• Asia-Pacific Journal of Business Venturing and Entrepreneurship
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• v.17 no.1
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• pp.157-175
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• 2022

At this moment, a paradigm shift is taking place across all sectors of society for the transition movements to the digital economy. Various movements are taking place in the global agricultural industry to achieve innovative growth using big data which is a key resource of the 4th industrial revolution. Although the government is making various attempts to promote the use of big data, the movement of the agricultural industry as a key player in the use of big data, is still insufficient. Therefore, in this study, effects of performance expectations, effort expectations, social impact, facilitation conditions, based on the Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology(UTAUT), and innovation tendencies on the acceptance intention of big data were analyzed using the economic and practical benefits that can be obtained from the use of big data for agricultural-related companies as moderating variables. 333 questionnaires collected from agricultural-related companies were used for empirical analysis. The analysis results using SPSS v22.0 and Process macro v3.4 were found to have a significant positive (+) effect on the intention to accept big data by effort expectations, social impact, facilitation conditions, and innovation tendencies. However, it was found that the effect of performance expectations on acceptance intention was insignificant, with social impact having the greatest influence on acceptance intention and innovation tendency the least. Moderating effects of economic benefit and practical benefit between effort expectation and acceptance intention, moderating effect of practical benefit between social impact and acceptance intention, and moderating effect of economic benefit and practical benefit between facilitation condition and acceptance intention were found to be significant. On the other hand, it was found that economic benefits and practical benefits did not moderate the magnitude of the influence of performance expectations and innovation tendency on acceptance intention. These results suggest the following implications. First, in order to promote the use of big data by companies, the government needs to establish a policy to support the use of big data tailored to companies. Significant results can only be achieved when corporate members form a correct understanding and consensus on the use of big data. Second, it is necessary to establish and implement a platform specialized for agricultural data which can support standardized linkage between diverse agricultural big data, and support for a unified path for data access. Building such a platform will be able to advance the industry by forming an independent cooperative relationship between companies. Finally, the limitations of this study and follow-up tasks are presented.

• Health Policy and Management
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• v.34 no.2
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• pp.120-128
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• 2024

From February to now 2024, there continues to be controversy over the expansion of admission number to medical school. Some of the controversy arises from a mix of present and future time points. In the present time point, the controversy over whether physicians are some shortages or not has various aspects. Some aspects are presented as evidence of the physician shortage and others as non-shortage. Also, the presenting evidence of shortage is being disputed, and so is the evidence of the contrary. This controversy over whether there is a shortage or not in the present time point makes it difficult to reach a consensus. In 10 years, the shortage of doctors will increase due to the rapid increase in the elderly population, so the admission number of medical schools will need to be increased. However, the increase must be such that there is minimal deterioration in the quality of medical education. More admission numbers should be allocated to medical schools with a high quality of medical education. This study suggests that large-scale medical schools increase the admission number by 20%-30%, and small-scale medical schools increase the admission number by 40%-50%, if so, the total increasing number is 760 to 1,066. If the 2,000-person increase is enforced, the quality of medical education must be carefully evaluated and the results should be reflected in adjusting the admission number of medical schools. In 20 years later, the admission number of medical schools will have to be reduced. This is because the physician supply is changing to a linear function and the physician demand (medical care demand) is changing to a quadratic function. Even if the current number is maintained, there will be an excess of doctors from 2048, so the medical school admission number must be reduced and its size will be reduced to about 2,000, a 30% reduction from the current number. Because the same reduction rate for all medical schools will result in many small-scale medical schools, the M&A (mergers and acquisitions) strategy should be considered with 40 medical schools and 12 Korean medical schools. In Korea, the main contributor to estimating physician demand is the change in population structure. Due to the rapid decrease in the total fertility rate, future population projections are uncertain. The recent rapid increase in healthcare utilization should be reexamined in the forecasting of physician demand. Since the various factors that affect the estimate of doctor supply and demand are unclear, the estimate of physician supply and demand must be continuously conducted every five years, and the Health Care Workforce Committee must be established and operated. The effects of increasing the admission number of medical schools should be evaluated and adjusted annually.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Radiology
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• v.83 no.2
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• pp.344-359
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• 2022

Purpose To develop a denoising convolutional neural network-based image processing technique and investigate its efficacy in diagnosing breast cancer using low-dose mammography imaging. Materials and Methods A total of 6 breast radiologists were included in this prospective study. All radiologists independently evaluated low-dose images for lesion detection and rated them for diagnostic quality using a qualitative scale. After application of the denoising network, the same radiologists evaluated lesion detectability and image quality. For clinical application, a consensus on lesion type and localization on preoperative mammographic examinations of breast cancer patients was reached after discussion. Thereafter, coded low-dose, reconstructed full-dose, and full-dose images were presented and assessed in a random order. Results Lesions on 40% reconstructed full-dose images were better perceived when compared with low-dose images of mastectomy specimens as a reference. In clinical application, as compared to 40% reconstructed images, higher values were given on full-dose images for resolution (p < 0.001); diagnostic quality for calcifications (p < 0.001); and for masses, asymmetry, or architectural distortion (p = 0.037). The 40% reconstructed images showed comparable values to 100% full-dose images for overall quality (p = 0.547), lesion visibility (p = 0.120), and contrast (p = 0.083), without significant differences. Conclusion Effective denoising and image reconstruction processing techniques can enable breast cancer diagnosis with substantial radiation dose reduction.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Radiology
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• v.82 no.3
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• pp.562-574
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• 2021

MRI has the advantages of having excellent soft-tissue contrast and providing functional information without any harmful ionizing radiation. Although previous technical limitations restricted the use of chest MRI, recent technological advances and expansion of insurance coverage are increasing the demand for chest MRI. Recognizing the need for guidelines on appropriate use of chest MRI in Korean clinical settings, the Korean Society of Radiology has composed a development committee, working committee, and advisory committee to develop Korean chest MRI justification guidelines. Five key questions were selected and recommendations have been made with the evidence-based clinical imaging guideline adaptation methodology. Recommendations are as follows. Chest MRI can be considered in the following circumstances: for patients with incidentally found anterior mediastinal masses to exclude non-neoplastic conditions, for pneumoconiosis patients with lung masses to differentiate progressive massive fibrosis from lung cancer, and when invasion of the chest wall, vertebrae, diaphragm, or major vessels by malignant pleural mesothelioma or non-small cell lung cancer is suspected. Chest MRI without contrast enhancement or with minimal dose low-risk contrast media can be considered for pregnant women with suspected pulmonary embolism. Lastly, chest MRI is recommended for patients with pancoast tumors planned for radical surgery.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Radiology
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• v.82 no.5
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• pp.1196-1206
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• 2021

Purpose To construct a standard dataset of contrast-enhanced CT images of liver tumors to test the performance and safety of artificial intelligence (AI)-based algorithms for clinical decision support systems (CDSSs). Materials and Methods A consensus group of medical experts in gastrointestinal radiology from four national tertiary institutions discussed the conditions to be included in a standard dataset. Seventy-five cases of hepatocellular carcinoma, 75 cases of metastasis, and 30-50 cases of benign lesions were retrieved from each institution, and the final dataset consisted of 300 cases of hepatocellular carcinoma, 300 cases of metastasis, and 183 cases of benign lesions. Only pathologically confirmed cases of hepatocellular carcinomas and metastases were enrolled. The medical experts retrieved the medical records of the patients and manually labeled the CT images. The CT images were saved as Digital Imaging and Communications in Medicine (DICOM) files. Results The medical experts in gastrointestinal radiology constructed the standard dataset of contrast-enhanced CT images for 783 cases of liver tumors. The performance and safety of the AI algorithm can be evaluated by calculating the sensitivity and specificity for detecting and characterizing the lesions. Conclusion The constructed standard dataset can be utilized for evaluating the machine-learning-based AI algorithm for CDSS.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Radiology
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• v.81 no.6
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• pp.1436-1447
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• 2020

Purpose To investigate the clinical and CT features at admission to predict the progression to necrotizing pancreatitis (NP) in patients initially diagnosed with interstitial edematous pancreatitis (IEP). Materials and Methods Patients with IEP who underwent contrast-enhanced CT at admission and follow-up CT (< 14 days) were included (n = 178). Two radiologists performed a consensus review of follow-up CT scans and diagnosed the type of acute pancreatitis as IEP or NP. Laboratory findings at admission were recorded. Clinical, CT, and laboratory findings were compared between the IEP-IEP group and IEP-NP group using the chi-square test and the t-test. Multivariate analysis was also performed. Results There were 112 and 66 patients in the IEP-IEP and the IEP-NP groups, respectively. The proportion of patients with alcohol etiology was significantly larger in the IEP-NP group. Among the CT findings, the presence of peripancreatic fluid and heterogeneous parenchymal enhancement were more frequently observed in the IEP-NP group. Among the laboratory variables, serum C-reactive protein levels and white blood cell counts were significantly higher in the IEP-NP group. Multivariate analysis revealed that the presence of peripancreatic fluid and heterogeneous parenchymal enhancement were significant findings distinguishing the two groups. Conclusion CT findings, such as the presence of peripancreatic fluid and heterogeneous pancreatic parenchymal enhancement, may be helpful in predicting the progression to NP in patients initially diagnosed with IEP.

• The Journal of Korean Medicine
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• v.45 no.1
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• pp.182-201
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• 2024

Objectives: This study was conducted to develop a standard acupotomy consent form that takes into account the unique characteristics of Korean Medicine. The study was motivated by the increasing importance of patient autonomy and the growing number of legal disputes related to medical malpractice in the clinical field of Korean Medicine. Methods: The analysis phase of the study involved a survey of the current status of acupotomy consent forms in Korean Medicine hospitals nationwide. The items of each form were analyzed based on the contents of the Medical law and the standard contract for medical procedures of the Fair Trade Commission (FTC). In the development and evaluation phase, the items and contents of the acupotomy consent form were evaluated using a 5-point Likert scale and content validity was assessed through two rounds of Delphi surveys. In the improvement phase, the contents of the consent form were revised based on the results of a survey of inpatient and outpatient patients in the Department of Acupuncture and Moxibustion at Pusan National University Korean Medicine Hospital, and real-time online meeting. The final version of the standard acupotomy consent form was completed after undergoing proofreading and corrections by a linguistics expert. Results: Only 30% of Korean Medicine hospitals have implemented acupotomy consent forms. The items of the consent forms did not fully include the items presented in the Medical act and the standard contract for medical procedures of the FTC. To address this issue, two rounds of Delphi surveys and a real-time discussion were conducted with a panel of 12 experts on 27 preliminary items of consent forms. The items and contents that met the criteria for content validity ratio, convergence, and consensus were derived. Based on the derived items and content, a standard acupotomy consent form was developed. Conclusions: The standard consent form for acupotomy is anticipated to ensure patient autonomy and enhance transparency and liability in acupotomy. Furthermore, it is expected to serve as evidence in case of medical disputes related to acupotomy and contribute as a reference document for the development of standard consents forms for various procedures of Korean Medicine. However, the limitations of the study include that the survey of consent forms was limited to only training hospitals of Korean Medicine, and the standard consent form is only applicable to adults in Korea. Future studies are needed to address these limitations.

• Information Systems Review
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• v.25 no.2
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• pp.145-162
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• 2023

Asset management is a complex and difficult field that requires insight into numerous variables and even human psychology. Thus, it has traditionally been the domain of professionals, and these services have been expensive to obtain. Changes are taking place in these markets, and the driving force is the digital revolution, so-called the fourth industrial revolution. Among them, the Robo-Advisor service using artificial intelligence technology is the highlight. The reason is that it is possible to popularize investment advisory services with convenient accessibility and low cost. This study aims to clarify what factors are critically important when selecting robo-advisors for service users and providers in Korea, and what perception differences exist in the selection factors between user and provider groups. The framework of the study was based on the marketing mix 4C model, and the design and analysis of the model used Delphi survey and AHP. Through the study design, 4 main criteria and 15 sub-criteria were derived, and the findings of the study are as follows. First, the importance of the four main criteria was in the order of customer needs > customer convenience > customer cost > customer communication for both groups. Second, looking at the 15 sub-criteria, it was found that investment purpose coverage, investment propensity coverage, fee level and accessibility factors were the most important. Third, when comparing between groups, the user group found that the fee level and accessibility factors were the most important, and the provider group recognized the investment purpose coverage and investment propensity coverage factors as important. This study derived useful implications in practice. First, when designing for the spread of the robo-advisor service, the basis for constructing a user-oriented system was prepared by considering the priority of importance according to the weight difference between the four main criteria and the 15 sub-criteria. In addition, the difference in priority of each sub-criteria shown in the group comparison and the cause of the sub-criteria with large weight differences were identified. In addition, it was suggested that it is very important to form a consensus to resolve the difference in perception of factors between those in charge of strategy and marketing and system development within the provider group. Academically, it is meaningful in that it is an early study that presented various perspectives and perspectives by deriving a number of robo-advisor selection factors. Through the findings of this study, it is expected that a successful user-oriented robo-advisor system can be built and spread in Korea to help users.

• Journal of Venture Innovation
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• v.7 no.1
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• pp.183-200
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• 2024

Recently, with the MZ generation's entry into society and the social participation of the female population, conflicts are occurring between workplace groups that value WLB and existing groups that emphasize collaboration due to differences in work orientation. Public institutions and companies that utilize work-life balance support systems show differences in job Commitment depending on the nature of the work and the activation of the support system. Accordingly, it is necessary to verify the effectiveness of the WLB support system actually operated by the company and present universally valid standards. The purpose of this study is, first, to verify the effectiveness of the support system for work-life balance and to find practical consensus amid changes in policies and perceptions of the working environment. Second, the influence of work-life balance level and job immersion according to work characteristics was analyzed to verify the mutual influence in order to establish standards for WLB operation that reflects work characteristics. For the study, a 2X2 matrix model was used to analyze the impact of work-life balance and work characteristics on job commitment, and four hypotheses were established. First, analysis of the job involvement level of conflict-type group members, second, analysis of the job involvement level of leading group members, third, analysis of the job involvement level of agreeable group members, and fourth, analysis of the job involvement level of cooperative group members. To conduct this study, an online survey was conducted targeting employees working in public institutions and large corporations. The survey was conducted for a total of 9 days from October 23 to 31, 2023, and 163 people responded, and the analysis was based on a valid sample of 152 people, excluding 11 copies that were insincere responses or gave up midway. As a result of the study's hypothesis testing, first, the conflict type group was found to have the lowest level of job engagement at 1.43. Second, the proactive group showed the highest level of job engagement at 4.54. Third, the conformity group showed a slightly lower level of job involvement at 2.58. Fourth, the cooperative group showed a slightly higher level of job involvement at 3.80. The academic implications of the study are that it subdivides employees' personalities into factors based on the level of work-life balance and nature of work. The practical implications of the study are that it analyzes the effectiveness of WLB support systems operated by public institutions and large corporations by grouping them.

• Analyses & Alternatives
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• v.8 no.2
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• pp.65-86
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• 2024

This study delves into the geopolitical tensions surrounding Ukraine throughout modern European history, aiming to shed light on its significance in geopolitical discourse. Since the 19th century, European powers, particularly the Anglo-Saxons and Germans, have formulated distinct geopolitical strategies concerning the Eurasian continent, with Ukraine at its focal point. The Crimean War and the German-Soviet War serve as key events to analyze these powers' geopolitical ambitions and interests. The British Empire, driven by its doctrine of thwarting land powers with sea power, intervened in the Crimean War against Russia. Its objective was to disrupt Russian dominance over Ukraine, thereby hindering Russian expansion into the Black Sea and Central Europe. On the other hand, the Third Reich of Germany, fixated on creating a European sphere exclusive from Anglo-Saxon sea powers and the Russian land power, initiated the German-Soviet War. This move aimed to secure a vast territory, including Ukraine, to facilitate expansion into the Caucasus and establish a buffer zone against the Soviet Union. Three key insights emerge from this analysis. Firstly, the absence of a dominant power rooted in Ukraine since the fall of the Principality of Kiev made geopolitical clashes inevitable. Secondly, these clashes ultimately result in a hollow victory for all involved parties, signifying the high costs and minimal gains of such confrontations. Lastly, the root cause of these clashes lies in the discord between exclusive geopolitical visions that fail to accommodate sustainable coexistence among diverse geopolitical spheres. In essence, the study underscores Ukraine's pivotal role in shaping European geopolitics and highlights the recurring clashes driven by competing visions of dominance and control over its territory. From the Crimean War to the German-Soviet War, the struggle for influence over Ukraine reflects broader geopolitical dynamics and the pursuit of strategic advantage by major powers. Ultimately, the study emphasizes the enduring significance of Ukraine in European geopolitics and the complexities inherent in managing its geopolitical tensions.