• Title/Summary/Keyword: frequency characteristics

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Clinical Outcome after Breast Conserving Surgery and Radiation Therapy for Early Breast Cancer (초기 유방암의 유방 보존수술 후 방사선 치료 결과)

  • Cho, Heung-Lae;Kim, Cheol-Jin;Park, Sung-Kwang;Oh, Min-Kyung;Lee, Jin-Yong;Ahn, Ki-Jung
    • Radiation Oncology Journal
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    • v.26 no.4
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    • pp.204-212
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    • 2008
  • Purpose: This study was performed to evaluate the disease-free survival and risk factors of recurrence in early breast cancer patients who have undergone breast conserving surgery and radiation therapy. Materials and Methods: From March 1997 to December 2002, 77 breast cancer patients who underwent breast conserving surgery and radiation therapy were reviewed retrospectively. The median follow-up time was 58.4 months (range $43.8{\sim}129.4$ months) and the mean subject age was 41 years. The frequency distribution of the different T stages, based on the tumor characteristics was 38 (49.3%) for T1, 28 (36.3%) for T2, 3 for T3, 7 for T is and 1 for an unidentified sized tumor. In addition, 52 patients (67.5%) did not have axillary lymph metastasis, whereas 14 patients (18.1%) had $1{\sim}3$ lymph node metastases and 3 (0.03%) had more than 4 lymph node metastases. The resection margin was negative in 59 patients, close (${\leq}2\;mm$) in 15, and positive in 4. All patients received radiation therapy at the intact breast using tangential fields with a subsequent electron beam boost to the tumor bed at a total dose ranging from 59.4 Gy to 66.4 Gy. Patients with more than four positive axillary lymph nodes received radiation therapy ($41.4{\sim}60.4\;Gy$) at the axillary and supraclavicular area. Chemotherapy was administered in 59 patients and tamoxifen or fareston was administered in 29 patients. Results: The 5 year overall survival and disease-free survival rates were 98.08% and 93.49%, respectively. Of the 77 patients, a total of 4 relapses (5.2%), including 1 isolated supraclavicular relapse, 1 supraclavicular relapse with synchronous multiple distant relapses, and 2 distant relapses were observed. No cases of local breast relapses were observed. Lymph node metastasis or number of metastatic lymph nodes was not found to be statistically related with a relapse (p=0.3289) nor disease-free survival (p=0.1430). Patients with positive margins had a significantly shorter disease-free survival period (p<0.0001) and higher relapse rates (p=0.0507). However, patients with close margins were at equal risk of relapse and disease-free survival as with negative margins (p=1.000). Patients younger than 40 years of age had higher relapse rates (9.3% vs. 0%) and lower disease-free survival periods, but the difference was not statistically significant (p=0.1255). The relapse rates for patients with tumors was 14% for tumor stage T2, compared to 0% for tumor stage T1 tumors (p=0.0284). A univariate analysis found that disease-free survival and relapse rates, T stage, positive resection margin and mutation of p53 were significant factors for clinical outcome. Conclusion: The results of this study have shown that breast conservation surgery and radiation therapy in early breast cancer patients has proven to be a safe treatment modality with a low relapse rate and high disease-free survival rate. The patients with a positive margin, T2 stage, and mutation of p53 are associated with statistically higher relapse rates and lower disease-free survival.

Effect of Nasal Continuous Positive Airway Pressure after Early Surfactant Therapy in Moderate Respiratory Distress Syndrome (중등도 신생아 호흡 곤란 증후군에서 폐 표면 활성제 조기 투여 후 Nasal CPAP의 치료 효과)

  • Kim, Eun Ji;Kim, Hae Sook;Hur, Man Hoe;Lee, Sang Geel
    • Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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    • v.45 no.10
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    • pp.1204-1212
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    • 2002
  • Purpose : Early surfactant therapy with either gentle ventilation, high-frequency ventilation or aggressive weaning of mechanical ventilation are principles for the treatment of respiratory distress syndrome(RDS). We studied to determine the accessibility of noninvasive nasal continuous positive airway pressure(CPAP) rather than mechanical ventilation by invasive intubation after early surfactant therapy. Methods : The study group consisted of 14 infants who were born and diagnosed with moderate respiratory distress syndrome and received early surfactant therapy with nasal CPAP of PEEP 5-6 cm $H_2O$ within two hours after birth in the Fatima neonatal intensive care unit for two years from January 1999 to August 2001. The control group consisted of 15 infants who were diagnosed with the disease and could be weaned from mechanical ventilator within five days after birth during the same period. Results : The characteristics, the severity of clinical symptoms and laboratory findings in the two groups at birth showed no significant difference. Neither did the interim analysis of laboratory data in two groups. Of 14 infants in the study group who received nasal CPAP after early surfactant therapy, only two infants showed weaning failure with this therapy. In the response cases, duration of CPAP was five days and mean airway pressure was $5.4{\pm}0.5cm$ $H_2O$. Two had the complication of CPAP with abdominal distension. Final complications and outcomes in the two groups showed no signifcant difference(P>0.05). Conclusion : The clinical courses in the two groups showed no significant difference. Therefore, we suggest that early surfactant therapy with noninvasive nasal CPAP is a simple and safe method rather than aggressive weaning after invasive mechanical ventilation in moderate respiratory distress syndrome.

Analysis of the Planting and Use of Landscaping Plants - Focused on Weonju and Hoengseong - (조경식물의 식재와 이용 - 원주시와 횡성군을 중심으로 -)

  • Won, Jong-Hwa;Jeong, Jin-Hyung;Kim, Chang-Seop;Lee, Ki-Eui
    • Journal of Forest and Environmental Science
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    • v.21 no.1
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    • pp.34-58
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    • 2005
  • This study was executed to find out how to improve the planting and use of landscaping plants in Weonju and Hoengseong. 1. The number of street trees were 22,068 and the species number were 10 species in Weonju in 2004. The major species of street trees were Ginkgo biloba(58%), Prunus sargentii(15%), Zelkova serrata(9%), Prunus armeniaca var. ansu(8%), and Acer palmatum(6%). The ratio of native species versus exotic were 50:50. In Hoengseong, the number of street trees was 13,500 and the species number were 15 species. The major species of street trees were Prunus sargentii(42%), Ginkgo biloba(23%), Acer triflorum(12%), Prunus armeniaca var. ansu(6%), and Prunus mume(4%). The ratio of native species versus exotic were 67:33. The species of which planting frequency within two areas was very high were Ginkgo biloba and Prunus sargentii. 2. It is necessary to select tree species suitable for the characteristics of the locality and to raise distinctive street trees that contribute to the tourist industry. For the purpose, the appropriate street trees in two areas are Cornus controversa, Quercus aliena, Zelkova serrata, Prunus padus, Sorbus alnifolia, Sorbus comixta, Albizzia julibrissin, Acer triflorum, Styrax japonica, Chionanthus retusus, Celtis sinensis, Prunus yedoensis, Malus sieboldii, Crataegus Pinnatifida, Prunus armeniaca var. ansu and Pyrus pyrifolia etc.. 3. Appropriate pruning adds to the aesthetic and prolongs the useful life, it also requires less managing of insects and diseases to maintain good healthy of street trees. Street trees were not properly pruned due to electric lines and shortage of pruning information. The pruning was controlled by Korea Electric Power Co, which has no pruning information. Pruning must be maintained by a professional landscape company to maintain good shape such as with Bonsai. The shrubs planting zone between street trees and other trees, and preservation plates were established for healthy of street trees. They have to be repaired and maintained well to keep better environmental conditions. The proper fertilization, the control of pests and diseases, the installation of drainpipe and the use of soil brought from another place were needed to improve the planting, use and maintenance of landscape plants. 4. The species number of school trees and flowers of 102 schools in Weonju and Hoengseong were 17species, 16species respectively. The major species of school trees in Weonju were Juniperus chinensis(24%), Ginkgo biloba(17%), Pinus densiflora(14%), Zelkova serrata(14%), and Pinus koraiensis(9%), and those of school trees in Hoengseong were Pinus koraiensis(44%), Abies holophylla(25%), Juniperus chinensis(8%), and Ginkgo biloba(8%). The major species of school flowers in Weonju were Rosa centifolia(47%), Forsythia koreana(24%), Magnolia kobus(12%), and Rhododendron schlippenbachii(6%), and those of school flowers in Hoengseong were Forsythia koreana(36%), Rhododendron schlippenbachii(33%), Magnolia kobus(6%) and Dicentra spectabilis(6%). 5. The species number of the protection trees designated by Woenju and Hoengseong were 15 species. The major species of protection trees were Zelkova serrata(100 trees), Ginkgo biloba(18) Pinus densiflora(7), Quercus spp. (5), Juniperus chinensis(4) and Alnus japonica(4). 6. The landscape plants planted around 2004 in weonju were Prunus yedoensis(2,563 trees), Betula platyphylla var. japonica(2,000), Abies holophylla(1,785), Diospyros kaki(1,100), Prunus sargentii(880) and Prunus armeniaca var. ansu(708) etc.. The shrubs planted were Rhododendron obutusum(21,559 plants), Rosa centifolia (7,150), Rhododendron yedoense var. poukhanense(5,950), Forsythia koreana(3,000) and Ligustrum obtusi[olium(2,500) etc.. The landscape plants planted in Hoengseong Acer triflorum(928trees), Prunus yedoensis(455), Zelkova serrata(327), Thuja orientalis(261), Prunus sargentii(257), Pinus koraiensis(200), Prunus persica for. rubro-plena(200) and Pyrus pyrifolia (200) etc.. The shrubs planted were Rhododendron yedoense var. poukhanense(15,936), Syringa dilatata(10,090), Forsythia koreana(9,660), Cercis chinensis(3,200), Buxus microphylla var. koreana(2,600) and Rosa centifolia(1,868) etc.. 7. The species numbers of the herbaceous plants planted in 2004 in Weonju were 24 species and the ratio of native species versus exotic were 7:17. The major species of perennial plants were Aster koraiensis(30,656 plants), Coreopsis drummondii(7,656), Rudbeckia bicolor(6,000), Chrysanthemum morifolium(4,850) and Chrysanthemum zawadskii var. latilobum(4,312). The major species of annuals and biennials were Cosmos bipinnatus(672,000 plants), Zinnia elegans(35,600), Petunia hybrida(26,920), Viola tricolor(23,000), Helianthus annuus(17,000), and Geranium cinereum var. pubcaulescens(5,200). In Hoengseong, the numbers of herbaceous plants were 906,310 plants and the species numbers were 15 species. The major species of perennials plants were Aster koraiensis(70,480 plants), Hemerocallis fulva(20,070), and Phlox drummondii(18,000). The major species of annuals and biennials were Phlox hybrida(174,000 plants), Cosmos bipinnatus(125,000), Zinnia elegans(109,000), Tagetes patula(96,700), Vinca rosea(89,000) and Calendula officinalis(70,000). 8. Through these result, it was thought that the diversification of planting species, the selection of plants suitable to each space and the generalization of use of native species were needed.

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A Study on the Consideration of the Locations of Gyeongju Oksan Gugok and Landscape Interpretation - Focusing on the Arbor of Lee, Jung-Eom's "Oksan Gugok" - (경주 옥산구곡(玉山九曲)의 위치비정과 경관해석 연구 - 이정엄의 「옥산구곡가」를 중심으로 -)

  • Peng, Hong-Xu;Kang, Tai-Ho
    • Journal of the Korean Institute of Traditional Landscape Architecture
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    • v.36 no.3
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    • pp.26-36
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    • 2018
  • This study aims to examine the characteristics of landscape through the analysis of location and the landscape of Gugok while also conducting the empirical study through the literature review, field study, and digital analysis of the Okgung Gugok. Oksan Gugok is a set of songs set in Ogsan Creek(玉山川)or Jagyese Creek(紫溪川, 紫玉山), which flows in front of the Oksan Memorial Hall(李彦迪), which is dedicated to the Lee Eong-jeok (李彦迪). We first ascertained the location and configuration of Oksan Gogok. Second, we confirmed the accurate location of Oksan Gogok by utilizing the digital topographic map of Oksan Gogok which was submitted by Google Earth Pro and Geographic Information Center as well as the length of the longitude of the gravel measured by the Trimble Juno SB GPS. Through the study of the literature and the field investigation, The results of the study are as follows. First, Yi Eonjeok was not a direct composer of Oksan Gugok, nor did he produce "Oksan Gugokha(Music)". Lee Ia-sung(李野淳), the ninth Youngest Son of Tweo-Kye, Hwang Lee, visited the "Oksan Gugokha" in the spring of 1823(Sunjo 23), which was the 270th years after the reign of Yi Eonjeok. At this time, receiving the proposal of Ian Sung, Lee Jung-eom(李鼎儼), Lee Jung-gi(李鼎基), and Lee Jung-byeong(李鼎秉), the descendants of Ian Sung set up a song and created Oksan Gugok Music. And the Essay of Oksan Travel Companions writted by Lee Jung-gi turns out being a crucial data to describe the situation when setting up the Ok-San Gugok. Second, In the majority of cases, Gogok Forest is a forest managed by a Confucian Scholar, not run by ordinary people. The creation of "Oksan Bugok Music" can be regarded as an expression of pride that the descendants of Yi Eonjeok and Lee Hwang, and next generation of several Confucian scholars had inherited traditional Neo-Confucian. Third, Lee Jung-eom's "Oksan Donghaengki" contains a detailed description of the "Oksan Gugokha" process and the process of creating a song. Fourth, We examined the location of one to nine Oksan songs again. In particular, eight songs and nine songs were located at irregular intervals, and eight songs were identified as $36^{\circ}01^{\prime}08.60^{{\prime}{\prime}}N$, $129^{\circ}09^{\prime}31.20^{{\prime}{\prime}}E$. Referring to the ancient kingdom of Taojam, the nine-stringed Sainam was unbiased as a lower rock where the two valleys of the East West congregate. The location was estimated at $36^{\circ}01^{\prime}19.79^{{\prime}{\prime}}N$, $129^{\circ}09^{\prime}30.26^{{\prime}{\prime}}E$. Fifth, The landscape elements and landscapes presented in Lee Jung-eom's "Oksan Gugokha" were divided into form, semantic and climatic elements. As a result, Lee Jung-eom's Cho Young-gwan was able to see the ideal of mountain water and the feeling of being idle in nature as well as the sense of freedom. Sixth, After examining the appearance of the elements and the frequency of the appearance of the landscape, 'water' and 'mountain' were the absolute factors that emphasized the original curved environment at the mouth of Lee Jung-eom. Therefore, there was gugokga can gauge the fresh ideas(神仙思想)and retreat ever(隱居思想). This inherent harmony between the landscape as well as through the mulah any ideas that one with nature and meditation, Confucian tube.

In-service teacher's perception on the mathematical modeling tasks and competency for designing the mathematical modeling tasks: Focused on reality (현직 수학 교사들의 수학적 모델링 과제에 대한 인식과 과제 개발 역량: 현실성을 중심으로)

  • Hwang, Seonyoung;Han, Sunyoung
    • The Mathematical Education
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    • v.62 no.3
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    • pp.381-400
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    • 2023
  • As the era of solving various and complex problems in the real world using artificial intelligence and big data appears, problem-solving competencies that can solve realistic problems through a mathematical approach are required. In fact, the 2015 revised mathematics curriculum and the 2022 revised mathematics curriculum emphasize mathematical modeling as an activity and competency to solve real-world problems. However, the real-world problems presented in domestic and international textbooks have a high proportion of artificial problems that rarely occur in real-world. Accordingly, domestic and international countries are paying attention to the reality of mathematical modeling tasks and suggesting the need for authentic tasks that reflect students' daily lives. However, not only did previous studies focus on theoretical proposals for reality, but studies analyzing teachers' perceptions of reality and their competency to reflect reality in the task are insufficient. Accordingly, this study aims to analyze in-service mathematics teachers' perception of reality among the characteristics of tasks for mathematical modeling and the in-service mathematics teachers' competency for designing the mathematical modeling tasks. First of all, five criteria for satisfying the reality were established by analyzing literatures. Afterward, teacher training was conducted under the theme of mathematical modeling. Pre- and post-surveys for 41 in-service mathematics teachers who participated in the teacher training was conducted to confirm changes in perception of reality. The pre- and post- surveys provided a task that did not reflect reality, and in-service mathematics teachers determined whether the task given in surveys reflected reality and selected one reason for the judgment among five criteria for reality. Afterwards, frequency analysis was conducted by coding the results of the survey answered by in-service mathematics teachers in the pre- and post- survey, and frequencies were compared to confirm in-service mathematics teachers' perception changes on reality. In addition, the mathematical modeling tasks designed by in-service teachers were evaluated with the criteria for reality to confirm the teachers' competency for designing mathematical modeling tasks reflecting the reality. As a result, it was shown that in-service mathematics teachers changed from insufficient perception that only considers fragmentary criterion for reality to perceptions that consider all the five criteria of reality. In particular, as a result of analyzing the basis for judgment among in-service mathematics teachers whose judgment on reality was reversed in the pre- and post-survey, changes in the perception of in-service mathematics teachers was confirmed, who did not consider certain criteria as a criterion for reality in the pre-survey, but considered them as a criterion for reality in the post-survey. In addition, as a result of evaluating the tasks designed by in-service mathematics teachers for mathematical modeling, in-service mathematics teachers showed the competency to reflect reality in their tasks. However, among the five criteria for reality, the criterion for "situations that can occur in students' daily lives," "need to solve the task," and "require conclusions in a real-world situation" were relatively less reflected. In addition, it was found that the proportion of teachers with low task development competencies was higher in the teacher group who could not make the right judgment than in the teacher group who could make the right judgment on the reality of the task. Based on the results of these studies, this study provides implications for teacher education to enable mathematics teachers to apply mathematical modeling lesson in their classes.

The Effect of Mutual Trust on Relational Performance in Supplier-Buyer Relationships for Business Services Transactions (재상업복무교역중적매매관계중상호신임대관계적효적영향(在商业服务交易中的买卖关系中相互信任对关系绩效的影响))

  • Noh, Jeon-Pyo
    • Journal of Global Scholars of Marketing Science
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    • v.19 no.4
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    • pp.32-43
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    • 2009
  • Trust has been studied extensively in psychology, economics, and sociology, and its importance has been emphasized not only in marketing, but also in business disciplines in general. Unlike past relationships between suppliers and buyers, which take considerable advantage of private networks and may involve unethical business practices, partnerships between suppliers and buyers are at the core of success for industrial marketing amid intense global competition in the 21st century. A high level of mutual cooperation occurs through an exchange relationship based on trust, which brings long-term benefits, competitive enhancements, and transaction cost reductions, among other benefits, for both buyers and suppliers. In spite of the important role of trust, existing studies in buy-supply situations overlook the role of trust and do not systematically analyze the effect of trust on relational performance. Consequently, an in-depth study that determines the relation of trust to the relational performance between buyers and suppliers of business services is absolutely needed. Business services in this study, which include those supporting the manufacturing industry, are drawing attention as the economic growth engine for the next generation. The Korean government has selected business services as a strategic area for the development of manufacturing sectors. Since the demands for opening business services markets are becoming fiercer, the competitiveness of the business service industry must be promoted now more than ever. The purpose of this study is to investigate the effect of the mutual trust between buyers and suppliers on relational performance. Specifically, this study proposed a theoretical model of trust-relational performance in the transactions of business services and empirically tested the hypotheses delineated from the framework. The study suggests strategic implications based on research findings. Empirical data were collected via multiple methods, including via telephone, mail, and in-person interviews. Sample companies were knowledge-based companies supplying and purchasing business services in Korea. The present study collected data on a dyadic basis. Each pair of sample companies includes a buying company and its corresponding supplying company. Mutual trust was traced for each pair of companies. This study proposes a model of trust-relational performance of buying-supplying for business services. The model consists of trust and its antecedents and consequences. The trust of buyers is classified into trust toward the supplying company and trust toward salespersons. Viewing trust both at the individual level and the organizational level is based on the research of Doney and Cannon (1997). Normally, buyers are the subject of trust, but this study supposes that suppliers are the subjects. Hence, it uniquely focused on the bilateral perspective of perceived risk. In other words, suppliers, like buyers, are the subject of trust since transactions are normally bilateral. From this point of view, suppliers' trust in buyers is as important as buyers' trust in suppliers. The suppliers' trust is influenced by the extent to which it trusts the buying companies and the buyers. This classification of trust using an individual level and an organization level is based on the suggestion of Doney and Cannon (1997). Trust affects the process of supplier selection, which works in a bilateral manner. Suppliers are actively involved in the supplier selection process, working very closely with buyers. In addition, the process is affected by the extent to which each party trusts its partners. The selection process consists of certain steps: recognition, information search, supplier selection, and performance evaluation. As a result of the process, both buyers and suppliers evaluate the performance and take corrective actions on the basis of such outcomes as tangible, intangible, and/or side effects. The measurement of trust used for the present study was developed on the basis of the studies of Mayer, Davis and Schoorman (1995) and Mayer and Davis (1999). Based on their recommendations, the three dimensions of trust used for the study include ability, benevolence, and integrity. The original questions were adjusted to the context of the transactions of business services. For example, a question such as "He/she has professional capabilities" has been changed to "The salesperson showed professional capabilities while we talked about our products." The measurement used for this study differs from those used in previous studies (Rotter 1967; Sullivan and Peterson 1982; Dwyer and Oh 1987). The measurements of the antecedents and consequences of trust used for this study were developed on the basis of Doney and Cannon (1997). The original questions were adjusted to the context of transactions in business services. In particular, questions were developed for both buyers and suppliers to address the following factors: reputation (integrity, customer care, good-will), market standing (company size, market share, positioning in the industry), willingness to customize (product, process, delivery), information sharing (proprietary information, private information), willingness to maintain relationships, perceived professionalism, authority empowerment, buyer-seller similarity, and contact frequency. As a consequential variable of trust, relational performance was measured. Relational performance is classified into tangible effects, intangible effects, and side effects. Tangible effects include financial performance; intangible effects include improvements in relations, network developing, and internal employee satisfaction; side effects include those not included either in the tangible or intangible effects. Three hundred fifty pairs of companies were contacted, and one hundred five pairs of companies responded. After deleting five company pairs because of incomplete responses, one hundred five pairs of companies were used for data analysis. The response ratio of the companies used for data analysis is 30% (105/350), which is above the average response ratio in industrial marketing research. As for the characteristics of the respondent companies, the majority of the companies operate service businesses for both buyers (85.4%) and suppliers (81.8%). The majority of buyers (76%) deal with consumer goods, while the majority of suppliers (70%) deal with industrial goods. This may imply that buyers process the incoming material, parts, and components to produce the finished consumer goods. As indicated by their report of the length of acquaintance with their partners, suppliers appear to have longer business relationships than do buyers. Hypothesis 1 tested the effects of buyer-supplier characteristics on trust. The salesperson's professionalism (t=2.070, p<0.05) and authority empowerment (t=2.328, p<0.05) positively affected buyers' trust toward suppliers. On the other hand, authority empowerment (t=2.192, p<0.05) positively affected supplier trust toward buyers. For both buyers and suppliers, the degree of authority empowerment plays a crucial role in the maintenance of their trust in each other. Hypothesis 2 tested the effects of buyerseller relational characteristics on trust. Buyers tend to trust suppliers, as suppliers make every effort to contact buyers (t=2.212, p<0.05). This tendency has also been shown to be much stronger for suppliers (t=2.591, p<0.01). On the other hand suppliers trust buyers because suppliers perceive buyers as being similar to themselves (t=2.702, p<0.01). This finding confirmed the results of Crosby, Evans, and Cowles (1990), which reported that suppliers and buyers build relationships through regular meetings, either for business or personal matters. Hypothesis 3 tested the effects of trust on perceived risk. It has been found that for both suppliers and buyers the lower is the trust, the higher is the perceived risk (t=-6.621, p<0.01 for buyers; t=-2.437, p<0.05). Interestingly, this tendency has been shown to be much stronger for buyers than for suppliers. One possible explanation for this higher level of perceived risk is that buyers normally perceive higher risks than do suppliers in transactions involving business services. For this reason, it is necessary for suppliers to implement risk reduction strategies for buyers. Hypothesis 4 tested the effects of trust on information searching. It has been found that for both suppliers and buyers, contrary to expectation, trust depends on their partner's reputation (t=2.929, p<0.01 for buyers; t=2.711, p<0.05 for suppliers). This finding shows that suppliers with good reputations tend to be trusted. Prior experience did not show any significant relationship with trust for either buyers or suppliers. Hypothesis 5 tested the effects of trust on supplier/buyer selection. Unlike buyers, suppliers tend to trust buyers when they think that previous transactions with buyers were important (t=2.913 p<0.01). However, this study did not show any significant relationship between source loyalty and the trust of buyers in suppliers. Hypothesis 6 tested the effects of trust on relational performances. For buyers and suppliers, financial performance reportedly improved when they trusted their partners (t=2.301, p<0.05 for buyers; t=3.692, p<0.01 for suppliers). It is interesting that this tendency was much stronger for suppliers than it was for buyers. Similarly, competitiveness was reported to improve when buyers and suppliers trusted their partners (t=3.563, p<0.01 for buyers; t=3.042, p<0.01 for suppliers). For suppliers, efficiency and productivity were reportedly improved when they trusted buyers (t=2.673, p<0.01). Other performance indices showed insignificant relationships with trust. The findings of this study have some strategic implications. First and most importantly, trust-based transactions are beneficial for both suppliers and buyers. As verified in the study, financial performance can be improved through efforts to build and maintain mutual trust. Similarly, competitiveness can be increased through the same kinds of effort. Second, trust-based transactions can facilitate the reduction of perceived risks inherent in the purchasing situation. This finding has implications for both suppliers and buyers. It is generally believed that buyers perceive higher risks in a highly involved purchasing situation. To reduce risks, previous studies have recommended that suppliers devise risk-reducing tactics. Moving beyond these recommendations, the present study uniquely focused on the bilateral perspective of perceived risk. In other words, suppliers are also susceptible to perceived risks, especially when they supply services that require very technical and sophisticated manipulations and maintenance. Consequently, buyers and suppliers must solve problems together in close collaboration. Hence, mutual trust plays a crucial role in the problem-solving process. Third, as found in this study, the more authority a salesperson has, the more he or she can be trusted. This finding is very important with regard to tactics. Building trust is a long-term assignment; however, when mutual trust has not been developed, suppliers can overcome the problems they encounter by empowering a salesperson with the authority to make certain decisions. This finding applies to suppliers as well.

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