herbal cosmetics in application industry, but China shows weakness in policies on application industry. China shores up the foundation for culture and theory of traditional medicine, while Korea doesn't have related policy. Korea places emphasis on promoting collaboration with international organizations and medical volunteer programs, whereas China is more interested in mutual cooperation and real trade with other countries.