• Journal of Distribution Science
• /
• v.12 no.8
• /
• pp.123-132
• /
• 2014

Purpose - Recently, Korean companies have been struggling to perform well in the larger smartphone market in China, which is regarded as a blue ocean area. First, it is very important to accurately understand the Chinese consumers, who have a different consumption culture and value system from the Korean culture and system. This would help to identify priorities for the Chinese market. Further, considering the smartphone industry, where technological change is rapid, Korean companies will need to take prompt measures about market trends in order to establish strong competitiveness. Consequently, this study focused on analyzing the relationship between the variables of consumption value, satisfaction, and loyalty in the Chinese smartphone market. The principal dimensions of consumption value, which smartphones have, was analyzed, and the influence on satisfaction was identified. Moreover, the relationship among the variables of satisfaction, attitudinal loyalty, and behavioral loyalty was empirically analyzed. Research design, data, and methodology - This study examined the relationships between various consumption values (functional value, emotional value, social value, epistemic value, and economic value), along with satisfaction and loyalty. The data were collected through a questionnaire survey that was circulated to 310 customers who were users of smartphones in Chingdao and Yeontae regions in China. The survey was conducted from June 23 to August 4, 2013. A total of 301 responses to the questionnaires were collected and used for the data analysis. Moreover, a path analysis based on Lisrel 8.54 was used for the hypothesis test. Results - The variables of functional value, emotional value, social value, and epistemic value were revealed to have positive effects on satisfaction related to smartphone usage. However, the variables of monetary cost and psychological cost were not found to have negative effects on satisfaction related to smartphone usage. Moreover, satisfaction positively influenced attitudinal loyalty related to smartphone usage, but did not have a significant influence on behavioral loyalty related to smartphone usage. Specifically, satisfaction is essential, but not a sufficient condition for building behavioral loyalty in relation to smartphone usage. In addition, attitudinal loyalty positively influenced behavioral loyalty in relation to smartphone usage. Conclusions - First, this study shows that functional value, emotional value, social value, and epistemic value in relation to smartphone usage are important for marketing in the Chinese smartphone market. Particularly, functional value and emotional value play pre-eminent roles as regards customer loyalty in the use of smartphones. Second, the results of this study reveal that the variables of monetary cost and psychological cost are not important to the Chinese consumers. Specifically, the smartphone price and cognitive effort are not perceived as value barriers. Third, satisfaction did not guarantee behavioral loyalty in relation to smartphone usage, and the strategic approach for improving the repurchase and referral action in relation to smartphones based on solid attitudinal loyalty would be desirable and should be the focus of the marketing activities of Korean smartphone companies.

• Journal of Korean language education
• /
• v.23 no.1
• /
• pp.307-329
• /
• 2012

The purpose of this study is to examine the presentation of Korean grammar on the Korean grammar textbooks for foreigners. Through the results, this study suggests some examples of grammar based on the discourse and context. Since the communicative approach received much attention, some Korean language forms have been researched in the discourse and context. In that sense, we need to survey the grammars presented in the grammar textbooks. The expressions of Korean epistemic modality and discourse function, ('-지요, -잖아(요), -군요', '-기는 하다') in the grammar textbooks have been analyzed. These expressions need to be described with much contextual and situational information and presented in the discourse. However it is a little insufficient to supply a proper amount of information for Korean language learners. To overcome the deficiency, this study presents some situational and contextual information of certain language forms.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
• /
• v.83 no.5
• /
• pp.577-591
• /
• 2022

This paper develops a comparatively time-efficient methodology for performing seismic fragility analysis of the reinforced concrete (RC) buildings in the presence of uncertainty sources. It aims to appraise the effectiveness of any variation in the material's mechanical properties as epistemic uncertainty, and the record-to-record variation as aleatory uncertainty in structural response. In this respect, the fuzzy set theory, a well-known 𝛼-cut approach, and the Genetic Algorithm (GA) assess the median of collapse fragility curves as a fuzzy response. GA is requisite for searching the maxima and minima of the objective function (median fragility herein) in each membership degree, 𝛼. As this is a complicated and time-consuming process, the authors propose utilizing the Gene Expression Programming-based (GEP-based) equation for reducing the computational analysis time of the case study building significantly. The results indicate that the proposed structural analysis algorithm on the derived GEP model is able to compute the fuzzy median fragility about 33.3% faster, with errors less than 1%.

• Transactions of the Korean Society of Mechanical Engineers A
• /
• v.33 no.10
• /
• pp.1163-1170
• /
• 2009

Reliability analysis is of great importance in the advanced product design, which is to evaluate reliability due to the associated uncertainties. There are three types of uncertainties: the first is the aleatory uncertainty which is related with inherent physical randomness that is completely described by a suitable probability model. The second is the epistemic uncertainty, which results from the lack of knowledge due to the insufficient data. These two uncertainties are encountered in the input variables such as dimensional tolerances, material properties and loading conditions. The third is the metamodel uncertainty which arises from the approximation of the response function. In this study, an integrated method for the reliability analysis is proposed that can address all these uncertainties in a single Bayesian framework. Markov Chain Monte Carlo (MCMC) method is employed to facilitate the simulation of the posterior distribution. Mathematical and engineering examples are used to demonstrate the proposed method.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Systems Engineering
• /
• v.16 no.2
• /
• pp.27-37
• /
• 2020

The Fukushima Daiichi accident in 2011 revealed some vulnerabilities of existing Nuclear Power Plants (NPPs) under extended Station Blackout (SBO) accident conditions. One of the key Severe Accident Management (SAM) strategies developed post Fukushima accident is the In-Vessel Retention (IVR) Strategy which aims to retain the structural integrity of the Reactor Pressure Vessel (RPV). RELAP/SCDAPSIM/MOD3.4 is selected to predict the thermal-hydraulic response of APR1400 undergoing an extended SBO. To assess the effectiveness of the IVR strategy, it is essential to quantify the underlying uncertainties. In this work, both the epistemic and aleatory uncertainties are considered to identify the success window of the IVR strategy. A set of in-vessel relevant phenomena were identified based on Phenomena Identification and Ranking Tables (PIRT) developed for severe accidents and propagated through the thermal-hydraulic model using Wilk's sampling method. For this work, a Systems Engineering (SE) approach is applied to facilitate the development process of assessing the reliability and robustness of the APR1400 IVR strategy. Specifically, the Kossiakoff SE method is used to identify the requirements, functions and physical architecture, and to develop a design verification and validation plan. Using the SE approach provides a systematic tool to successfully achieve the research goal by linking each requirement to a verification or validation test with predefined success criteria at each stage of the model development. The developed model identified the conditions necessary for successful implementation of the IVR strategy which maintains the vessel integrity and prevents a melt-through.

• Smart Structures and Systems
• /
• v.4 no.5
• /
• pp.629-640
• /
• 2008

A new algorithm is proposed to determine optimal accelerometer locations (OAL) when a structure is identified by frequency domain system identification (SI) method. As a result, a guideline is presented for selecting OAL which can reflect modal response of a structure properly. The guideline is to provide a minimum number of necessary accelerometers with the variation in the number of measurable target modes. To determine OAL for SI applications effectively, the modal sensitivity effective independence distribution vector (MS-EIDV) is developed with the likelihood function of measurements. By maximizing the likelihood of the occurrence of the measurements relative to the predictions, Fisher Information Matrix (FIM) is derived as a function of mode shape sensitivity. This paper also proposes a statistical approach in determining the structural parameters with a presumed parameter error which reflects the epistemic paradox between the determination of OAL and the application of a SI scheme. Numerical simulations have been carried out to examine the proposed OAL algorithm. A two-span multi-girder bridge and a two-span truss bridge were used for the simulation studies. To overcome a rank deficiency frequently occurred in inverting a FIM, the singular value decomposition scheme has been applied.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
• /
• v.40 no.5
• /
• pp.327-348
• /
• 2008

A risk-informed regulatory approach implies that risk insights be used as supplement of deterministic information for safety decision-making purposes. In this view, the use of risk assessment techniques is expected to lead to improved safety and a more rational allocation of the limited resources available. On the other hand, it is recognized that uncertainties affect both the deterministic safety analyses and the risk assessments. In order for the risk-informed decision making process to be effective, the adequate representation and treatment of such uncertainties is mandatory. In this paper, the risk-informed regulatory framework is considered under the focus of the uncertainty issue. Traditionally, probability theory has provided the language and mathematics for the representation and treatment of uncertainty. More recently, other mathematical structures have been introduced. In particular, the Dempster-Shafer theory of evidence is here illustrated as a generalized framework encompassing probability theory and possibility theory. The special case of probability theory is only addressed as term of comparison, given that it is a well known subject. On the other hand, the special case of possibility theory is amply illustrated. An example of the combination of probability and possibility for treating the uncertainty in the parameters of an event tree is illustrated.

• The Journal of Asian Finance, Economics and Business
• /
• v.8 no.3
• /
• pp.1275-1286
• /
• 2021

The purpose of this study is to employ the theory of consumption value and consumers' innovative personality characteristics to explain the adoption of new personal electronics devices in Vietnamese market. This study adapts a quantitative survey-based approach to test hypotheses about relationship between consumption value, product specific innovativeness and new product adoption. The study uses a quantitative data set of 915 consumers who owned one mobile electronic device at least in Ho Chi Minh city, one of the biggest cities of Vietnam. The data was collected through personal interview and convenient sampling method. The conceptual model was tested using PLS structural equation model. The findings of this study suggest that both consumption value and product specific innovativeness influence the adoption of new electronic products. The results also reveal that product specific innovativeness mediates the relationship between consumption value and new product adoption. The study further identified that consumption value was taken as a second-order multidimensions construct with five components, namely functional value, epistemic value, economic value, social value and emotional value. As a result, the research suggests some implications to enhance marketers' capabilities to develop strategies for launching new hi-tech products in an emerging market as Vietnam.

• Coupled systems mechanics
• /
• v.12 no.5
• /
• pp.429-444
• /
• 2023

The comprehension and structural modeling of masonry constructions is fundamental to safeguard the integrity of built cultural assets and intervene through adequate actions, especially in earthquake-prone regions. Despite the availability of several modeling strategies and modern computing power, modeling masonry remains a great challenge because of still demanding computational efforts, constraints in performing destructive or semi-destructive in-situ tests, and material uncertainties. This paper investigates the shear behavior of masonry walls by applying a plane-stress FE continuum model with the Modified Masonry-like Material (MMLM). Epistemic uncertainty affecting input parameters of the MMLM is considered in a probabilistic framework. After appointing a suitable probability density function to input quantities according to prior engineering knowledge, uncertainties are propagated to outputs relying on gPCE-based surrogate models to considerably speed up the forward problem-solving. The sensitivity of the response to input parameters is evaluated through the computation of Sobol' indices pointing out the parameters more worthy to be further investigated, when dealing with the seismic assessment of masonry buildings. Finally, masonry mechanical properties are calibrated in a probabilistic setting with the Bayesian approach to the inverse problem based on the available measurements obtained from the experimental load-displacement curves provided by shear compression in-situ tests.

• Journal of the Computational Structural Engineering Institute of Korea
• /
• v.28 no.4
• /
• pp.351-359
• /
• 2015

In order to exactly evaluate the seismic collapse capacity of a structure, probabilistic approach is required by considering uncertainties related to its structural properties and ground motion. Regardless of the types of uncertainties, they influence on the seismic response of a structures and their effects are required to be estimated. An incremental dynamic analysis(IDA) is useful to investigate uncertainty-propagation due to ground motion. In this study, a 3-story steel moment-resisting frame is selected for a prototype frame and analyzed using the IDA. The uncertainty-propagation is assessed with categorized parameters representing epistemic uncertainties, such as the seismic weight, the inherent damping, the yield strength, and the elastic modulus. To do this, the influence of the uncertainty-propagation to the seismic collapse capacity of the prototype frame is probabilistically evaluated using the incremental dynamic analyses based on the Monte-Carlo simulation sampling with the Latin hypercube method. Of various parameters related to epistemic uncertainty-propagation, the inherent damping is investigated to be the most influential parameter on the seismic collapse capacity of the prototype frame.