• KSCE Journal of Civil and Environmental Engineering Research
• /
• v.35 no.4
• /
• pp.941-951
• /
• 2015

In the recent years, Korean construction companies have been awarded 680 billion USD in the oversea projects which lead to a successful quantitative growth. However, due to the lack of capability in the core technology and project management compared to the leading companies, in addition to low-price bidding, massive deficit projects have caused problems to the companies. In order to overcome the limitations of the lack of capabilities, the term constructability has been researched recently by developed countries to apply in the practical use. The concept of constructability must be applied for Korean companies to compete in the EPC construction projects. The term constructability is defined as the factor that affect the overall construction process of a project which is defined by the ease of construction and to secure the project quality. Therefore, this study aims to develop a constructability assessment model using the structural equation to assess the factors that affect the constructability in the design and construction stage. The purpose of using the structural equation is to analyze the direct and indirect correlation between each factor that affects the international construction projects. Total of 8 latent variables and 34 measured variables are derived through literature review, corporate reports, experts' interview and surveys. The result of the model suggests the constructability factors that are to be managed the most efficiently to reduce cost, time and improve the quality as well as a countermeasure strategy to successfully execute the target international construction projects.

• Proceedings of the Korean Institute Of Construction Engineering and Management
• /
• autumn
• /
• pp.373-378
• /
• 2003

Korea's overseas construction industry has been rather depressed by the weakened profitability as well as the sharp decrease of the market shares due to the lack of international competitiveness and the declined international market following the outbreak of Iraq war. There exist a lot of various risks in performing the overseas construction, and especially EPC projects, which entail complicated process from different parts, also require a sophisticated procurement and management skill. Subsequently, to survive in the competitive international market, we need to establish strategies to select potentially profitable projects at the initial stage of bidding process and to mitigate the high degree of risk exposures through contract negotiation and its adjustment. This research provides the profitability evaluation bases, with which overseas construction participants can forecast and analyze the risk more systematically, by eliciting profit-influencing factors from real overseas construction projects and structuring their cause-and-effect relationships. The profitability causal hierarchy structure describes the profitability factors' hierarchy in details and their interrelationships. It also enables us to find out critical factors directly related to profitability aggravation through a qualitative analysis. Ultimately, with this hierarchy structure as the base, the research will suggest how to develop the quantitative profitability forecasting model.

• Health Policy and Management
• /
• v.16 no.2
• /
• pp.96-116
• /
• 2006

To assess the economic value of pharmaceutical therapy with Kremezin, we investigated the maximum amount of willingness-to-pay (WTP) of patients with chronic renal failure (CRF) for a hypothetical effect of Kremezin in delaying the initiation of dialysis treatments. A face-to-face survey was carried out in a sample of 141 CRF patients from 2 dialysis centers, composed of 82 hemodialysis patients, 38 peritoneal dialysis patients, and 21 non-dialysis CRF patients. Using a bidding game method with a starting point of 320,000 Won, which is the average monthly out-of-pocket payment for dialysis treatment, we asked the study subjects how much they would pay per month to receive Kremezin therapy. The mean out-of-pocket monthly WTP for Kremezin was 310,000, 430,000, and 520,000 Won (p<0.05, repeated one-way ANOVA)) when Kremezin delays the initiation of dialysis treatments by 1, 2, and 4 years. Significant correlation between the respondent's WTP and income $(r=0.266{\sim}0.368,\;p<0.05)$ confirmed the construct validity of the WTP instrument. Regression results showed that patients with a higher education, with diabetes as a major causes of CRF, and undergoing hemodialysis treatments tended to express higher WTP for Kremezin. The economic value of WTP from the perspective of patients varied from 310,000 to 520,000 Won depending on the effect size of Kremezin. The mean WTP was higher than 32,000 Won, only when the hypothetical effect of Kremezin in delaying the initiation of dialysis is for 2 years. This implies that Kremezin might be the preferred choice of therapy by CRF patients if it delays the initiation of dialysis treatment for at least 2 years.

• Korean Journal of Construction Engineering and Management
• /
• v.18 no.4
• /
• pp.57-66
• /
• 2017

Using bidding data collected from the World Bank's open database, this research performed a series of competitive analyses of the major countries that have participated in the Bank's engineering consulting services contracts in Vietnam. The goal of the analysis was to evaluate the performance of Korean engineering firms to date, and provide strategic recommendations for future projects. Results showed that Korean firms had a high bid acceptance rate, comparable to major developed countries. The success was attributed to the high technical scores in the selection process. Comparatively, financial scores were not competitive and inferior to developing countries such as China and India. Results of a 'Skitmore' analysis revealed that Korea was competitive in medium size projects and were situated between developed and developing countries. Korea thus needs to increase participation in basic and detailed design services, 2) improve labor costs through 'localization' and latest technologies, and 3) and venture into larger sized projects.

• Resources Recycling
• /
• v.23 no.2
• /
• pp.26-36
• /
• 2014

The materials flow of copper can be analyzed into up-stream and down-stream stages based on the literature survey. Discharge and recycling stages in the down-stream have been particularly analyzed through the field survey. The waste nickel resources circulation flow may conveniently be grouped into 4 stages discharge import, collection disuse, resource recovery and product production export, the resources mainly consist of copper scrap and stainless steel scrap in 2010. The resource circulation rate of 36.83% is obtained from the above flow. Various plans are therefore, suggested in each stage to increase resource circulation rate. At discharge import stage, it is suggested to consider this kind of waste as an important resources if it is appropriately classified in detail, basides applying quota tariff to this kind of waste. At collection disuse stage, the plan of stabilizing supply and demand is suggested through the improvement of bidding system. Resources professional cycling stage crushing and grinding companies foster coexistence between large and small plans and strategies were suggested. At product production export stage, the integrated approval is suggested approval for licensing to register units as waste-treating facilities instead of exempting registration under the present condition to activate recycling industries.

• Resources Recycling
• /
• v.27 no.1
• /
• pp.14-21
• /
• 2018

The rapid increase in the consumption of products that contain rare metals has highlighted the importance of recycling and recovering resources from these products when they enter the waste stream. Among various metal resources that can be recovered, this study analyzes the waste streams of cobalt and palladium to determine how their waste resource circulation can be improved at each stage of the waste stream. The findings of this study point to improvements and strategies that can be made at individual stages. First, at the discharge/import stage, the implementation of tariff quotas for specific recycled metal resources is suggested to allow the systemic categorization of waste metals as resources. At the collection/discarding stage, a major problem is the instability in the supply of scrap metals, which may be better managed by changing the bidding process for the scrap metals. At the pretreatment stage, possible areas for improvement are uncovered concerning technical areas, such as technological development and improving the efficiency of material recycling, as well as policy-wise, for instance, expanding the regulation for manufacturers to produce products that are designed to facilitate resource recovery, increasing incentive for closed recycling, and refining the guidelines and standards for recycling. At the resource recovery stage, as the waste metal recycling industry consists of businesses that vary in size, policies to promote cooperation and coexistence between large and smaller enterprises will benefit the industry in the long-run. Lastly, at the product production/export stage, a tariff on exporting waste resources that contain cobalt and palladium will help control the amount of waste metals that are shipped abroad.

• Korean Security Journal
• /
• no.12
• /
• pp.117-147
• /
• 2006

This study aims to propose efficient way to operate the security guarding system from the perspective of administration, policy, law, institution and operation as to the private security guarding system as the Korean security guarding system needs multifaced analysis and measure to ensure efficient operation. The growth strategy has to be restructured and segmentation market needs to be driven in order to cope with the changing conditions of company from the perspective of administration. And private security guarding service companies must refrain from excessive competition while improving the contracting method such as minimum price bidding, etc. From the perspective of policy, the functions of relevant organizations such as the National Police Agency, security association, etc, and mutual cooperation must expand. Also, the profit generation event needs to be privatized and the more positive perception toward the private security guarding service is necessary. In addition, security exhibition and seminar can be expanded to lay the groundwork for the advancement of private security system. From the legal and institutional perspective, the security guarding service related law must be revised and the certification system must b introduced to cope with the changing requirement. The security guarding instructor system must be strengthened to ensure a faithful and earnest implementation of duty to instruct, supervise and educate security guarding personnel. From the perspective of security guarding system's operation, professional security technique must be introduced and applied, and the volunteer application system must be established. In addition, standard 'security guarding manual' must be crafted, and the equipment for security guarding must be modernized to ensure an efficient operation of private security guarding services.

• Korean Journal of Construction Engineering and Management
• /
• v.14 no.6
• /
• pp.3-13
• /
• 2013

The converted accident rates that included in Pre-Qualification (PQ) are to evaluate the results of accidents which have occurred. Therefore, it is demanded the development of proactive evaluation contents to evaluate the safety management activities and efforts on construction companies. The purpose of this study is to provide basic data for the establishment of proactive evaluation contents at public construction project in Korea through the collected and analyzed the PQ documentation applied by public agencies in Los Angeles, USA. The results indicated that diverse reactive safety evaluations are implemented to examine accidents which occurred in past projects such as occupational health insurance, regulation violation. And also, when the accidents occurred, it is evaluated the proactive safety management actions such as safety education, accident prevention programs, and safety management plans are reflected on the evaluation. Thus, if proactive safety related evaluation contents are established and reflected in PQ examinations together with diverse existing reactive safety evaluations considering converted accident rates, not only the existing function of converted accident rates can be reinforced but also businesses' active safety management activities can be induced and decreases in the construction industry's accident rate can be expected.

• Proceedings of the Korea Water Resources Association Conference
• /
• 2011.05a
• /
• pp.20-20
• /
• 2011

The purpose of this research aims to evaluate the emergence of new business mode in the Chinese water market since the mid-2000s - Transfer-Operate-Transfer(TOT) Projects. The study pays special attention to the case of the Hefei Wangxiaoying Wastewater Treatment TOT Project, which was awarded to the consortium of Berlin Water International and its Chinese partner in late 2004. The consortium secured an exclusive operating right for 23 years on the basis of a TOT scheme and would take responsibility of all the profits and losses in the operation of the plant. The total investment for the transfer amounted to RMB 491 million(US$70 million). The price was more than 288% of the original value, RMB 170 million (US$24 million). The project can be regarded as a successful case because of the following three causes. First, the Hefei government followed a series of standardized procedures in the international bidding, which ignited best-performed international players' competition for the project. Second, the project will bring in cutting-edge operation skills and management know-how. Third, the government succeeded in raising public asset values, and thanks to this, the government is able to consider other similar projects not only in the water sector but also other sectors in public utility services. Nevertheless, Berlin Water's point of view, there are several challenges. First, the company took a risk to pay such a large amount of cash to the Hefei government. Although such premium can be recouped in the operation period of 23 years, whether or not the company would be able to recover the initial investment and realize profits is in question due to an uncertainty of socio-political circumstances in China. Second, Berlin Water should expect a steep rise of water tariffs over the contract period in order to get the investment back. Water pricing is still a sensible matter to Chinese authorities, and therefore, it is uncertain if such rise of water tariffs would be possible. Third, the TOT mode leads to creation of a large amount of cash to government officials, which might have caused corruption between those who are involved in TOT deals. Then, the final contract fee would soar, which often results in the burden of normal customers. As discussed, the TOT mode has drawn much attention of foreign investors as a new alternative to enter into the Chinese water market. But it is important to note that foreign investors should be aware of possible risks in water TOT projects, which reflects some features of the Chinese political economy landscape and social norms. The Hefei case indicates that benefits can overshadow risks in TOT projects, which will continue to attract foreign investors that are dedicated to establishing their strongholds in the Chinese water market.

• The KIPS Transactions:PartD
• /
• v.13D no.6 s.109
• /
• pp.815-822
• /
• 2006

It is very important that they accurately predict the software development cost in the early stage of a software development. Because cost estimations are required when bidding for a contract or determining whether a project is feasible in terms of a cost-benefit analysis. The criterions of the software cost estimation was set up to calculate software development cost more exactly, which is applied to made up a budget of the software business or to calculate a suitable cost to start the business in our country. However, as the software technology and environment are changing very rapidly, it need to enhance the criterion of the cost estimation continuously. Therefore, we tried to apply technology of software and a variety of factors of environment changes in present. Most of all, we proposed an introduction and readjustment of the adjustment factor applying 14 general system characteristics to improve the accuracy of the cost estimation and the schedule adjustment factor that is required by practicians. For evaluating the accuracy in terms of the real data, we have used MMRE & PRED. In result, we proved that the accuracy was clearly improved by applying the scale factor and readjusted VAF with 14 general system characteristics. Moreover, we evaluated the accuracy of the schedule adjustment factor.