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Ginseng Research in Natural Products Research Institute (NPRI) and the Pharmaceutical Industry Complex in Gaesong (생약연구소의 인삼연구와 약도개성)

  • Park, Ju-young
    • Journal of Ginseng Culture
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    • v.3
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    • pp.54-73
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    • 2021
  • The Natural Products Research Institute (NPRI, 生藥硏究所), an institution affiliated with Keijo Imperial University (京城帝國大學), was the predecessor of the NPRI at Seoul National University and a comprehensive research institute that focused on ginseng research during the Japanese colonial era. It was established under the leadership of Noriyuki Sugihara (杉原德行), a professor of the second lecture in pharmacology at the College of Medicine in Keijo Imperial University. Prof. Sugihara concentrated on studying Korean ginseng and herbal medicine beginning in 1926 when the second lecture of pharmacology was established. In addition to Prof. Sugihara, who majored in medicine and pharmacology, Kaku Tenmin (加來天民), an assistant professor who majored in pharmacy; Tsutomu Ishidoya (石戶谷勉), a lecturer who majored in agriculture and forestry; and about 36 researchers actively worked in the laboratory before the establishment of the NPRI in 1939. Among these personnel, approximately 14 Korean researchers had basic medical knowledge, derived mostly from specialized schools, such as medical, dental, and pharmaceutical institutions. As part of the initiative to explore the medicinal herbs of Joseon, the number of Korean researchers increased beginning in 1930. This increase started with Min Byung-Ki (閔丙祺) and Kim Ha-sik (金夏植). The second lecture of pharmacology presented various research results in areas covering medicinal plants in Joseon as well as pharmacological actions and component analyses of herbal medicines. It also conducted joint research with variousinstitutions. Meanwhile, in Gaesong (開城), the largest ginseng-producing area in Korea, the plan for the Pharmaceutical Industry Complex was established in 1935. This was a large-scale project aimed at generating profits through research on and the mass production of drugs and the reformation of the ginseng industry under collaboration among the Gaesong Ministry, Kwandong (關東) military forces, Keijo Imperial University, and private organizations. In 1936 and 1938, the Gyeonggi Provincial Medicinal Plant Research Institute (京畿道立 藥用植物硏究所) and the Herb Garden of Keijo Imperial University (京城帝國大學 藥草園) and Pharmaceutical Factory were established, respectively. These institutions merged to become Keijo Imperial University's NPRI, which wasthen overseen by Prof. Sugihara as director. Aside from conducting pharmacological research on ginseng, the NPRI devoted efforts to the development and sale of ginseng-based drugs, such as Sunryosam (鮮麗蔘), and the cultivation of ginseng. In 1941, the Jeju Urban Test Center (濟州島試驗場) was established, and an insecticide called Pancy (パンシ) was produced using Jeju-do medicinal herbs. However, even before research results were published in earnest, Japanese researchers, including Prof. Sugihara, hurriedly returned to Japan in 1945 because of the surrender of Japanese forces and the liberation of Korea. The NPRI was handed over to Seoul National University and led by Prof. Oh Jin-Sup (吳鎭燮), a former medical student at Keijo Imperial University. Scholars such as Woo Lin-Keun (禹麟根) and Seok Joo-Myung (石宙明) worked diligently to deal with the Korean pharmaceutical industry.

Korean Ginseng in "The Veritable Records of King Sejong" (『세종실록』을 통해 본 고려인삼)

  • Joo, Seungjae
    • Journal of Ginseng Culture
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    • v.3
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    • pp.11-37
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    • 2021
  • Korean ginseng is the one of the most famous medicinal herbs globally and has long been a representative item of East Asian trade, including across China and Japan. Since Joseon (1392-1910) ginseng trade was entirely controlled by the state, The Veritable Records of the Joseon Dynasty are a valuable resource that can shed light on the history of the ginseng industry at that time. By studying the subsection "The Veritable Records of King Sejong" (世宗實錄), when ginseng was used even more widely, we assess the purpose and scale of its trade in the 15th century, identify its original listing in the geographical appendix, develop a distribution map, and explore similarities to current ginseng cultivation areas. During the reign of King Sejong (1418-1450), ginseng was sent to China as a tribute 101 times, with a combined weight of 7,060 kilograms, with less than one-third of that amount given to Japan and Okinawa. It was used to cover the travel expenses of foreign envoys and servants, but this can be seen to gradually decrease after the regnal mid-term, primarily due to a decrease in the amount of ginseng being collected. At the time, there were 113 areas of naturally growing ginseng as listed in the records' geographical appendix, including 12 recorded in the 'tributes' category: Yeongdeok-gun, Yeongju, and Cheongsong-gun in Gyeongsangbuk-do; Ulju-gun and Ulsan in Gyeongsangnam-do; Jeongeup, Wanju-gun, and Jangsu-gun in Jeollabuk-do; Hwasun-gun in Jeollanam-do; Goksan-gun and Sinpyeong-gun in Hwanghaebuk-do; Jeongju and Taecheon-gun in Pyeonganbuk-do; and Jaseong-gun and Junggang-gun in Jagang-do. A total of 101 places are recorded in the 'medicinal herbs' category, located throughout the mountains of the eight Joseon provinces, except the islands. In comparison with current ginseng cultivation sites, many of these historical areas are either consistent with or adjacent to contemporary locations. The geographical appendix to "The Veritable Records of King Sejong" was compiled in the early days of the king's reign (1432) when there was a lot of wild ginseng. The appendix is a valuable resource that indicates the possibility of growing ginseng on the Korean Peninsula in the future. The apparently natural habitats in the south, where ginseng is not currently cultivated, could be candidates for the future. Moreover, areas in the north where ginseng has not been grown, except Kaesǒng, could be a good alternative under sustainable inter-Korean exchange should cultivation sites move north due to climate warming.

Changes in Construction and Characteristics during the Period of Foundation and Change of the Garden Pond Site in Guhwang-dong, Gyeongju (경주 구황동 원지(九黃洞 園池) 유적 창건 및 변화 시기의 조영과 성격 변화)

  • KIM, Hyungsuk
    • Korean Journal of Heritage: History & Science
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    • v.55 no.3
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    • pp.102-118
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    • 2022
  • Gyeongju, the capital of Silla, is the very essence of the culture and technology of the thousand-year-reign of Silla. However, few studies have been conducted on the landscape sites of the capital of Silla other than Donggung Palace and Wolji Pond, due to the lack of related data. Therefore, this study examined the construction characteristics and nature of the garden pond in Guhwang-dong, whose complete appearance was identified through excavation following Donggung Palace and Wolji Pond. Since the excavation of the garden pond in Guhwang-dong, Gyeongju, there have been disagreements in academia as to whether it is a palace pond or a temple pond of Bunhwangsa Temple. Considering the unique characteristic of the garden pond that it is divided into two periods, it was interpreted that it would have functioned as a ritual facility related to Ryong (oriental dragon) belief in the 6th to 7th centuries, the first period, and as a garden pond with enhanced landscaping functions in the 8th to 9th centuries, the second period. In addition, it is highly probable that it was the site of Cheongyeongung Palace (青淵宮) and Jochujeong Pavilion (造秋亭) mentioned in the literature records. The "ㄹ"- shaped waterway, a characteristic facility of the first period, was found; however, considering its width and depth, it is insufficient to conclude that it was a simple drainage facility. Rather, it is more likely that it functioned as a passageway for the conceptual entry of Ryong during Ryong rituals. Furthermore, some have suggested that it may have been a ceremony-related Yusang-goksu (流觴曲水) facility. These facilities related to Ryong rituals were reorganized in the second period. Specifically, the nature of the garden pond was changed centered on the landscaping function in connection with the addition of a curved revetment, garden stone, and pavilion buildings, and the dismantlement of the "ㄹ"-shaped waterway and hexagonal building. As for nature, it can be regarded as a royal facility in terms of decorative elements including the ritual function of the first period and the gwimyeonwa (ghost face tiles) of the second period. Judging from the fact that the upper part of the embankment adjacent to the west side of the site was removed, it is very apparent that the main building was located on the upper part of the embankment. There would not have been a large-scale building site because it served the functions of ritual and recreation, rather than being the residence of the king.

Breeding for Improvement of Fatty Acid Composition in Rapeseed XXI. Oil Quality of Fatty Acid Improved Varieties in Cheju Area and Future Production Strategy (유채 지방산조성 개량육종에 관한 연구 제21보 지방산조성 개량품종 보급지역에서의 유질과 금후대책)

  • Lee, Jung-Il;Jung, Dong-Hee;Ryu, Su-Noh
    • KOREAN JOURNAL OF CROP SCIENCE
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    • v.39 no.2
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    • pp.165-170
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    • 1994
  • High quality rapeseed cultivars including Nojeokchae, Yeongsanyuchae Halla-yuchae and Tamrayuchae have been released and recommended as a zero erucic acid variety to Cheju farmers for 13 years, where is a major rapeseed production area in korea. However, rapeseeds produced in Cheju island in 1992 and 1993 contained 47.7% and 37.0% of erucic acid respectively resulting in poor quality oil being not adequate for edible oil. It was considered that the zero erucic acid varieties did not have an opportunity to be cultivated in Cheju island by farmers living in the Island. Thus, the new rapeseed varieties without erucic acid should be bred and recommended to the farmers of southern area of Korea as a multiple cropping crop just after rice harvest, and for large scale mechanized and labour-serving rapeseed culture. The change of rapeseed breeding goal would be desirable for fatty acid composition improvement of rapeseed to develop varieties adaptable to southern part of Korea, and to produce rapeseed oil directly used as an edible oil safely.

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Cultivation Support System of Ginseng as a Red Ginseng Raw MaterialduringtheKoreanEmpire andJapaneseColonialPeriod (대한제국과 일제강점기의 홍삼 원료삼 경작지원 시스템)

  • Dae-Hui Cho
    • Journal of Ginseng Culture
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    • v.5
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    • pp.32-51
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    • 2023
  • Because red ginseng was exported in large quantities to the Qing Dynasty in the 19th century, a large-scale ginseng cultivation complex was established in Kaesong. Sibyunje (時邊制), a privately led loan system unique to merchants in Kaesong, made it possible for them to raise the enormous capital required for ginseng cultivation. The imperial family of the Korean Empire promulgated the Posamgyuchik (包蔘規則) in 1895, and this signaled the start of the red ginseng monopoly system. In 1899, when the invasion of ginseng farms by the Japanese became severe, the imperial soldiers were sent to guard the ginseng farms to prevent the theft of ginseng by the Japanese. Furthermore, the stateled compensation mission, Baesanggeum Seongyojedo (賠償金 先交制度), provided 50%-90% of the payment for raw ginseng, which was paid in advance of harvest. In 1895, rising seed prices prompted some merchants to import and sell poor quality seeds from China and Japan. The red ginseng trade order was therefore promulgated in 1920 to prohibit the import of foreign seeds without the government's permission. In 1906-1910, namely, the early period of Japanese colonial rule, ginseng cultivation was halted, and the volume of fresh ginseng stocked as a raw material for red ginseng in 1910 was only 2,771 geun (斤). However, it increased significantly to 10,000 geun between 1915 and 1919 and to 150,000 geun between 1920 and 1934. These increases in the production of fresh ginseng as a raw material for red ginseng were the result of various policies implemented in 1908 with the aim of fostering the ginseng industry, such as prior disclosure of the compensation price for fresh ginseng, loans for cultivation expenditure in new areas, and the payment of incentives to excellent cultivators. Nevertheless, the ultimate goal of Japanese imperialism at the time was not to foster the growth of Korean ginseng farming, but to finance the maintenance of its colonial management using profits from the red ginseng business.

A Study on the Spatial Control Effect of Panjang in Donggwoldo (동궐도(東闕圖) 판장(板墻)의 공간통제 효과에 관한 연구)

  • HA Yujeong;KIM Choongsik
    • Korean Journal of Heritage: History & Science
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    • v.55 no.4
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    • pp.196-209
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    • 2022
  • This study compared and analyzed the spatial division function and role of partitions by comparing the entire space and the spatial changes before and after the installation of partitions in <Donggwoldo>, which was manufactured in the late Joseon Dynasty. As a research method, a set standard was prepared to decompose the space of <Donggwoldo> into a unit space, and the standard was set according to the role and height of the space by classifying it into a main space, sub space, and transition space. Two convex maps were prepared according to before and after the installation of the Panjang, and the values of connectivity, control, and integration, which are spatial syntax variables, were calculated and analyzed. The results of the study are as follows. First, the partition in <Donggwoldo(東闕圖)> did not affect the overall spatial arrangement and control or connection of Donggwol, but the movement and access of space is limited to specific areas. Second, the partition was a facility intensively distributed in Naejeon(內殿) and Donggung(東宮) to be used actively in the way of space utilization. It shows that the unit space increased rapidly due to the installation of the partition. Since the partition was installed in the spaces that were open and under high control in the case of Naejeon(內殿), it helped to secure private spaces as closed ones under low control. On the other hand, for Donggung(東宮), the spaces were compartmented and divided with the partition to guide the movement path through narrow gates of the partition and increase the depth of the space. This helped to create spaces that are free and can be hidden as it increased the number of spaces coming through. Third, In addition to the functions of "eye blocking, space division, and movement path control" revealed in prior research, the partition has created a "space that is easy to control" within a specific area. The installation of the partition reduced the scale through the separation of spaces, but it occurred the expansion of the movement path and space. Also, the partition functioned to strengthen hiding and closure or increase openness as well through space division. This study is significant in that it revealed the value of the spatial control function of panjang through the analysis of spatial control and depth by analyzing the function of the partition with a mathematical model in addition to the analysis and study of the function and role of panjang. In addition, it is valuable in that it has prepared a framework for analysis tools that can be applied to traditional residential complexes similar to palaces by applying space syntax to <Donggungdo> to create convex spaces according to unit space division and connection types of palace architecture and landscape elements.

A Case Study on the Design of Pickup Truck Tuning Equipment according to the Lifestyle of Modern People (현대인의 라이프스타일에 따른 픽업트럭 튜닝 용품 디자인 사례 연구)

  • Lee, Dong-Hun;Park, Hae-Lim;Lee, Sang-Ki
    • Journal of Service Research and Studies
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    • v.13 no.4
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    • pp.131-141
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    • 2023
  • Changes in consumer needs and behaviors according to lifestyle changes lead to consumption culture, affecting the automobile market. However, research and research to provide options tailored to the lifestyle of consumers in related markets are still insufficient. Focusing on pickup truck accessories applied to pickup trucks that reflect lifestyle the most among vehicle types, this study first examined the theoretical background of the aftermarket market and lifestyle of pickup trucks. Second, through image mapping, the market possibilities and opportunity factors of pickup trucks were discovered through market size analysis and possibilities, and through this, user types could be classified. Third, interviews were conducted with those representing user types, the contents were organized, and interviews were conducted centering on related groups to create a persona of a user group, and what needs each group's persona wanted. Finally, a design concept suitable for the issue keywords and insights derived for each user lifestyle type was presented. In this study, the user type was divided into ① outdoor activity type, ② hobby activity type, and ③ small-scale work type, and a design case study was conducted by applying the concept suitable for the keyword for each group. For the outdoor activity type, a variable storage structure and a living space-type accessory design were presented, and for the hobby type, a modular decktop design and a sports coupe-type hardtop design were presented. For the small business type, a partition that is easy to fix the load and a stepper design that is easy to board the cargo box were presented. It is expected that the size of the pickup truck aftermarket will be expanded by diversifying the option designs that users want by lifestyle by applying them to the development of pickup truck accessories that fit the lifestyle of pickup truck users in the automobile market, which is currently mass customized.

A Study on Way to Revitalize the Service Delivery System in the Hinterland Villages in Non-Urbanized Area (비도시지역 배후마을 서비스전달체계 활성화방안 연구)

  • Haechun Jung;Heeseung Yang
    • Journal of Environmental Impact Assessment
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    • v.32 no.6
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    • pp.533-544
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    • 2023
  • The Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs has been promoting policies to strengthen the functions of rural centers (culture, welfare, economy, education, etc.) and to ensure that services from the centers are delivered to and connected to hinterland villages. For this policy purpose, the rural center revitalization project and the basic living base creation project within the rural development projects are being promoted. However, in the process of carrying out the actual project, as the focus is on strengthening the functions of rural centers, service delivery and connection with hinterland villages are not being actively promoted. therefore, in this study, we analyze the projects previously carried out in Jeoksang-myeon, Muju-gun and the regional status, analyze the reasons why hinterland village services were not connected and activated, and propose a direction for the second phase of the basic living base creation project to be carried out in the future. As a result of analyzing the reasons for the failure of hinterland village services to be activated, problems such as disadvantages in accessing services due to dispersed residence in rural areas and limitations in topographical structure, and the lack of a service delivery system to develop demand in hinterland areas were found to be problems. Improvement measures were derived as follows. First, it is a stepping stone construction plan proposed to overcome topographical limitations. Establish a stepping base that will function as a service intermediate terminal to ensure efficient service delivery. Second, for a rational decision-making structure, we proposed a plan for deploying communication channels that could closely collect local opinions by operating various small-scale communities along with the efficient composition of a resident committee that includes residents of the central and hinterland villages and various classes. Third, it is a virtuous cycle of local manpower training plans that train local residents into professional instructors. We aim to complete a sustainable, resident-led service supply system by nurturing the most important service deliverers, that is, activists, in service delivery.

Relationship between job satisfaction of dental hygienists and patient safety cultural activities (치과위생사의 직무만족도와 환자안전문화 활동의 관련성)

  • Bo Young Park;Chae-Rin Kang;Yu-gyeong Byun;Eun-Seo Seong;Soo-Young Lee;Ji-Eun Lee;Yu-Jin Ham;Mi Sook Yoon
    • Journal of Korean Dental Hygiene Science
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    • v.6 no.2
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    • pp.115-127
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    • 2023
  • Background: This study was conducted to determine the level of job satisfaction and patient safety cultural activities for dental hygienists and to determine the relationship between job satisfaction and patient safety cultural activities. Methods: A survey was conducted on 214 dental hygienists, and data from the final 180 were analyzed. Job satisfaction consisted of a total of 20 questions, and patient safety cultural activities included a total of 25 questions. The survey was conducted on a 5-point scale. Results: The average job satisfaction score of the study subjects was 3.44 points. Among patient safety cultural activities, infection control had the highest average score (4.12 points) and radiation safety management had the lowest average score (3.10 points). Patients with less than 3 years of clinical experience (4.01 points) had higher patient safety culture activity scores than those with 3 to 10 years of clinical experience (3.72 points) and those with more than 10 years of clinical experience (3.69 points). The level of patient safety cultural activities was statistically significantly higher as age, less clinical experience, and job satisfaction increased (p<0.05). Conclusion: In the case of dental hygienists, patient safety cultural activities must be carried out throughout the entire work, so an active will to practice patient safety cultural activities is necessary. In order to improve the performance of patient safety cultural activities, it is necessary to adjust the workload of dental hygienists to improve job satisfaction and create a work environment in which they can focus on patient safety cultural activities.

Relationship Between Usage Needs Satisfaction and Commitment to Apparel Brand Communities: Moderator Effect of Apparel Brand Image (의류 브랜드 커뮤니티의 이용욕구 충족과 커뮤니티 몰입의 관계: 의류 브랜드 이미지의 조절효과)

  • Hong, Hee-Sook;Ryu, Sung-Min;Moon, Chul-Woo
    • Journal of Global Scholars of Marketing Science
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    • v.17 no.4
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    • pp.51-89
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    • 2007
  • INTRODUCTION Due to the high broadband internet penetration rate and its group-oriented culture, various types of online communities operate in Korea. This study use 'Uses and Gratification Approach, and argue that members' usage-needs satisfaction with brand community is an important factor for promoting community commitment. Based on previous studies identifying the effect of brand image on consumers' responses to various marketing stimuli, this study hypothesizes that brand image can be a moderate variable affecting the relationship between usage-needs satisfaction with brand community and members' commitment to brand community. This study analyzes the influence of usage-needs satisfaction on brand community commitment and how apparel brand image affects the relationships between usage-needs satisfactions and community commitments. The hypotheses of this study are proposed as follows. H1-3: The usage-needs satisfaction of apparel brand community (interest, transaction, relationship needs) influences emotional (H1), continuous (H2), and normative (H3) commitments to apparel brand communities. H4-6: Apparel brand image has a moderating effect on the relationship between usage-needs satisfaction and emotional (H4), continuous (H5), and normative (H6) commitments to apparel brand communities. METHODS Brand communities founded by non-company affiliates were excluded and emphasis was placed instead on communities created by apparel brand companies. Among casual apparel brands registered in 6 Korean portal sites in August 2003, a total of 9 casual apparel brand online communities were chosen, depending on the level of community activity and apparel brand image. Data from 317 community members were analyzed by exploratory factor analysis, moderated regression analysis, ANOVA, and scheffe test. Among 317 respondents answered an online html-type questionnaire, 80.5% were between 16 to 25 years old. There were a total of 150 respondents from apparel brand communities(n=3) recording higher-than-average brand image scores (Mean > 3.75) and a total of 162 respondents from apparel brand communities(n=6) recording lower-than-average brand image scores(Mean < 3.75). In this study, brand community commitment was measured by a 5-point Likert scale: emotional, continuous and normative commitment. The degree of usage-needs satisfaction (interest, transaction, relationship needs) was measured on a 5-point Likert scale. The level of brand image was measured by a 5-point Likert scale: strength, favorability, and uniqueness of brand associations. RESULTS In the results of exploratory factor analysis, the three usage-needs satisfactions with brand community were classified as interest, transaction, and relationship needs. Brand community commitment was also divided into the multi-dimensional factors: emotional, continuous, and normative commitments. The regression analysis (using a stepwise method) was used to test the influence of 3 independent variables (interest-needs satisfaction, transaction-needs, and relationship-needs satisfactions) on the 3 dependent variables (emotional, continuous and normative commitments). The three types of usage-needs satisfactions are positively associated with the three types of commitments to apparel brand communities. Therefore, hypothesis 1, 2, and 3 were significantly supported. Moderating effects of apparel brand image on the relationship between usage-needs satisfaction and brand community commitments were tested by moderated regression analysis. The statistics result showed that the influence of transaction-needs on emotional commitment was significantly moderated by apparel brand image. In addition, apparel brand image had moderating effects on the relationship between relationship-needs satisfaction and emotional, continuous and normative commitments to apparel brand communities. However, there were not significant moderate effects of apparel brand image on the relationships between interest-needs satisfaction and 3 types of commitments (emotional, continuous and normative commitments) to apparel brand communities. In addition, the influences of transaction-needs satisfaction on 2 types of commitments (continuous and normative commitments) were not significantly moderated by apparel brand image. Therefore, hypothesis 4, 5 and 6 were partially supported. To explain the moderating effects of apparel brand image, four cross-tabulated groups were made by averages of usage-needs satisfaction (interest-needs satisfaction avg. M=3.09, transaction-needs satisfaction avg. M=3.46, relationship-needs satisfaction M=1.62) and the average apparel brand image (M=3.75). The average scores of commitments in each classified group are presented in Tables and Figures. There were significant differences among four groups. As can be seen from the results of scheffe test on the tables, emotional commitment in community group with high brand image was higher than one in community group with low brand image when transaction-needs satisfaction was high. However, when transaction-needs satisfaction was low, there was not any difference between the community group with high brand image and community group with low brand image regarding emotional commitment to apparel brand communities. It means that emotional commitment didn't increase significantly without high satisfaction of transaction-needs, despite the high apparel brand image. In addition, when apparel brand image was low, increase in transaction-needs did not lead to the increase in emotional commitment. Therefore, the significant relationship between transaction-needs satisfaction and emotional commitment was found in only brand communities with high apparel brand image, and the moderating effect of apparel brand image on this relationship between two variables was found in the communities with high satisfaction of transaction-needs only. Statistics results showed that the level of emotional commitment is related to the satisfaction level of transaction-needs, while overall response is related to the level of apparel brand image. We also found that the role of apparel brand image as a moderating factor was limited by the level of transaction-needs satisfaction. In addition, relationship-needs satisfaction brought significant increase in emotional commitment in both community groups (high and low levels of brand image), and the effect of apparel brand image on emotional commitment was significant in both community groups (high and low levels of relationship-needs satisfaction). Especially, the effect of brand image was greater when the level of relationship-needs satisfaction was high. in contrast, increase in emotional commitment responding to increase in relationship-needs satisfaction was greater when apparel brand image is high. The significant influences of relationship-needs satisfaction on community commitments (continuous and normative commitments) were found regardless of apparel brand image(in both community groups with low and high brand image). However, the effects of apparel brand image on continuous and normative commitments were found in only community group with high satisfaction level of relationship-needs. In the case of communities with low satisfaction levels of relationship needs, apparel brand image marginally increases continuous and normative commitments. Therefore, we could not find the moderating effect of apparel brand image on the relationship between relationship-needs satisfaction and continuous and normative commitments in community groups with low satisfaction levels of relationship needs, CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS From the results of this study, we draw several conclusions; First, the increases in usage-needs satisfactions through apparel brand communities result in the increases in commitments to apparel brand communities, wheres the degrees of such relationship depends on the level of apparel brand image. That is, apparel brand image is a moderating factor strengthening the relationship between usage-needs satisfaction and commitment to apparel brand communities. In addition, the effect of apparel brand image differs, depending on the level and types of community usage-needs satisfactions. Therefore, marketers of apparel brand companies must determine the appropriate usage-needs, depending on the type of commitment they wish to increase and the level of their apparel brand image, to promote member's commitments to apparel brand communities. Especially, relationship-needs satisfaction was very important factor for increasing emotional, continuous and normative commitments to communities. However the level of relationship-needs satisfaction was lower than interest-needs and transaction-needs. satisfaction. According to previous study on apparel brand communities, relationship-need satisfaction was strongly related to member's intention of participation in their communities. Therefore, marketers need to develope various strategies in order to increase the relationship- needs as well as interest and transaction needs. In addition, despite continuous commitment was higher than emotional and normative commitments, all types of commitments to apparel brand communities had scores lower than 3.0 that was mid point in 5-point scale. A Korean study reported that the level of members' commitment to apparel brand community influenced customers' identification with a brand and brand purchasing behavior. Therefore, marketers should try to increase members' usage-needs satisfaction and apparel brand image as the necessary conditions for bringing about community commitments. Second, marketers should understand that they should keep in mind that increasing the level of community usage needs (transaction and relationship) is most effective in raising commitment when the level of apparel brand image is high, and that increasing usage needs (transaction needs) satisfaction in communities with low brand image might not be as effective as anticipated. Therefore, apparel companies with desirable brand image such as luxury designer goods firms need to create formal online brand communities (as opposed to informal communities with rudimentary online contents) to satisfy transaction and relationship needs systematically. It will create brand equity through consumers' increased emotional, continuous and normative commitments. Even though apparel brand is very famous, emotional commitment to apparel brand communities cannot be easily increased without transaction-needs satisfaction. Therefore famous fashion brand companies should focus on developing various marketing strategies to increase transaction-needs satisfaction.

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