• Journal of Global Scholars of Marketing Science
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• v.20 no.1
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• pp.59-69
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• 2010

Green or an environmental consciousness has been a major issue for businesses and government offices, as well as consumers, worldwide. In response to this movement, the Korean government announced, in the early 2000s, the era of "Green Growth" as a way to encourage green-related business activities. The Korean fashion industry, in various levels of involvement, presents diverse eco-friendly products as a part of the green movement. These apparel products include organic products and recycled clothing. For these companies to be successful, they need information about who are the consumers who consider green issues (e.g., environmental sustainability) as part of their personal values when making a decision for product purchase, use, and disposal. These consumers can be considered as eco-sumers. Previous studies have examined consumers' purchase intention for or with eco-friendly products. In addition, studies have examined influential factors used to identify the eco-sumers or green consumers. However, limited attention was paid to eco-sumers' disposal or recycling behavior of clothes in comparison with their green product purchases. Clothing disposal behaviors are ways that consumer can get rid of unused clothing and in clue temporarily lending the item or permanently eliminating the item by "handing down" (e.g., giving it to a younger sibling), donating, exchanging, selling, or simply throwing it away. Accordingly, examining purchasing behaviors of eco-friendly fashion items in conjunction with clothing disposal behaviors should improve understanding of a consumer's clothing consumption behavior from the environmental perspective. The purpose of this exploratory study is to provide descriptive information about Korean eco-sumers who have ecologically-favorable lifestyles and behaviors when buying and disposing of clothes. The objectives of this study are to (a) categorize Koreans on the basis of clothing disposal behaviors; (b) investigate the differences in demographics, lifestyles, and clothing consumption values among segments; and (c) compare the purchase intention of eco-friendly fashion items and influential factors among segments. A self-administered questionnaire was developed based on previous studies. The questionnaire included 10 items of clothing disposal behavior, 22 items of LOHAS (Lifestyles of Health and Sustainability) characteristics, and 19 items of consumption values, measured by five-point Likert-type scales. In addition, the purchase intention of two eco-friendly fashion items and 11 attributes of each item were measured by seven-point Likert type scales. Two polyester fleece pullovers, made from fabric created from recycled bottles with the PET identification code, were selected from one Korean brand and one US imported brand among outdoor sportswear brands. A brief description of each product with a color picture was provided in the survey. Demographic variables (i.e., gender, age, marital status, education level, income, occupation) were also included. The data were collected through a professional web survey agency during May 2009. A total of 600 final usable questionnaires were analyzed. The age of respondents ranged from 20 to 49 years old with a mean age of 34 years. Fifty percent of the respondents were males and about 58% were married, and 62% reported having earned university degrees. Principal components factor analysis with varimax rotation was used to identify the underlying dimensions of the clothing disposal behavior scale, and three factors were generated (i.e., reselling behavior, donating behavior, non-recycling behavior). To categorize the respondents on the basis of clothing disposal behaviors, k-mean cluster analysis was used, and three segments were obtained. These consumer segments were labeled as 'Resale Group', 'Donation Group', and 'Non-Recycling Group.' The classification results indicated approximately 98 percent of the original cases were correctly classified. With respect to demographic characteristics among the three segments, significant differences were found in gender, marital status, occupation, and age. LOHAS characteristics were reduced into the following five factors: self-satisfaction, family orientation, health concern, environmental concern, and voluntary service. Significant differences were found in the LOHAS factors among the three clusters. Resale Group and Donation Group showed a similar predisposition to LOHAS issues while the Non-Recycling Group presented the lowest mean scores on the LOHAS factors compared to the other segments. The Resale and Donation Groups described themselves as enjoying or being satisfied with their lives and spending spare-time with family. In addition, these two groups cared about health and organic foods, and tried to conserve energy and resources. Principal components factor analysis generated clothing consumption values into the following three factors: personal values, social value, and practical value. The ANOVA test with the factors showed differences primarily between the Resale Group and the other two groups. The Resale Group was more concerned about personal value and social value than the other segments. In contrast, the Non-Recycling Group presented the higher level of social value than did Donation Group. In a comparison of the intention to purchase eco-friendly products, the Resale Group showed the highest mean score on intent to purchase Product A. On the other hand, the Donation Group presented the highest intention to purchase for Product B among segments. In addition, the mean scores indicated that the Korean product (Product B) was more preferable for purchase than the U.S. product (Product A). Stepwise regression analysis was used to identify the influence of product attributes on the purchase intention of eco product. With respect to Product A, design, price and contribution to environmental preservation were significant to predict purchase intention for the Resale Group, while price and compatibility with my image factors were significant for the Donation Group. For the Non-Recycling Group, design, price compatibility with the factors of my image, participation to eco campaign, and contribution to environmental preservation were significant. Price appropriateness was significant for each of the three clusters. With respect to Product B, design, price and compatibility with my image factors were important, but different attributes were associated significantly with purchase intention for each of the three groups. The influence of LOHAS characteristics and clothing consumption values on intention to purchase Products A and B were also examined. The LOHAS factor of health concern and the personal value factor were significant in the relationships with the purchase intention; however, the explanatory powers were low in the three segments. Findings showed that each group as classified by clothing disposal behaviors showed differences in the attributes of a product, personal values, and the LOHAS characteristics that influenced their purchase intention of eco-friendly products. Findings would enable organizations to understand eco-friendly behavior and to design appropriate strategic decisions to appeal eco-sumers.

• Journal of Global Scholars of Marketing Science
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• v.20 no.1
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• pp.15-26
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• 2010

Due to the globalization across various industries and cultural trade among many countries, oriental concepts have been attracting world’s attentions. In fashion industry, one's traditional culture is often developed as fashion theme for designers' creation and became strong strategies to stand out among competitors. Because of the increase of preferences for oriental images, opportunities abound to introduce traditional fashion goods and expand culture based business to global fashion markets. However, global fashion brands that include Korean traditional culture are yet to be developed. In order to develop a global fashion brand with Korean taste, it is very important for native citizen to accept their own culture in domestic apparel market prior to expansion into foreign market. Loungewear is evaluated to be appropriate for adopting Korean traditional details into clothing since this wardrobe category embraces various purposes which will easily lead to natural adaptation and wide spread use. Also, this market is seeing an increased demand for multipurpose wardrobes and fashionable underwear (Park et al. 2009). Despite rapid growth in the loungewear market, specific studies of loungewear is rare; and among research on developing modernized-traditional clothing, fashion items and brands do not always include the loungewear category. Therefore, this study investigated the Korean loungewear market and studied consumer evaluation toward loungewear with Korean traditional fashion design elements. Relationship among antecedents of purchase intention for Korean traditional fashion design elements were analyzed and compared between lifestyle groups for consumer targeting purposes. Product quality, retail service quality, perceived value, and preference on loungewear with Korean traditional design elements were chosen as antecedents of purchase intention and a structural equation model was designed to examine their relationship as well as their influence on purchase intention. Product quality and retail service quality among marketing mixes were employed as factors affecting preference and perceived value of loungewear with Korean traditional fashion design elements. Also effects of preference and perceived value on purchase intention were examined through the same model. A total of 357 self-administered questionnaires were completed by female consumers via web survey system. A questionnaire was developed to measure samples' lifestyle, product and retail service quality as purchasing criteria, perceived value, preference and purchase intention of loungewear with Korean traditional fashion design elements. Also, loungewear purchasing and usage behavior were asked as well in order to examine Korean loungewear market status. Data was analyzed through descriptive analysis, factor analysis, cluster analysis, ANOVA and structural equation model was tested via AMOS 7.0. As for the result of Korean loungewear market status investigation, loungewear was purchased by most of the consumers in our sample. Loungewear is currently recognized as clothes that are worn at home and consumers are showing comparably low involvement toward loungewear. Most of consumers in this study purchase loungewear only two to three times a year and they spend less than US$10. A total of 12 items and four factors of loungewear consumer lifestyle were found: traditional value oriented lifestyle, brand-affected lifestyle, pursuit of leisure lifestyle, and health oriented lifestyle. Drawing on lifestyle factors, loungewear consumers were classified into two groups; Well-being and Conservative. Relationships among constructs of purchasing behavior related to loungewear with Korean traditional fashion design elements were estimated. Preference and perceived value of loungewear were affected by both product quality and retail service quality. This study proved that high qualities in product and retail service develop positive preference toward loungewear. Perceived value and preference of loungewear positively influenced purchase intention. The results indicated that high preference and perceived value of loungewear with Korean traditional fashion design elements strengthen purchase intention and proved importance of developing preference and elevate perceived value in order to make sales. In a model comparison between two lifestyle groups: Well-being and Conservative lifestyle groups, results showed that product quality and retail service quality had positive influences on both preference and perceived value in case of Well-being group. However, for Conservative group, only retail service quality had a positive effect on preference and its influence to purchase intention. Since Well-being group showed more significant influence on purchase intention, loungewear brands with Korean traditional fashion design elements may want to focus on characteristics of Well-being group. However, Conservative group's relationship between preference and purchase intention of loungewear with Korean traditional fashion design elements was stronger, so that loungewear brands with Korean traditional fashion design elements should focus on creating conservative consumers' positive preference toward loungewear. The results offered information on Korean loungewear consumers' lifestyle and provided useful information for fashion brands that are planning to enter Korean loungewear market, particularly targeting female consumers similar to the sample of the present study. This study offers strategic and marketing insight for loungewear brands and also for fashion brands that are planning to create highly value-added fashion brands with Korean traditional fashion design elements. Considering different types of lifestyle groups that are associated with loungewear or traditional fashion goods, brand managers and marketers can use the results of this paper as a reference to positioning, targeting and marketing strategy buildings.

• Journal of dental hygiene science
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• v.3 no.1
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• pp.5-10
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• 2003

The purpose of this study was to examine how medical personnels in the field of dentistry perceived the introduction of the yearly income system in an effort to determine some of the right directions for that and find out in which way that could be vitalized. For that purpose, literature concerned and relevant materials were reviewed, and a survey was conducted on 95 medical personnels, who were working at dental hospitals and clinics throughout the nation, for approximately five months from April through August 2002. After the collected data were analyzed, the following findings were acquired; (1) Regarding their awareness of the yearly income system by the type of institute, the workers from the dental hospitals found the yearly income system, more than the others from the dental clinics did, to enlarge their sense of involvement in management (p<.001), further work productivity(p<.01), awake their target-oriented sense of mission(p<.01) and make them feel uneasy about their future(p<.05). (2) As to differences between the dentists and dental hygienists, the former group had a higher opinion about that system(p<.01) and its effect on impartial performance appraisal(p<.01), encouraging medical personnels to deploy their abilities(p<.01), furthering work productivity(p<.001), intensifying a target-oriented sense of mission(p<.001). (3) Concerning their perception by career, those who had longer experience to work in that field considered it to strengthen work severity(p<.05) more than the others who had shorter experience did, and the former group thought that system was more likely to concentrate on a short-term achievement (p<.05). The workers who had been working for three to five years were more conscious of change in office hours (p<.01), and those who had been working for two or less years viewed that system most favorably(p<.05). (4) In order for that system to be successful, impartial performance appraisal was most widely called for(31.6%), followed by trust between labor and management(26.3%), worker's positive attitude toward that system(16.8%), CEO's firm belief in that(12.3%), and setting up a feasible target. The workers from the dental hospitals put more stress on medical personnel's favorable attitude toward that system(p<.05) than the others from the dental clinics did. And the dentists placed more stock in setting up a feasible target, which was a criteria of determining the amount of annual income, than the dental hygienists did.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.43 no.10
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• pp.1500-1509
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• 2014

The object of this study was to investigate the inhibitory effects of chios mastic gum (MG) on gastric acid secretion in an ethanol-induced SD rat model and primary parietal cells. Rats were randomly divided into four groups: Vehicle (normal group), Control (treated with ethanol), MG50 (treated with ethanol and mastic gum at 50 mg/kg b.w), MG100 (treated with ethanol and mastic gum at 100 mg/kg b.w). Groups treated with both MG50 and MG100 showed attenuation of gastric mucosal injury, sub-epithelial loss, hemorrhaging, and gastric juice secretion. We also examined the acidity of gastric juice during gastric injury. Oral administration of both MG50 and MG100 significantly decreased acidity of gastric juice by % and %, respectively. To examine the stimulatory factors related to gastric acid secretion, mRNA expression levels of H2r, M3r, CCK2r, and $H^+/K^+$ ATPase were measured by real-time PCR. Compared with a vehicle group, mRNA expression levels of H2r, CCK2r, and $H^+/K^+$ ATPase clearly increased in the control group. However, levels of H2r, CCK2r, and $H^+/K^+$ ATPase slightly but significantly decreased in MG-treated groups compared with control. Blood level of histamine significantly decreased in MG-treated groups, which indicates the involvement of MG on in histamine-related acid secretion. To identify the mode of action of MG in regulating histamine-related pathways, intracellular level of cAMP and mRNA levels of H2r, M3r, CCK2r, and $H^+/K^+$ ATPase were measured in primary parietal cells. While mRNA levels of M3r and CCK2r remained unchanged, levels of H2r and $H^+/K^+$ ATPase significantly decreased upon MG treatment. Subsequently, intracellular levels of cAMP decreased. These results suggest that mastic gum has the ability to inhibit gastric acid secretion by regulating a histamine-related pathway.

• Asia-Pacific Journal of Business Venturing and Entrepreneurship
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• v.16 no.1
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• pp.147-159
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• 2021

After the 2020 Corona 19 pandemic, consumers' online consumption is increasing rapidly, and non-store online retail channels are showing high growth. In particular, social media is gaining its status as a social media market where direct transactions take place in the means of promoting companies' brands and products. In this study, changes in consumer behavior after the Corona 19 pandemic are different in choosing online shopping media such as existing online shopping malls and SNS markets that can be classified into open social media and closed social media when purchasing agri-food online. We tried to find out what type of product is preferred in the selection of agri-food products. For this study, demographic characteristics of consumers, perceived risk of consumers, and dietary lifestyle were set as independent variables to investigate the effect on online shopping media type and product selection. The summary of the empirical analysis results is as follows. When consumers purchase agri-food online, there are significant differences in demographic characteristics, consumer perception risks, and detailed factors of dietary lifestyle in selecting shopping channels such as online shopping malls, open social media, and closed social media. Appeared to be. The consumers who choose the open SNS market are higher in men than in women, with lower household income, and higher in consumers seeking health and taste. Consumers who choose the closed SNS market were analyzed as consumers who live in rural areas and have a high degree of risk perception for delivery. Consumers who choose existing online shopping malls have high educational background, high personal income, and high consumers seeking taste and economy. Through this study, we tried to provide practical assistance by providing a basis for judgment to farmers who have difficulty in selecting an online shopping medium suitable for their product characteristics. As a shopping channel for agri-food, social media is not a simple promotional channel, but a direct transaction. It can be differentiated from existing studies in that it is approached as a market that arises.

• Radiation Oncology Journal
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• v.25 no.1
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• pp.7-15
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• 2007

[ $\underline{Purpose}$ ]: To determine the patterns of evaluation and treatment in patients with breast cancer after mastectomy and treated with radiotherapy. A nationwide study was performed with the goal of improving radiotherapy treatment. $\underline{Materials\;and\;Methods}$: A web- based database system for the Korean Patterns of Care Study (PCS) for 6 common cancers was developed. Randomly selected records of 286 eligible patients treated between 1998 and 1999 from 17 hospitals were reviewed. $\underline{Results}$: The ages of the study patients ranged from 20 to 80 years (median age 44 years). The pathologic T stage by the AJCC was T1 in 9.7% of the cases, T2 in 59.2% of the cases, T3 in 25.6% of the cases, and T4 in 5.3% of the cases. For analysis of nodal involvement, N0 was 7.3%, N1 was 14%, N2 was 38.8%, and N3 was 38.5% of the cases. The AJCC stage was stage I in 0.7% of the cases, stage IIa in 3.8% of the cases, stage IIb in 9.8% of the cases, stage IIIa in 43% of the cases, stage IIIb in 2.8% of the cases, and IIIc in 38.5% of the cases. There were various sequences of chemotherapy and radiotherapy after mastectomy. Mastectomy and chemotherapy followed by radiotherapy was the most commonly performed sequence in 47% of the cases. Mastectomy, chemotherapy, and radiotherapy followed by additional chemotherapy was performed in 35% of the cases, and neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy was performed in 12.5% of the cases. The radiotherapy volume was chest wall only in 5.6% of the cases. The volume was chest wall and supraclavicular fossa (SCL) in 20.3% of the cases; chest wall, SCL and internal mammary lymph node (IMN) in 27.6% of the cases; chest wall, SCL and posterior axillary lymph node in 25.9% of the cases; chest wall, SCL, IMN, and posterior axillary lymph node in 19.9% of the cases. Two patients received IMN only. The method of chest wall irradiation was tangential field in 57.3% of the cases and electron beam in 42% of the cases. A bolus for the chest wall was used in 54.8% of the tangential field cases and 52.5% of the electron beam cases. The radiation dose to the chest wall was $45{\sim}59.4\;Gy$ (median 50.4 Gy), to the SCL was $45{\sim}59.4\;Gy$ (median 50.4 Gy), and to the PAB was $4.8{\sim}38.8\;Gy$, (median 9 Gy) $\underline{Conclusion}$: Different and various treatment methods were used for radiotherapy of the breast cancer patients after mastectomy in each hospital. Most of treatment methods varied in the irradiation of the chest wall. A separate analysis for the details of radiotherapy planning also needs to be followed and the outcome of treatment is needed in order to evaluate the different processes.