• Journal of Technology Innovation
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• v.26 no.2
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• pp.1-36
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• 2018

In this study, we investigate the influence of national culture on technological innovation activities. First, we discuss the concept of national culture and various cultural dimensions and measurements. Second, we analyze previous literature to explore the theoretical mechanisms in the relationship between national culture and technological innovation. Each cultural dimension has it own mechanism regarding the relationship and in some dimensions mixed theoretical arguments and empirical results are found. Lastly, we also explore how the national culture interacts with characteristics of technology, (social) institutions and public policies while it affects the technological innovation. Based on an literature review on the issue, we propose new research agenda and discuss avenues for future research. The implications for the research are also presented.

• The Journal of Asian Finance, Economics and Business
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• v.8 no.2
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• pp.151-164
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• 2021

The paper identifies the enablers (drivers) and inhibitors (barriers) influencing e-customs implementation in Vietnam (known as a developing country with a lower technological environment) along with determining the impact of e-customs on firm performance. The survey was conducted with the representatives (managers) of firms in five cities and provinces dominating Vietnam's international trade. The data was analyzed using structural equation modeling (SEM). The findings show two significant drivers (enablers) - relative advantages and national culture, while compatibility and ease of use are the barriers. Previous studies showed that cultural dimensions related to 'uncertainty acceptance' and 'individualism' encourage innovation; however, this paper demonstrates that 'uncertainty avoidance' and 'collectivism' promote e-customs deployment in Vietnam. Previously, Vietnamese culture was known for scoring high on cultural dimensions related to 'power distance' and 'short-term orientation'. However, today, as an emerging country, Vietnamese has switched to 'low distance' and 'long-term orientation', especially in terms of e-customs innovation. Additionally, the paper also emphasized that e-customs implementation had a positive influence on firm performance in Vietnam. Based on the results of the paper, policy-makers can devise essential solutions to enhance e-customs implementation as well as managers of firms can set-up strategies to adapt to the modernized environment.

• Molecules and Cells
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• v.40 no.2
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• pp.117-122
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• 2017

Despite the fact that porcine embryonic stem cells (ESCs) are a practical study tool, in vitro long-term maintenance of these cells is difficult in a two-dimensional (2D) microenvironment using cellular niche or extracellular matrix proteins. However, a three-dimensional (3D) microenvironment, similar to that enclosing the inner cell mass of the blastocyst, may improve in vitro maintenance of self-renewal. Accordingly, as a first step toward constructing a 3D microenvironment optimized to maintain porcine ESC self-renewal, we investigated different culture dimensions for porcine ICM-derived cells to enhance the maintenance of self-renewal. Porcine ICM-derived cells were cultured in agarose-based 3D hydrogel with self-renewal-friendly mechanics and in 2D culture plates with or without feeder cells. Subsequently, the effects of the 3D microenvironment on maintenance of self-renewal were identified by analyzing colony formation and morphology, alkaline phosphatase (AP) activity, and transcriptional and translational regulation of self-renewal-related genes. The 3D microenvironment using a 1.5% (w/v) agarose-based 3D hydrogel resulted in significantly more colonies with stereoscopic morphology, significantly improved AP activity, and increased protein expression of self-renewal-related genes compared to those in the 2D microenvironment. These results demonstrate that self-renewal of porcine ICM-derived cells can be maintained more effectively in a 3D microenvironment than in a 2D microenvironment. These results will help develop novel culture systems for ICM-derived cells derived from diverse species, which will contribute to stimulating basic and applicable studies related to ESCs.

• The International Journal of Costume Culture
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• v.5 no.3
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• pp.204-212
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• 2002

The purpose of this study is to find out relationships among Gender Body Ideology, and clothing preferences. Subjects consisted of 75 female elementary school students, 64 female high school students, and their mothers(139) who are currently residing in Daejeon, Korea. The research was a ex-post facto relational study and the instruments for the study were GBI, genderlogy and 24 clothing stimuli for measuring clothing preferences. The reliability and validity of the measuring instruments were verified by results of judge group analysis and pre-tests. The factor analysis of GBI emerged 4 major factors in Being dimension, and 4 major factors in Doing dimension. Medium low correlations existed between the two GBI dimensions, and genderlogy was correlated specially with the Being dimension. Two GBI dimensions and genderlogy effected on preferences and Possessions of some selected design elements, however, GBI showed higher Predicting power for clothing preference.

• Journal of Korean Society for Quality Management
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• v.45 no.2
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• pp.247-260
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• 2017

Purpose: The study is aimed to identify the national cultural dimensions that are affecting the quality management (QM) maturity level and the project quality performance, and analyze their relationships. Methods: This study collected the data of QM Maturity level based on Crosby's QM maturity model and the project quality performance using the Iron Triangle (Quality, Time/Schedule and Cost) from the employees who are participating in the ITER Project across the major 8 countries (China, France, Italy, Japan, Korea, Russia, U.K. and U.S.A.). Three research hypotheses are proposed concerning the national cultural dimensions in this study and Hofstede's five cultural dimensions framework are used for the statistical test. Results: The results are two folds in the study: First, there is a significant positive correlation between the QM maturity level and the project quality performance. Second, three cultural dimensions (Collectivism, Large Power Distance and Strong Uncertainty Avoidance) and five cultural dimensions (Collectivism, Large Power Distance, Strong Uncertainty Avoidance, Feminity and Long Term Orientation) have a positive impact on the QM maturity level and the project quality performance respectively. Conclusion: From the results, the understanding and consideration of the culture difference among the countries participating International Collaboration R&D project are recommended.

• 한국경영정보학회:학술대회논문집
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• 2007.06a
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• pp.415-420
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• 2007

Diffusion of information and communication technologies is a global phenomenon. In spite of rapid globalization there are considerable differences between nations in terms of the adoption and usage of new technologies. Several studies exploring causal factors including national cultures of information and communication technology adoption have been carried out. The focus of this paper is slightly different from other studies in this area. Rather than concentrating on the individual information technology the cyber diplomacy is the focus. This research conducted an analysis of the impact national culture has on adoption of the cyber diplomacy and its components for 95 countries. The national cultural dimensions were identified using Hofstede's model of cultural differences. The research model and hypotheses were formed and tested using correlation and regression analysis. The findings indicate that worldwide cyber diplomacy adoption is related to national culture. The result has theoretical and practical implications.

• The Research Journal of the Costume Culture
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• v.24 no.4
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• pp.511-529
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• 2016

The current study aims to segment Chinese female consumers using their lifestyle dimensions in the cosmetics market, and analyze their cosmetics purchasing behavior based on that segmentation. Specifically, lifestyle groups were examined to see if there is any group difference(s) in consumer behavior for Korean cosmetics. Lifestyle groups were examined based on: consumers' demographic characteristics, perceived brand attributes, loyalty toward Korean cosmetics, usage of Korean cosmetics products, preferred stores of shopping for Korean cosmetics, and use of information sources in purchase decisions. An online survey was administered to female consumers who live in Beijing and Shanghai. A total of 493 surveys were used for data analyses. The results of the study were as follows: First, factor analysis revealed 11 significant lifestyle dimensions. Second, using these 11 lifestyle dimensions, cluster analysis was conducted, which revealed four distinct groups of consumers: (1) "timid inactive group," characterized by having low scores in most lifestyle dimensions; (2) "showcase goers," who tend to be highly fashion/appearance-conscious and brand-oriented; (3) "practical buyers," who tend to be price-conscious, sensitive and timid; and (4) "sensible buyers," who enjoy finer meals and wellbeing lifestyles, as well as hardworking in everything and impulse-buy things. Third, consumer behavior of purchasing Korean cosmetics brands were examined; significant differences among the four lifestyle groups were found. The study concludes with a discussion of the results and practical implications.

• Journal of Distribution Science
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• v.13 no.11
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• pp.93-100
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• 2015

Purpose - The objective of this research is to investigate whether national culture influences consumers' service evaluations. The services industry is receiving increasing attention from academia and practitioners as its position grows in global markets. Standardization or localization is a traditional managerial decision in global business. As the boundaries of services expand across national borders, firms are required to decide whether to standardize services or adjust to local needs. Though it is imperative to reflect global perspectives in marketing theories, these perspectives are mostly based on Western conceptualization of the world. Through a comparison of consumer groups from two culturally remote countries, service quality evaluation mechanisms are examined based on similar stimuli. The study tries to expand service marketing perspectives across national borders. Research design, data, and methodology - Eastern and Western countries are known to be culturally distinct. One Eastern and one Western country were chosen: an Anglo-Saxon country (the U.S., England, and Australia) and South Korea. In Hofstede's cultural dimensions, the differences between the two are pronounced. The Anglo-Saxon based countries share many similarities. Samples of the same sites are targeted. Questionnaires using a service quality scale (SERVQUAL) and a customer satisfaction scale were distributed. Utilizing Hofstede's typology of culture, the service evaluation mechanisms of the respondents from the two groups are evaluated. Three hypotheses are proposed from the review of the literature. These are service evaluation habits, importance of service quality dimensions for the individualistic/collectivistic countries, and strong/weak uncertainty avoidance cultures. Consumers from the individualistic countries are considered to care about themselves and demand a higher level of responsiveness and assurance. On the other hand, consumers from high uncertainty avoidance cultures are assumed to rely more on tangible questions of service quality, as these are the only predictable service quality indicators. A t-test and regression analysis are applied to validate the constructs. Results - The respondents from the Anglo-Saxon countries are more generous on service evaluations than Koreans. Researchers have indicated that Americans tend to give higher service evolution scores than European, Mexican, and Korean counterparts. The tendency is the same here. The sample from Anglo-Saxon countries demonstrated higher service evaluation scores on every dimension of SERVQUAL. For the second hypothesis, the respondents from the collectivistic culture rely less on core service dimensions (assurance and responsiveness) due to their tendency to place more value on group harmony than individual interest. However, the third hypothesis was not validated. Conclusions - The study attempted to expand the scope of service marketing to reflect cross-national perspectives. Service quality is known to have a strong influence on customer satisfaction and loyalty behavior. However, this research demonstrated that individuals from different cultural territories respond heterogeneously to the same stimuli. Scholars argue that national cultures are main factors in such deviated behavior. Scholars and global managers should be aware of differences in consumer value judgment mechanisms such as satisfaction, expectations, and perceptions.

• 한국경영정보학회:학술대회논문집
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• 2007.11a
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• pp.565-570
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• 2007

With e-commerce becoming international, understanding the effects of national culture in consumer acceptance of e-commerce is required. This study examines consumer e-commerce acceptance in Korea and China. The research model consisting of perceived usefulness, perceived ease of use, trust and perceived risk was proposed, and the hypotheses based on Hofstede's cultural dimensions of power distance, individualism/collectivism, masculinity/femininity, uncertainty avoidance and long-term orientation, were established. The results show that perceived usefulness contributes less to consumer acceptance of e-commerce in China than it does in Korea. In addition, perceived ease of use contributes more to consumer acceptance of e-commerce in China. Trust contributes significantly to consumer acceptance of e-commerce in both countries, but perceived risk didn't influence consumer acceptance of e-commerce in either country. The contribution of this study is to provide strategic insights for successfully managing cross-cultural e-commerce.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Safety
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• v.31 no.1
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• pp.118-125
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• 2016

The purpose of this study is to identify issues for an effective safety culture assessment by conducting a case study of an electronics manufacturing plant in Korea. Cooper's safety culture model was used as the assessment method, and Fleming and Hudson's safety culture maturity models were applied as assessment criteria. The results of the safety culture assessment showed that there needs to be a design optimized for study purposes. For example, the correlation between the questionnaire survey and in-depth interview needs to be analyzed. The result of the behavior monitoring should show the relationships with other dimensions. A safety culture maturity model has to be developed to customize the study factors and questions.