• Annals of Occupational and Environmental Medicine
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• v.35
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• pp.33.1-33.9
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• 2023

Background: Studies on the association between occupational stress and depression have been frequently reported. However, the cross-sectional designs of studies limited insight into causal associations. In this study, we investigated the longitudinal association between occupational stress and new-onset depression among employees in a single manufacturing plant. Methods: The annual health checkup data of employees at a manufacturing plant in Korea were collected. A total of 1,837 male employees without depression who completed a health checkup during two consecutive years were included. Occupational stress was measured using a short form of the Korea Occupational Stress Scale (KOSS-SF), and depression was assessed using a Patient Health Questionnaire-2. The association between occupational stress change over the two years and newly developed depression was investigated using two logistic regression models. Results: Across all sub-factors of KOSS-SF, employees who reported increased occupational stress had a higher risk of new-onset depression. Newly developed depression was significantly associated with job demand (odds ratio [OR]: 4.34; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 2.37-7.96), job insecurity (OR: 3.21; 95% CI: 1.89-5.48), occupational climate (OR: 3.18; 95% CI: 1.91-5.31), lack of reward (OR: 2.28; 95% CI: 1.26-4.12), interpersonal conflict (OR: 2.14; 95% CI: 1.18-3.86), insufficient job control (OR: 1.93; 95% CI: 1.05-3.56), and the organizational system (OR: 1.84; 95% CI: 1.01-3.36). Conclusions: For every sub-factor of the KOSS-SF, occupational stress increase and persistent high stress were associated with the risk of developing new-onset depression. Among the seven sub-factors, job demand had the most significant effect. Our results show that occupational stress should be managed to promote employee mental healthcare.

• Quality Improvement in Health Care
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• v.27 no.2
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• pp.30-44
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• 2021

Purpose: The aim of this study was to investigate the changes in perception of the New Diagnosis-Related Group (DRG)-based payment system, make overall evaluation after participation, and examine opinions on further policy improvement among employees of a public hospital participating in the pilot project in Korea. Methods: We investigated changes in perception of the New DRG-based payment system before and after participation in the pilot project using a qualitative research method. We conducted individual in-depth interviews with the management and healthcare professionals and Focus Group Interviews (FGIs) with the staff in the nursing and administrative departments. Results: Before implementing the pilot project of the New DRG-based payment system, the management was in favor of participating in the pilot project, whereas the healthcare professionals were strongly opposed to participation in the pilot project, and the staff in the nursing and administrative departments were slightly opposed to participation. After implementing the pilot project, there were remarkable changes in the perception of the New DRG-based payment system among healthcare professionals and the administrative staff. Healthcare professionals' perception was altered in a positive way, while the administrative staff's perception of the system became negative. Conclusion: There were no restrictions on clinical practice or deterioration of quality of care observed in association with the participation in the New DRG-based payment system. However, certain unintended consequences of the New DRG-based payment system may arise as well. Therefore, the government needs to examine the problems identified in this study to reflect on and improve the New DRG-based payment system for stable expansion.

• Journal of Family Resource Management and Policy Review
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• v.20 no.2
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• pp.75-98
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• 2016

This study examines the work-life balance designing of new employees using qualitative research. Eight new employees at foreign IT companies in Korea were interviewed in two groups composed of two male workers and two female workers. The research determined two main themes and seven sub-themes related to the participants work-life balance using theme analysis. The first main theme was 'working conditions' which had sub-themes, 'performance-based system in foreign IT companies', 'flexible working conditions', 'family-friendly company culture', and 'positive evaluation of the company'. The second main theme was 'work-life balance' which included the sub-themes, 'changing priority during transitional periods of life', 'work-family balance designing as a family unit', and 'difficulties balancing between work and family'. The results revealed that workers prospected that flexible working condition might solve the demands of the child-rearing period and that work-family balance was determined as a family unit. Additionally, there were gender differences in the relationships between working conditions and work-life balance.

• Journal of Distribution Science
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• v.14 no.2
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• pp.113-121
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• 2016

Purpose - The purpose of this study is to identify team commitment affecting employees' innovative activities and factors affecting team commitment including empowerment by leaders and job enrichment factors. In other words, so as to explain outcome variables of innovative activities, this study aims to emphasize employees' attachment roles towards their groups within nomological network, and identify the motives encouraging employees' innovative activities. The research purpose is significant due to the realistic situation of hotel industry. The reason why innovative activities are important can be found in recent changes of business environment. Also, unlike other various studies on precedence factors encouraging employees' innovative activities, this study classified those precedence factors into job and leader characteristics, and it emphasized the importance of team commitment as the process that job and leader characteristics are connected to innovative activities. Research design, data and methodology - The survey for this study was conducted during October 6^th ~ November 10^th in 2014 to the employees who are working in 5-star hotels in Korea. As for the selection of hotels and sampling method, convenience sampling method was used to the employees in 5-star hotels. Self-report method was used in the survey, judging that the employees' characteristics would be relatively homogeneous. 311 questionnaires were distributed in total, and 275 reponses were collected. After excluding the missing and unreliable responses, 245 questionnaires were used in the research. SPSS and AMOS programs were used for the analysis. Results - First, empowering leadership had positive effects on hotel employees' team commitment. It indicates that hotel employees are more committed to their team when their leaders set examples, provide information, and involve employees in decision-making process. Second, as a result of the relationship analysis in task diversity, task significance, task identity and team commitment, task diversity and task significance had significant effect on team commitment, while task identity had no significant effect on team commitment. It indicates that team commitment is enhanced when the employees can conduct diverse types of jobs and get more opportunities to talk with the guests. Also, the repetition for the same jobs in hotel rooms and the space for preparing food and beverage do not lead to team commitment, even though the employees fulfill their duties to the end. Third, hotel employees' team commitment has positive effect on their innovative activities. It indicates that employees voluntarily conduct innovative activities when they are attached to their team and identifies themselves with the team. Conclusions - There are theoretical and practical implications in this study. First, in terms of the theoretical perspective, this study proposes structural framework in team commitment, and it identifies the psychological mechanism in team commitment from the aspect of social exchange, which resulted in identification of precedence factors related to team commitment. In addition, this study presents new possibilities for relevant studies about team commitment by examining the effect on team commitment when the importance of innovative activities is emphasized in recent business environment.

• Culinary science and hospitality research
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• v.12 no.2 s.29
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• pp.73-87
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• 2006

The purpose of this study is to investigate if recommendation selling (methods of recommendation selling, a key word used for recommendation, and employee attitude) influences the customers' menu decision. The results of the study are as follows: 'Menu picture' and 'explanation by word' among the tools used by employees for recommendation were found to influence customers' menu decision. The words such as 'new menu' and 'special only today' used by employees for recommendation were found to influence customers' menu decision. Employees' attitude elements such as 'interesting explanation', 'dressed up tidy', 'strong intention', and 'patience' were found to influence customer's menu decision. 'Recommendation selling' in the food and beverage industry means 'employees help customers make a good decision on food and beverage service'. This study makes an important contribution to the food industry in terms of providing substantial marketing strategies.

• Fourth Industrial Review
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• v.1 no.2
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• pp.1-8
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• 2021

Purpose - By suggesting relational distance between supervisor and subordinate, this study examines the boundary condition of the impact of transformational leadership and organizational commitment in Korea. Research design, data, and methodology - We collected survey data from employees in various industries in Korea. A total of 241 employees participated in this study. We conducted the hierarchical linear regression and confirmed moderating effects of relational distances (democratic, structural and affective distance) on the relationship between transformational leadership and organizational commitment. Result - The results from 241 Korean employees show that transformational leadership is positively related to organizational commitment. Further, this relationship was moderated by structural distance and affective distance between supervisor and subordinate. Conclusion - This study shed new light on how exercising transformational leadership can help raise employees' organizational commitment. Organizations should be concerned about the various relational distance between supervisor and subordinate.

• Korean Journal of Occupational Health Nursing
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• v.7 no.1
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• pp.83-96
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• 1998

The study was conducted to analyze employees' and employers' awareness of occupational health programs for the purpose of evaluating the effectiveness of the program employed in small-scale enterprises (SSE). The 400 SSE that have under 50 employees and have been supported by the Government were selected for mail survey, and 120 employers and 318 employees of 183 factories returned the questionnaires. The results are as follows; 1) 33.8% of employees were not aware of the fact that their factories have been supported by Government, and 69.1% of employees did not know who was the monitor of that program. Only 147% of employees and 35.5% of employers agreed that the supported program reflected their opinions well. 2) 45.1% of employees participated in health education classes more than once. But only 15.6% of them considered the classes as very helpful. 21.1% of employers were much aware of health education schedule, and 44.2% reported that it was helpful for the prevention of occupational diseases. 3) 68.8% of employers were aware of the possibility of occupational diseases that could occur in their factories. And 36.5% of employers reported that some criteria were used for job reallocation to their employees. But only 9.7% of employees were assigned new job based on the result of health status examination. 4) 65.6% of employees were aware of the periodic evaluation for work environment, and 43.3% knew the evaluation results. Among participated SSE, 5.9% have a planning department for improving work environment, and 46.2% actually carried out the program for improving work environment. The findings showed that the employers and employees of SSE had insufficient knowledge of the occupational health program that have been employed in their workplace. It is essential to lead more active participation of employers and employees in their occupational health programs so as that the programs are to improve their health status as well as work environment more effectively.

• The Korean Journal of Community Living Science
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• v.26 no.1
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• pp.39-49
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• 2015

This study evaluates nutrition knowledge, dietary behaviors and food group acceptability based on a sample of 514 of new employees in Gyeonggi area. Among the respondents, 70.6% of male, and their age was 30.7 Most were college graduates (94.9%) and unmarried (86.3%). Based on the BMI males tended to be overweight, whereas females, normal. In terms of health consciousness based on five-point Likert-type scale, the average score for the health status was 4.18 indicating good health, and health attention was 4.88 indicating high health attention. Dietary behaviors were evaluated using five-point Likert-type scale. According to the results, the total score for regular diet based on 5 items was 9.6; that for a balanced diet based on 7 items was 22.2; and that for practical diet action based on 8 items was 22.3. That is, the respondents were on an irregular diet but tried to balanced diet through appropriate diet action. Food acceptability was evaluated using a five-point Likert scale ranging from "strongly dislike(1)" to "strongly like(5)". The score of meat group was 3.67; that for the fish 3.43; and that for the vegetable group was 2.86. Females were slightly more like to accept fruits 3.60 than males 3.48;(p<0.05). The total score for nutrition knowledge based on 35 items was 20.5. A balanced diet was correlated with egg acceptability (p<0.01); energy-related knowledge with confectionery preferences (p<0.05); and vitamin knowledge, with snack affinity (p<0.05). Health attention was negatively correlated with seafood preferences for male(p<0.05) and with snacks for females(p<0.05). The respondents were strongly interested in and aware of their health, but this did not lead to their food preferences. These results suggests that dietary habits can lead to nutritional balance for maintaining the health of employees.

• Korean Journal of Community Nutrition
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• v.21 no.1
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• pp.84-92
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• 2016

Objectives: This study was performed to develop a food safety education program for school foodservice employees and evaluate its effectiveness. Methods: Food safety education programs were made into two levels; one for new employees in school foodservice and another for employees in charge of Critical Control Point (CCP) monitoring. The programs were for 40-minute-long lecture using PowerPoint. The effectiveness of these programs were assessed based on eleven evaluation items by school foodservice dieticians (n=30) and the Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point (HACCP) specialist (n=13). All statistical analyses are conducted by SPSS package program (ver 20.0). Results: According to the results of evaluating the food safety education program by dietitian and HACCP specialist, the overall satisfaction score was 4.14, evaluated by 5 point scale. There were no significant difference in results of evaluation between dieticians and HACCP specialists. The score of 'it is helpful to work' and 'pictures, images and charts are pertinent to study' were higher than others while the score of 'education contents is pleasant and interesting' and 'screen is pleasant and interesting' were the lowest among all evaluation items. Conclusions: To increase the school foodservice quality, employees should be offered regular food safety education and training through effective education media including prerequisite program and HACCP manual for school foodservice.

• Journal of Information Technology Services
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• v.19 no.5
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• pp.15-31
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• 2020

This study explores the process in which employees adopt the information security policy. The results of this study, which surveyed 234 employees in three call centers and four hospitals, show that the employees adapt the information security policy through the social structuring process suggested by the AST model. In particular, this study identifies roles of two appropriation activities (FOA : Faithfulness of Appropriation & COA : Consensus on Appropriation) observed in the social structuring process. Regarding to the interactions between the two appropriation activities, FOA, which indicates a better understanding of the information security policy, is examined as a more critical factor than COA, which indicates the degree of agreement among employees about how to use it. FOA not only has a direct effect on compliance intention toward the information security policy, but also indirectly through COA, whereas COA has only a indirect effect through FOA. This result shows that, in order for a company to successfully implement a new information security policy, it is important for employees to understand its purpose and intention. The adaption of information security policy through two appropriation activities is observed in both hospitals and call centers, but due to the different working environments, there were differences in the preceding variables affecting the appropriation activities. The results of this study are expected to provide guidelines for companies who want to successfully adopt information security policy.