• Asia pacific journal of information systems
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• v.18 no.4
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• pp.57-81
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• 2008

Knowledge is an essential strategic weapon for sustaining competitive advantage and is the key determinant for organizational growth. When knowledge is shared and disseminated throughout the organization, it increases an organization's value by providing the ability to respond to new and unusual situations. The growing importance of knowledge as a critical resource has forced executives to pay attention to their organizational knowledge. Organizations are increasingly undertaking knowledge management initiatives and making significant investments. Knowledge sourcing is considered as the first important step in effective knowledge management. Most firms continue to make an effort to realize the benefits of knowledge management by using various knowledge sources effectively. Appropriate knowledge sourcing strategies enable organizations to create, acquire, and access knowledge in a timely manner by reducing search and transfer costs, which result in better firm performance. In response, the knowledge management literature has devoted substantial attention to the analysis of knowledge sourcing strategies. Many studies have categorized knowledge sourcing strategies into intemal- and external-oriented. Internal-oriented sourcing strategy attempts to increase firm performance by integrating knowledge within the boundary of the firm. On the contrary, external-oriented strategy attempts to bring knowledge in from outside sources via either acquisition or imitation, and then to transfer that knowledge across to the organization. However, the extant literature on knowledge sourcing strategies focuses primarily on large organizations. Although many studies have clearly highlighted major differences between large and small firms and the need to adopt different strategies for different firm sizes, scant attention has been given to analyzing how knowledge sourcing strategies affect firm performance in small firms and what are the differences between small and large firms in the patterns of knowledge sourcing strategies adoption. This study attempts to advance the current literature by examining the impact of knowledge sourcing strategies on small firm performance from a holistic perspective. By drawing on knowledge based theory from organization science and complementarity theory from the economics literature, this paper is motivated by the following questions: (1) what are the adoption patterns of different knowledge sourcing strategies in small firms (i,e., what sourcing strategies should be adopted and which sourcing strategies work well together in small firms)?; and (2) what are the performance implications of these adoption patterns? In order to answer the questions, this study developed three hypotheses. First hypothesis based on knowledge based theory is that internal-oriented knowledge sourcing is positively associated with small firm performance. Second hypothesis developed on the basis of knowledge based theory is that external-oriented knowledge sourcing is positively associated with small firm performance. The third one based on complementarity theory is that pursuing both internal- and external-oriented knowledge sourcing simultaneously is negatively or less positively associated with small firm performance. As a sampling frame, 700 firms were identified from the Annual Corporation Report in Korea. Survey questionnaires were mailed to owners or executives who were most erudite about the firm s knowledge sourcing strategies and performance. A total of 188 companies replied, yielding a response rate of 26.8%. Due to incomplete data, 12 responses were eliminated, leaving 176 responses for the final analysis. Since all independent variables were measured using continuous variables, supermodularity function was used to test the hypotheses based on the cross partial derivative of payoff function. The results indicated no significant impact of internal-oriented sourcing strategies while positive impact of external-oriented sourcing strategy on small firm performance. This intriguing result could be explained on the basis of various resource and capital constraints of small firms. Small firms typically have restricted financial and human resources. They do not have enough assets to always develop knowledge internally. Another possible explanation is competency traps or core rigidities. Building up a knowledge base based on internal knowledge creates core competences, but at the same time, excessive internal focused knowledge exploration leads to behaviors blind to other knowledge. Interestingly, this study found that Internal- and external-oriented knowledge sourcing strategies had a substitutive relationship, which was inconsistent with previous studies that suggested complementary relationship between them. This result might be explained using organizational identification theory. Internal organizational members may perceive external knowledge as a threat, and tend to ignore knowledge from external sources because they prefer to maintain their own knowledge, legitimacy, and homogeneous attitudes. Therefore, integrating knowledge from internal and external sources might not be effective, resulting in failure of improvements of firm performance. Another possible explanation is small firms resource and capital constraints and lack of management expertise and absorptive capacity. Although the integration of different knowledge sources is critical, high levels of knowledge sourcing in many areas are quite expensive and so are often unrealistic for small enterprises. This study provides several implications for research as well as practice. First this study extends the existing knowledge by examining the substitutability (and complementarity) of knowledge sourcing strategies. Most prior studies have tended to investigate the independent effects of these strategies on performance without considering their combined impacts. Furthermore, this study tests complementarity based on the productivity approach that has been considered as a definitive test method for complementarity. Second, this study sheds new light on knowledge management research by identifying the relationship between knowledge sourcing strategies and small firm performance. Most current literature has insisted complementary relationship between knowledge sourcing strategies on the basis of data from large firms. Contrary to the conventional wisdom, this study identifies substitutive relationship between knowledge sourcing strategies using data from small firms. Third, implications for practice highlight that managers of small firms should focus on knowledge sourcing from external-oriented strategies. Moreover, adoption of both sourcing strategies simultaneousiy impedes small firm performance.

• Journal of Applied Biological Chemistry
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• v.57 no.3
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• pp.235-242
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• 2014

The purpose of this study is the establishment of scientific processes for making food safety policies. Thus, we investigated pesticide residue level of the agricultural commodities from market, and performed risk assessment. Fifteen agricultural items are chosen based on the frequency of Korean consumption. The samples were collected from 9 cities where populations are more than one million. Total 283 active ingredients were monitoring ( total sample number =232). Single-analysis of target pesticides was for three kinds of possible growth regulators and the multicomponent analysis was for 280 kinds of pesticides, a total of 283 species were selected to perform the pesticide residues. Before monitoring the analytes, the improvements of the analytical methods were done by method validations under the CODEX analytical method development guidelines and can produce metrics that represent the international standards applied in accordance with the guidelines. In addition to residual pesticides detected during monitoring we compare the ADI to EDI values using detected result and dietary consumption data which is extracted from annual market basket survey. The 163 samples were non-detected in the total 232 samples so it means that every agricultural commodity will residual pesticides-free in 70.3%. The detected residual pesticides showed for a total of 69 cases (29.7%). Two of samples violate Korean MRL (0.9%). The ratio of EDI compared to ADI resulted in only from 0.00087 to 0.902%. In result, we can assume that all detected residual pesticides are very safe level and current policies of Korean pesticides control may be working.

• Magazine of the Korean Society of Agricultural Engineers
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• v.15 no.4
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• pp.3170-3180
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• 1973

This study of the subject will review past and present irrigation development in Korea. Particular attention will be given to water pricing structure and a case study on the purpose of rational operation and management of irrigation water and organizations, and the optimum irrigation water and organizations, and the optimum irrigation water fee inorder to reduce farmers burden and to rationalize the farmland associations management so as to achieve development of the rural environment. In 1971, the reservoir of the Farmland Improvement A sociation (FIA) produced only 775 millison $m^3$ of irrigation water or 77% of planned capacity of 1,015 million $m^3$. It was caused by inefficient maintenance of irrigation facilities; for instance, about 21% of reservoirs, pumping stations and weirs in Korea have been silted by soil erosion which hinder to water production according to an ADC survey. The first Irritation Association was established in 1906, whcih was renamed the Farmland Assoeiation by the Rural Development Enouragement Law in 1970. By the end of 1971, 411,000 ha of rice paddies were under the control of 267 associations nationwide. The average water price assessed by Associations nationwide rose from 790 won per 0.1 ha. in 1966 to 1,886 won in 1971. The annual growth rate was 20%. The highest water price in 1971 was 4,773 won her 0.1 ha. and the lowest was 437 won. This range was caused by differences in debt burden, geographic conditions and management efficiency among the Associations. In 1971, the number of Associations which exceeded the average water price of 1,886 won per 0.1 ha. was 144, or 55.1% of all Association. In determination of water price, there are two principles; one is determined by production cost such as installation cost of irrigation facilities, maintenance cost, management cost and depreciation ect. For instance, the Yong San River Development project was required 33.7 billion won for total construction and maintenance cost is 3.1 billion won for repayment, maintenance and management cost per year. The project produces 590 million $m^3$ of irrigation water annually. Accordingly, the water price per $m^3$ is 5.25 won. The other principle is determined by water value in the crop products and in compared with production of irrigated paddy and non-irrigated paddy. By using this method, water value in compared with paddy rice vs. upland rice(Average of 1967-1971) was 14.15 won per $m^3$ and irrigated paddy vs. non-irrigated paddy was 2.98 won per $m^3$. In contrast the irrigation fee in average association of 1967-1971 was 1.54 won per $m^3$. Accordingly, the current national average irrigation fee(water price) is resonable compared with its water value. In this study, it is found that the ceiling of water price in terms of water value is 2.98 won per $m^3$ or 2,530 won per 0.1 ha. However, in 1971 55% of the associations were above the average of nationwide irrigation fees. which shows the need for rationalization of the Association's management. In connection with rationalization of the Association's management, this study recommends the following matters. (1) Irrigation fee must be assessed according to the amount of water consumption taking intoaccount the farmer's ability. (2) Irrigation fee should be graded according to behefits and crop patterns. (3) Training personnel in the operation and procedures of water management to save O&M costs. (4) Insolvent farmland association should be integrated into larger, sound associations in the same GUN in order to reduce farmers' water cost. (5) The maintenance and repair of existing irrigation facilities is as important as expansion of facilities. (6) Establishment of a new Union of Farmland Association is required to promoted proper maintenance and to protect the huge investment in irrigation facilities by means of technical supervision and guidance.

• KOREAN JOURNAL OF CROP SCIENCE
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• v.66 no.2
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• pp.120-129
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• 2021

Securing a range of wheat resources is of particular importance with respect to wheat breeding, as it provides a broad genetic foundation. Although wheat breeders have used different wheat germplasms as material resources in current breeding systems, the traits of most germplasms collected from foreign countries differ from the unique traits that have evolved in the Korean environment. In this study, conducted over a 2-year period (2018 and 2019), we therefore evaluated the agricultural traits 1,967 wheat germplasms collected not only in Korea but also worldwide. During the period from sowing to February, the average temperature in 2019 was greater than 1℃, whereas from March to June, the average temperature was approximately 0.9℃ higher in 2018. Compared with the growth recorded in 2018, the stem length in 2019 increased by approximately 20 cm in 2019, and there were notable differences heading date and maturation between 2018 and 2019. In 2019, the heading dates of 973 and 713 wheat resources were earlier and later than those in 2018, respectively. Moreover, stem length was found to be highly correlated with the heading date and maturation. In Korea, where the rainy season and tine of rice transplantation overlap with the time of wheat harvest, early flowering time with high grain yield has been the most important selection target with respect to wheat breeding. We anticipate that the findings of this study will provide would use a foundation for the selection of elite materials and the development of resource core-sets for Korean wheat breeding programs.

• Journal of Technology Innovation
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• v.17 no.1
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• pp.1-48
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• 2009

Recently we have found some symptoms that R&D fiscal incentives might not work well what it has intended through the analysis of current statistics of firm's R&D data. Firstly, we found that the growth rate of R&D investment in private sector during the recent decade has been slowdown. The average of growth rate (real value) of R&D investment is 7.1% from 1998 to 2005, while it was 13.9% from 1980 to 1997. Secondly, the relative share of R&D investment of SME has been decreased to 21%('05) from 29%('01), even though the tax credit for SME has been more beneficial than large size firm, Thirdly, The R&D expenditure of large size firms (besides 3 leading firms) has not been increased since late of 1990s. We need to find some evidence whether fiscal incentives are effective in increasing firm's R&D investment. To analyse econometric model we use firm level unbalanced panel data for 4 years (from 2002 to 2005) derived from MOST database compiled from the annual survey, "Report on the Survey of Research and Development in Science and Technology". Also we use fixed effect model (Hausman test results accept fixed effect model with 1% of significant level) and estimate the model for all firms, large firms and SME respectively. We have following results from the analysis of econometric model. For large firm: i ) R&D investment responds elastically (1.20) to sales volume. ii) government R&D subsidy induces R&D investment (0.03) not so effectively. iii) Tax price elasticity is almost unity (-0.99). iv) For large firm tax incentive is more effective than R&D subsidy For SME: i ) Sales volume increase R&D investment of SME (0.043) not so effectively. ii ) government R&D subsidy is crowding out R&D investment of SME not seriously (-0.0079) iii) Tax price elasticity is very inelastic (-0.054) To compare with other studies, Koga(2003) has a similar result of tax price elasticity for Japanese firm (-1.0036), Hall((l992) has a unit tax price elasticity, Bloom et al. (2002) has $-0.354{\sim}-0.124$ in the short run. From the results of our analysis we recommend that government R&D subsidy has to focus on such an areas like basic research and public sector (defense, energy, health etc.) not overlapped private R&D sector. For SME government has to focus on establishing R&D infrastructure. To promote tax incentive policy, we need to strengthen the tax incentive scheme for large size firm's R&D investment. We recommend tax credit for large size film be extended to total volume of R&D investment.

• Journal of Global Scholars of Marketing Science
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• v.20 no.2
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• pp.219-230
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• 2010

Digital content makes big changes to our daily lives while bringing opportunities and challenges for companies. Creative firms integrate pictures, texts, videos, audios, and data by digitalization to develop new products or services and create digital experiences to promote their brands. Most articles on digital content contribute to the basic concept or development of marketing it in literature. Actually, compared with traditional value chains for common products or services, the digital content industry seems to have more potential value. Because quite a bit of digital content is free to the consumer, price is not necessarily perceived as an indicator of the quality or value of information (Rowley 2008). It becomes evident that a current theme in digital content is the issue of "value," and research on customers' perceived value of digital content is a necessity. This article argues that experiential value has an advantage in customers' evaluations of digital content. Two different but related contributions to the understanding of "value" of digital content are made here. First, based on the comparison of digital content with products and services, the article proposes two key characteristics that make experiential strategy available for digital content: intangibility and near-zero reproduction cost. On top of that, based on the discussion of the gap between company's idealized value and customer's perceived value, this article emphasizes that digital content prices and pricing of digital content is different from products and services. As a result of intangibility, prices may not reflect customer value. Moreover, the cost of digital content in the development stage may be very high while reproduction costs shrink dramatically. Moreover, because of the value gap mentioned before, the pricing polices vary for different digital contents. For example, flat price policy is generally used for movies and music (Magiera 2001; Netherby 2002), while for continuous demand, digital content such as online games and anti-virus programs involves a more complicated matter of utility and competitive price levels. Digital content companies have to explore various kinds of strategies to overcome this gap. Rethinking marketing solutions such as advertisements, images, and word-of-mouth and their effect on customers' perceived value becomes essential. China's digital content industry is becoming more and more globalized and drawing special attention from different countries and regions that have respective competitive advantages. The 2008-2009 Annual Report on the Development of China's Digital Content Industry (CCIDConsulting 2009) indicates that, with the driven power of domestic demand and governmental policy support, the country's digital content industry maintained a fast growth of some 30 percent in 2008, obviously indicating the initial stage of industry expansion. In China, anti-virus programs and other software programs which need to be updated use a quarter-based pricing policy. Customers can download a trial version for free and use it for six months or a year. If they want to use it longer, continuous payment is needed. They examine the excellence of the digital content during this trial period and decide whether to pay for continued usage. For China’s music and movie industries, as a result of initial development, experiential strategy has not been much applied, even though firms in other countries find the trial experience and explore important strategies(such as customers listening to music for several seconds for free before downloading it). For the above reasons, anti-virus program may be a representative for digital content industry in China and an exploratory study of the advantage of experiential value in customer's perceived value of digital content is done in the anti-virus market of China. In order to enhance the reliability of the survey data, this study focused on people who were experienced users of anti-virus programs. The empirical results revealed that experiential value has a positive effect on customers' perceived value of digital content. In other words, because digital content is intangible and the reproduction costs are nearly zero, customers' evaluations are based heavily on their experience. Moreover, image and word-of-mouth do not have a positive effect on perceived value, only on experiential value. That is to say, a digital content value chain is different from that of a general product or service. Experiential value has a notable advantage and mediates the effect of image and word-of-mouth on perceived value. The results of this study help provide an understanding of why free digital content downloads exist in developing countries. Customers can perceive the value of digital content only by using and experiencing it. This is also why such governments support the development of digital content. Other developing countries whose digital content business is also in the beginning stage can make use of the suggestions here. Moreover, based on the advantage of experiential strategy, companies should make more of an effort to invest in customers' experience. As a result of the characteristics and value gap of digital content, customers perceive more value in the intangible digital content only by experiencing what they really want. Moreover, because of the near-zero reproduction costs, companies can perhaps use experiential strategy to enhance customer understanding of digital content.