• Title/Summary/Keyword: culture-dependent

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Do Women's Attitude to Domestic Works and Self-perception of Social Norms Enforce the Gender Division of Housework? - Analysis of Mediation Effects Using the Theory of Reasoned Action - (여성의 가사노동에 대한 태도 및 사회적 규범에 대한 여성의 인식이 가사노동시간의 성불평등에 영향을 미치는가?: 합리적 행위이론을 통한 매개효과 분석)

  • Lee, Seungju;Lee, Somin
    • Korean Journal of Family Social Work
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    • no.58
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    • pp.5-36
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    • 2017
  • This study aims to empirically analyze whether the women's cognitive attitude toward gender role, which is formed through social norms, enforces the gender division of housework. In this study, 4,435 married women aged 18-59 years from the 5th wave dataset of Korean Longutudinal Survey of Women and Family Data were selected for analysis. Using the Structural Equation Model(SEM), we examine the direct effect of "attitude toward behavior" and "subjective norm" on the domestic working hours and whether those two independent variables, such as "attitude toward behavior" and "subjective norm," influence the mediator variable "Behavior Intention" which in turn affect the dependent variable. The study reveals that "attitude toward the gender division of housework" has a statistically significant direct effect on the domestic working hours as well as an indirect effect operating through "behavior intention." And"subjective norm "has only a statistically significant indirect effect on the domestic working hours, operating through "behavior intention." Despite the fact that many women are now aware that various work-life balance policies are avaliable to mitigate the gender inequality of domestic works, it is proven that the gender division of housework becomes worse. The reason behind this is not only because there exist some problems in implementing the institutions themselves, but also because women's deeply internalized self-perception of gender role based on the traditional patriarchal culture somehow exacerbates the gender division of housework. Hence, in order to instill a progressive change in gender division of housework, it is important for women to try to change the way they perceive the stereotypical gender roles as well as for men to treat women equally.

The Manchus and ginseng in the Qing period (만주족과 인삼)

  • Kim, Seonmin
    • Journal of Ginseng Culture
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    • v.1
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    • pp.11-27
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    • 2019
  • The Jurchens, the ancestors of the Qing Manchus, had lived scattered in Manchuria and had made their living mostly on ginseng gathering and animal hunting. Their residential areas, rich with deep forest and numerous rivers, provided great habitation for all kinds of flora and fauna, but not so proper for agriculture. Based on their activities of foraging and hunting, the Jurchens developed a unique social organization that was later transformed into the Banner System, the most distinctive Qing military institution. By the sixteenth century, that the external trade brought considerable changes to Jurchen society. A huge amount of foreign silver, imported from Japan and South America to China, first invigorated commercial economy in China proper, and later caused a huge influence on Ming frontier regions, including Manchuria. In the late sixteenth century when the tradition of foraging and hunting encountered with silver economy, the Jurchen tribes became unified after years of competition and transformed themselves into the Manchus to build the Qing empire in 1636. In 1644 the Manchus succeeded in conquering the China Proper and moved into Beijing. Even after that, the Manchu imperial court never forgot the value of Manchurii ginseng; instead, they paid great efforts to monopolize this profitable root. Until the late seventeenth century, the Qing court used the Banner System to manage Manchurian ginseng. The banner soldiers stationed in Manchuria checked unauthorized civilian entrances in this frontier and protected its ginseng producing mountains from the Han Chinese people. All the process of ginseng gathering was managed by the institutions under the direct control of the imperial court, such as the Imperial Household Department, the Butha Ula Office, and the Three Upper Banner in Shengjing. Banner soldiers were dispatched to the given mountains, collect the given amount of ginseng, and send them to the imperial court in Beijing. The state monopoly of ginseng was maintained throughout the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries under the principle that Manchuria and its natural resources should be guarded from civilian encroachment. At the same time, Manchurian ginseng was considered as an important source of state revenue. The imperial court and financial bureau wanted to collect ginseng as much as they needed. By the late seventeenth century as the ginseng management by the banner soldiers failed in securing the ginseng tax, the Qing court began to invite civil merchants to ginseng business. During the eighteenth century the Qing ginseng policy became more dependent on civil merchants, both their money and management. In 1853 the Qing finally ended the ginseng monopoly, but it was before the early eighteenth century that wealthy merchants hired ginseng gatherers and paid ginseng tax to the state. The Qing monopoly of ginseng was in fact maintained by the active participation of civil merchants in the ginseng business.

Cultural Homelessness and Psychological Well-Being of Young Cross-Cultural Individuals: Moderating Role of Emotional Clarity (교차문화 청소년들의 문화적 소속감의 부재와 심리적 안녕감의 관계: 정서인식 명확성의 조절효과를 중심으로)

  • Nam, Ji-Eun;Nam, Ji-Hye;Kim, Dong-il
    • (The) Korean Journal of Educational Psychology
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    • v.32 no.3
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    • pp.571-596
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    • 2018
  • Objectives: This study investigated the challenges of young cross-cultural individuals (CCIs) through the cultural homelessness (CH) framework. Methods: Through a survey of 151 CCIs, the study empirically examined the relationship between CH and psychological well-being (PWB), as well as the moderating role of emotional clarity (EC). Results: Results indicated that CH was significantly and negatively associated with PWB, especially on the Positive Relations with Others and Environmental Mastery dimensions. Individuals with high CH tended to have less satisfactory relationships and a reduced sense of control over daily life situations, regardless of their EC level. A significant interaction effect between CH and EC was found, specifically in Positive Relations with Others (PR) and Personal Growth (PG). For individuals with high CH, however, satisfactory relationships were dependent on their EC level; they reported more positive relationships with others when their EC levels were high. Interestingly, individuals with high CH were likely to report a high desire for personal growth regardless of their EC level, indicating that they may appear ambitious but may be experiencing unclear emotions. Conclusions: These findings suggest that CH and EC are issues that need to be dealt with simultaneously. As individuals' PWB depends not only on their CH level, but also on their EC, reducing the level of CH should not be the only goal in promoting the well-being of CCIs. Increasing individuals' EC would be just as important, as high EC, along with low CH, predicts important dimensions of PWB.

Biological Control of Tomato and Red Pepper Powdery Mildew using Paenibacillus polymyxa CW (Paenibacillus polymyxa CW를 이용한 고추 및 토마토 흰가루병 방제)

  • Kim, Yong-Ki;Choi, Eun-Jung;Hong, Sung-Jun;Shim, Chang-Ki;Kim, Min-Jeong;Jee, Hyeong-Jin;Park, Jong-Ho;Han, Eun-Jung;Jang, Bo-Kyung;Yun, Jong-Cheul
    • The Korean Journal of Pesticide Science
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    • v.17 no.4
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    • pp.379-387
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    • 2013
  • In order to improve practical utility of agro-microorganisms (AMs) which had been cultured and disseminated to promote plant growth and to control crop diseases, 51 isolates of AMs were collected from 18 agricultural extension centers in local government and screened for multi-functions such as antifungal activity, activities of phosphorus solubilization, IAA and siderophore production, nitrogen fixation, and hydrolytic enzyme activity. Finally we selected one isolate showing good antifungal activity and multi-functions related to plant growth and disease control. The selected isolate, Paenibacillus polymyxa CW, showed good inhibitory effect against plant pathogens, Pyricularia gresea, Colletotrichum acutatum, Fusarium oxysporum, Phomopsis sp., Aspergillus niger, Rhizoctonia solani and Phytophthora capsici. Suppressive effect of P. polymyxa CW against the used plant pathogens except for R. solani was much higher than that of P. polymyxa AC-1 storing in National Academy of Agricultural Science. We found P. polymyxa CW isolate showed good activity in siderophore and IAA formation, and nitrogen fixation. With P. polymyxa CW isolate, siderophore formation activity was similar to that of P. polymyxa AC-1, but IAA formation and nitrogen fixation activity was much higher than that of P. polymyxa AC-1. However neither P. polymyxa CW nor P. polymyxa AC-1 showed hydrolytic enzyme (chitinase, pectinase and cellulase) activity. The treatment of P. polymyxa CW with culture suspension of different cell density ($10^8$, $10^7$. $10^6$ cfu/ml) showed that the highest density reduced incidence of red pepper powdery mildew by 68.3% after 10 days of application. As application density of P. polymyxa CW was decreased, its control efficacy was proportionally decreased. In addition, when P. polymyxa CW was treated to control tomato powdery mildew at the same concentrations and their control effects were investigated after 7 days of inoculation, disease incidence was 0.03, 19.5, 45.7%, respectively, compared to 56.3% that of untreated check. Like red pepper powdery mildew, increase of application density of P. polymyxa CW resulted in increase of its control efficacy proportionally. P. polymyxa CW showed a density-dependent control efficacy against red pepper and tomato powdery mildews. Therefore we think that mode of action of the antagonist for suppressing two powdery mildew diseases might be antibiosis and density of more than $10^8cfu/ml$ was needed to control effectively the two diseases. On this basis, we think that P. polymyxa CW can be a promising control agent for suppressing powdery mildews of red pepper and tomato.

The Effect of Platelets on Endothelin Production in Bovine Pulmonary Artery Endothelial Cells (혈소판이 소 폐동백 내피세포의 Endothelin 생산에 미치는 효과)

  • Lee, Sang-Do;Shim, Tae-Sun;Kwon, Seog-Woon;Ryu, Jin-Sook;Lee, Jae-Dam;Lim, Chae-Man;Koh, Youn-Suck;Kim, Woo-Sung;Kim, Dong-Soon;Kim, Won-Dong
    • Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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    • v.44 no.5
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    • pp.1114-1124
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    • 1997
  • Background : Endothelin(ET) is a very potent vasoconstrictive peptide produced by endothelial cells of pulmonary artery. The endothelin level was increased in plasma of primary pulmonary hypertension and acute pulmonary thromboembolism and it was suggested that the endothelin might do a critical role in the cardiopulmonary dysfunction in these two conditions. But the exact mechanism of increase of ET has not been known. In these two conditions, platelet activation and thrombosis are the main pathophysiologic findings. So there is a possibility that the platelet might stimulate endothelin secretion from endothelial cells. Therefore, we performed this study to evaluate the role of platelet and its mediators on endothelin production in bovine pulmonary artery endothelial(BPAE) cells. Method : Bovine pulmonary artery endothelial cells, ATCC certified cell line 209, were cultured and treated with human platelets($10^6{\sim}10^8/ml$), thrombin (0.1~10u/ml), TGF-${\beta}1$(1~100uM), serotonin(1~100uM), and endotoxin(1ug/ml) in a final volume of 500ul for 18 hours. Levels of ir(immunoreactive)-ET in each conditioned medium were measured by a radioimmunoassay specific for ET. Result : The increase of ir-ET levels was platelet number and time dependent over 18 hours. When washed human platelets were added($10^8/ml$), the ir-ET levels were significantly higher than that of control(p<0.05) at 8 and 18 hours after culture. Subthreshold concentration of platelets($10^7/ml$) coincubated with endotoxin(1ug/ml) or subthreshold dose of thrombin(0.1u/ml) stimulated ir-ET secretion from BPAE cells significantly(p<0.05) compared with control. Thrombin(1ug/ml, 10ug/ml) and TGF-${\beta}1$(100pM, 1000pM) significantly increased ir-ET secretion from BP AE cells(p<0.05) compared with control, but serotoin(1~100uM) and endotoxin(1ug/ml) did not stimulate the ir-ET secretion. Conclusions : Platelets stimulate endothelin secretion from bovine pulmonary artery endothelial cells. The mechanism of increase of endothelin secretion seems to be a stimulation by platelet itself or by mediators, such as TGF-${\beta}1$, secreted from activated platelets. And, in this study, the priming effect of platelets on endothelin secretion from BPAE cells could be another possibility.

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Structural Adjustment of Domestic Firms in the Era of Market Liberalization (시장개방(市場開放)과 국내기업(國內企業)의 구조조정(構造調整))

  • Seong, So-mi
    • KDI Journal of Economic Policy
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    • v.13 no.4
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    • pp.91-116
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    • 1991
  • Market liberalization progressing simultaneously with high and rapidly rising domestic wages has created an adverse business environment for domestic firms. Korean firms are losing their international competitiveness in comparison to firms from LDC(Less Developed Countries) in low-tech industries. In high-tech industries, domestic firms without government protection (which is impossible due to the liberalization policy and the current international status of the Korean economy) are in a disadvantaged position relative to firms from advanced countries. This paper examines the division of roles between the private sector and the government in order to achieve a successful structural adjustment, which has become the impending industrial policy issue caused by high domestic wages, on the one hand, and the opening of domestic markets, on the other. The micro foundation of the economy-wide structural adjustment is actually the restructuring of business portfolios at the firm level. The firm-level business restructuring means that firms in low-value-added businesses or with declining market niches establish new major businesses in higher value-added segments or growing market niches. The adjustment of the business structure at the firm level can only be accomplished by accumulating firm-specific managerial assets necessary to establish a new business structure. This can be done through learning-by-doing in the whole system of management, including research and development, manufacturing, and marketing. Therefore, the voluntary cooperation among the people in the company is essential for making the cost of the learning process lower than that at the competing companies. Hence, firms that attempt to restructure their major businesses need to induce corporate-wide participation through innovations in organization and management, encourage innovative corporate culture, and maintain cooperative labor unions. Policy discussions on structural adjustments usually regard firms as a black box behind a few macro variables. But in reality, firm activities are not flows of materials but relationships among human resources. The growth potential of companies are embodied in the human resources of the firm; the balance of interest among stockholders, managers, and workers of the company' brings the accumulation of the company's core competencies. Therefore, policymakers and economists shoud change their old concept of the firm as a technological black box which produces a marketable commodities. Firms should be regarded as coalitions of interest groups such as stockholders, managers, and workers. Consequently the discussion on the structural adjustment both at the macroeconomic level and the firm level should be based on this new paradigm of understanding firms. The government's role in reducing the cost of structural adjustment and supporting should the creation of new industries emphasize the following: First, government must promote the competition in domestic markets by revising laws related to antitrust policy, bankruptcy, and the promotion of small and medium-sized companies. General consensus on the limitations of government intervention and the merit of deregulation should be sought among policymakers and people in the business world. In the age of internationalization, nation-specific competitive advantages cannot be exclusively in favor of domestic firms. The international competitiveness of a domestic firm derives from the firm-specific core competencies which can be accumulated by internal investment and organization of the firm. Second, government must build up a solid infrastructure of production factors including capital, technology, manpower, and information. Structural adjustment often entails bankruptcies and partial waste of resources. However, it is desirable for the government not to try to sustain marginal businesses, but to support the diversification or restructuring of businesses by assisting in factor creation. Institutional support for venture businesses needs to be improved, especially in the financing system since many investment projects in venture businesses are highly risky, even though they are very promising. The proportion of low-value added production processes and declining industries should be reduced by promoting foreign direct investment and factory automation. Moreover, one cannot over-emphasize the importance of future-oriented labor policies to be based on the new paradigm of understanding firm activities. The old laws and instititutions related to labor unions need to be reformed. Third, government must improve the regimes related to money, banking, and the tax system to change business practices dependent on government protection or undesirable in view of the evolution of the Korean economy as a whole. To prevent rational business decisions from contradicting to the interest of the economy as a whole, government should influence the business environment, not the business itself.

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The Effect of Nitric Oxide Donor or Nitric Oxide Synthase Inhibitor on Oxidant Injury to Cultured Rat Lung Microvascular Endothelial Cells (산화질소 공여물과 산화질소 합성효소 길항제가 백서 폐미세혈관 내피세포 산화제 손상에 미치는 영향)

  • Chang, Joon;Michael, John R.;Kim, Se-Kyu;Kim, Sung-Kyu;Lee, Won-Young;Kang, Kyung-Ho;Yoo, Se-Hwa;Chae, Yang-Seok
    • Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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    • v.45 no.6
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    • pp.1265-1276
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    • 1998
  • Background : Nitric oxide(NO) is an endogenously produced free radical that plays an important role in regulating vascular tone, inhibition of platelet aggregation and white blood cell adhesion to endothelial cells, and host defense against infection. The highly reactive nature of NO with oxygen radicals suggests that it may either promote or reduce oxidant-induced cell injury in several biological pathways. Oxidant injury and interactions between pulmonary vascular endothelium and leukocytes are important in the pathogenesis of acute lung injury, including acute respiratory distress syndrome(ARDS). In ARDS, therapeutic administration of NO is a clinical condition providing exogenous NO in oxidant-induced endothelial injury. The role of exogenous NO from NO donor or the suppression of endogenous NO production was evaluated in oxidant-induced endothelial injury. Method : The oxidant injury in cultured rat lung microvascular endothelial cells(RLMVC) was induced by hydrogen peroxide generated from glucose oxidase(GO). Cell injury was evaluated by $^{51}$chromium($^{51}Cr$) release technique. NO donor, such as S-nitroso-N-acetylpenicillamine(SNAP) or sodium nitroprusside(SNP), was added to the endothelial cells as a source of exogenous NO. Endogenous production of NO was suppressed with N-monomethyl-L-arginine(L-NMMA) which is an NO synthase inhibitor. L-NMMA was also used in increased endogenous NO production induced by combined stimulation with interferon-$\gamma$(INF-$\gamma$), tumor necrosis factor-$\alpha$(TNF-$\alpha$), and lipopolysaccharide(LPS). NO generation from NO donor or from the endothelial cells was evaluated by measuring nitrite concentration. Result : $^{51}Cr$ release was $8.7{\pm}0.5%$ in GO 5 mU/ml, $14.4{\pm}2.9%$ in GO 10 mU/ml, $32.3{\pm}2.9%$ in GO 15 mU/ml, $55.5{\pm}0.3%$ in GO 20 mU/ml and $67.8{\pm}0.9%$ in GO 30 mU/ml ; it was significantly increased in GO 15 mU/ml or higher concentrations when compared with $9.6{\pm}0.7%$ in control(p < 0.05; n=6). L-NMMA(0.5 mM) did not affect the $^{51}Cr$ release by GO. Nitrite concentration was increased to $3.9{\pm}0.3\;{\mu}M$ in culture media of RLMVC treated with INF-$\gamma$ (500 U/ml), TNF-$\alpha$(150 U/ml) and LPS($1\;{\mu}g/ml$) for 24 hours ; it was significantly suppressed by the addition of L-NMMA. The presence of L-NMMA did not affect $^{51}Cr$ release induced by GO in RLMVC pretreated with INF-$\gamma$, TNF-$\alpha$ and LPS. The increase of $^{51}Cr$ release with GO(20 mU/ml) was prevented completely by adding 100 ${\mu}M$ SNAP. But the add of SNP, potassium ferrocyanate or potassium ferricyanate did not protect the oxidant injury. Nitrite accumulation was $23{\pm}1.0\;{\mu}M$ from 100 ${\mu}M$ SNAP at 4 hours in phenol red free Hanks' balanced salt solution. But nitrite was not detectable from SNP upto 1 mM The presence of SNAP did not affect the time dependent generation of hydrogen peroxide by GO in phenol red free Hanks' balanced salt solution. Conclusion : Hydrogen peroxide generated by GO causes oxidant injury in RLMVC. Exogenous NO from NO donor prevents oxidant injury, and the protective effect may be related to the ability to release NO. These results suggest that the exogenous NO may be protective on oxidant injury to the endothelium.

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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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