• International Commerce and Information Review
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• v.17 no.2
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• pp.285-305
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• 2015

In the era of creative economy emphasizing creativity and entrepreneurship, the Korean small and medium-sized enterprises(SMEs) never ignore them. Especially, firms, that would like to penetrate into international markets and hence survive in them, must have creativity and entrepreneurship. Nevertheless, little study has been studied the casual relationships of the variables comprehensively. Therefore, based on small and medium-sized exporters, this study would like to investigate empirically the relationships among the creativity, the entrepreneurship, and the level of internationalization. According to the research results, firstly, creativity has positive and significant effects on entrepreneurship. Moreover, entrepreneurship has a positive and significant effect on the level of internationalization. Finally, it was found that entrepreneurship partially mediated the relationships between the creativity and the level of internationalization. These results implied that creativity and entrepreneurship can play a pivotal role in improving the level of internationalization.

• Asia-Pacific Journal of Business Venturing and Entrepreneurship
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• v.6 no.1
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• pp.109-132
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• 2011

While the resource-based view suggests that a firm's competitive advantage rests on a set of valuable, rare and inimitable resources more generally (Barney, 1991), research in new firms has more specially indicated a link between initial resources and early performance and survival (Bruderl and Schussler, 1990; Fichman and Levinthal, 1991; Carroll et al., 1996). The RBV primarily focuses on the particular resources, and their characteristics, that provide the potential for advantage (Conner, 1991). Yet in order to realize this advantage, organizations must not only develop their resources, but also effectively deploy them (Admit and Shoemaker, 1993). This suggests that advantage from resources may reside in both the input (resource development) side and the output (resource deployment) side. This research looks at venture survival as a function of both the resources a firm owns, and the resources it can access from others. We focus more specifically on technology resources, which are among a technology-based firm's most critical resources (Itami, 1987). In addition, technological knowledge can contribute a large portion of the value of a firm's products (Goodman and Lawless, 1994). We look at both the input and output side: the pool of technology resources that serve as an input to a firm's activities, and the market that values and purchases the output of this activity. We take an international perspective, examining whether resources explain internationalization on the input and output side, and in turn, whether this internationalization can explain survival. We explore three sets of questions. First, can survival in entrepreneurial firms be explained as a function of the resources a firm owns, and beyond that, to those the firm can access, and still further, to those the firm can access internationally? Second, do resources explain internationalization on both the input and output side? And finally, does internationalization explain survival? Implications for theory include extending the RBV to not only include a firm's resources, but its access to the resources of other entities. In addition, examining internationalization on both the input and output side enables us to understand not just the potential advantage of resources, but the manner in which they are deployed as a source of advantage. This research also contributes to the literature on international entrepreneurship by examining whether internationalization can explain survival for early stage firms. For practitioners, this research will provide insights on the importance of building alliances and, in so doing, broadening an organization's perspective about the technology resources available to the firm on the input side. The study will also inform practitioners about the value of maximizing the market for a firm's valuable resources. In addition, this research provides an extraordinary opportunity to access a large, comprehensive, and longitudinal dataset on technology-based ventures in Korea.

• East Asian Journal of Business Economics (EAJBE)
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• v.6 no.3
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• pp.1-15
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• 2018

Purpose - This study investigates the effect of MNEs' characteristics on the use of foreign currency denominated debt in the context of Korean firms. This study examines the relationship between MNEs and the use of foreign debt focusing on the accessibility to the capital market in addition to the motive of hedging against foreign exchange exposure. Research design and methodology - Probit estimation is employed for estimating significant factors in determination of the use of foreign debt by firms. The dependent variable is a dummy variable to indicate whether a firm uses foreign debt or not at the end of 2004. Independent variables include foreign subsidiaries ratio, export to sale, R&D expenditure to sale, and credit rating. Results - The results show that the interaction between the level of internationalization represented by intra-regional diversification and the strategic characteristics embedded in the region of entry affects the use of foreign debt. In case of a high level of diversification within the developing region with a strong pursuit of asset exploitation, MNEs are more likely to use foreign debt, whereas a high level of diversification within the developed region with a strong pursuit of asset seeking, MNEs are less likely to use foreign debt. Conclusions - The differences between MNEs in terms of intra-regional diversification, strategic orientation, and the accessibility to capital markets as well as the hedging motive affect the use of foreign debt.

• The Journal of the Korea institute of electronic communication sciences
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• v.7 no.4
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• pp.693-705
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• 2012

It is increasing the necessity of technology cooperation between nations, in the world, more and more. The international cooperation for the technology development have the dissipating effect of costs and risks and encourage efficient use of the knowledge and eventually help the firms better access overseas market easily. The S&T diplomacy of Korea is, at present, on international S&T cooperation to secure technologies to strengthen base of science, technology and innovation. This tendency is closely related with the governance issue in international S&T cooperation. And This international S&T cooperation is connected with the internationalization of firms. But it is getting more difficult for a firm, especially smaller firm like Korean SME to sustain the technological advantage over any significant period. The small and medium sized enterprises as Korean SME, internationalization of R&D is difficult just to think in terms of one framework with the limited accumulation of informations and experiences. So against that situation, this paper shows a new concept 'SME co-ordinator' as the role client(or player) reinforcing international S&T cooperation, sustaining the technological advantage for Korean SME. And 'SME co-ordinator' leads Korean SME to progress 'open innovation' not 'close innovation' as well as serving adequate information about appropriate partners and capable employer to help manage the international S&T cooperation for Internationalization of Industrial R&D for Korean SME.

• Journal of Korea Trade
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• v.27 no.1
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• pp.159-175
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• 2023

Purpose - This paper empirically investigates the relationship between born global strategy and the accounting- and market- based financial performance of Korean firms. Further, this study identifies the characteristics of born global firms (BGs) in comparison with non-BG counterparts in terms of size, R&D, and liability. Design/methodology - Using a database of listed Korean SMEs in the manufacturing sector from 2010 to 2020, this study applies panel generalized least squares (GLS) estimation and logistic regression techniques. Findings - This study finds that BG strategy is negatively related to the firm's accounting-based financial performance, while it is positively related to the market-based financial performance. This study also finds that BGs have higher sales volume and more total assets compared to their non-BG counterparts. In addition, Korean BGs spend more on R&D, and at the same time have higher liability. Originality/value - BGs, by definition, are firms that are actively penetrating foreign markets from the early stages of their establishment. Previous studies of Korean BGs have tried to identify the determinants of BGs' rapid internationalization and their superior performance. However, most of these studies have utilized either qualitative case- or survey-based analyses with relatively limited numbers of observations. From a different perspective, this study provides more objective evidence by investigating how the BG strategy affects the financial and market performance of firms, and by characterizing BGs in terms of financial data.

• Management & Information Systems Review
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• v.33 no.1
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• pp.157-172
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• 2014

This study examines the relationships between TMT's characteristics - international education background ratio, international job experience ratio, international related professionals ratio- and the degree of firm's internationalization. It also examines the moderating effect of independent board on those relationships. The results of multiple regression analysis show that the ratio of TMT's foreign job experience is positively related to firm's internationalization. On the other hand, both international education background ratio and international related professionals ratio do not significantly related to firm's internationalization. Regarding the moderating effects. independent boards weaken the positive relationship between TMT's foreign education background ratio and firm's internationalization. Whereas they strengthen the positive relationship between TMT's international education background ratio and firm's internationalization. The findings of this study imply that Chinese firms should consider the interaction effects between the TMT and board on their decisions of internationalization.

• Journal of Technology Innovation
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• v.15 no.2
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• pp.41-59
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• 2007

This paper analyzes interactive activities of foreign R&D centers operating in Korea. Interactive activities refer to collaborative R&D activities, R&D outsourcing, and formation of communities between foreign R&D centers and Korean firms and institutions. Active interactions between foreign R&D centers and their Korean partners (Korean firms and universities, research institutes etc.) are essential in promoting spillover effects from foreign R&D centers. Using the survey of 76 foreign R&D centers operating in Korea, this paper found the intensity of interplay between foreign R&D centers and the Korean firms and institutions was not so high. And the partners of foreign R&D centers with the mission of finding new technologies in Korea are mainly customers rather than universities and research institutes. This result is markedly different from previous studies focused on the cases of western countries, where the partners of foreign R&D centers that have the mission of finding new technologies were mainly local universities and research institutes.

• Knowledge Management Research
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• v.3 no.2
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• pp.71-84
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• 2002

Global firms have to acquire various kinds of knowledge from worldwide markets and use it strategically in local markets. Especially, the ability to learn competitive advantage of an industry leader or competing firm is a critical factor in a firm's competitiveness. The concept of knowledge transfer has been used to explain these phenomena. However, with the broadening concept of knowledge and increasing importance of interaction between firms, the perspective of knowledge transfer has reached its limits. In this study we will conceptualize the new concept of 'knowledge translation', and analyze the globalization case of Hyundai Motor Co. to improve the validity and usefulness of this perspective. The results show that knowledge translation is a critical factor of success in a firm's globalization and efficient management of the knowledge translation process enhances a firm's global competitiveness.

• Knowledge Management Research
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• v.20 no.1
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• pp.195-213
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• 2019

This paper investigates the effects of firms' foreign market focus on the optimistic bias of analysts' earnings forecasts. Based on a sample of 852 U.S. manufacturing firms between 1994 and 2015, our empirical results suggest that higher growth of foreign market focus is associated with greater levels of analysts' forecast optimism. Drawing on the CEO career horizon and the upper echelon theory literature, we find evidence that CEOs' career horizon and functional background as a CFO moderates the relationship between the growth rate of foreign market focus and analysts' forecast optimism. This shows that while financial analysts perceive internationalization strategies as signaling growth potential, such perception can vary depending on CEOs' individual characteristics.

• World Technopolis Review
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• v.8 no.1
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• pp.21-42
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• 2019

The purpose of this research was to investigate the factors influencing global expansion/scalability of Kenyan Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs). Factor analysis and multiple/multivariate regression analysis to determine the functional relationship between independent variables (factors) and the dependent variable was used. The independent variables were: innovation & technology, fitness/appropriateness of management, global marketing strategy; and support environment and the dependent variable, global expansion/scalability. Data was collected from a survey of randomly selected firms of 205, drawn from a population of 440 firms from Kenya Manufacturers Directory, with 175 firms responding. The key findings from the research in relation to Kenyan SMEs were that: there is a functional relationship between global market strategy and global expansion; there is a functional relationship between innovation and technology orientation and global expansion, there is no significant functional relationship between supportive environment of firms and their global expansion; and there is no significant functional relationship between fitness/appropriateness of management and global expansion/scalability. The implications for practice is that the ranking of the factors in order of priority supports focusing concern on the orientation of business strategy toward global market strategy, market research geared at obtaining foreign market intelligence, innovation and technology, product adaptation, service orientation, collaborative ventures, and long-range vision as key factors in making Kenyan firms successful in the international market. The implication for policy and practice is that there is need for collaboration between industry and government in pursuing policies for global expansion/scalability and among SMEs and large enterprises particularly in areas of rapid technological change.