• Korean small business review
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• v.31 no.4
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• pp.67-93
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• 2009

The purpose of this paper is to explore the relations between financial constraints and dividend smoothing of innovative small and medium sized enterprises(SMEs) listed on Korea Securities Market and Kosdaq Market of Korea Exchange. The innovative SMEs is defined as the firms with high level of R&D intensity which is measured by (R&D investment/total sales) ratio, according to Chauvin and Hirschey (1993). The R&D investment plays an important role as the innovative driver that can increase the future growth opportunity and profitability of the firms. Therefore, the R&D investment have large, positive, and consistent influences on the market value of the firm. In this point of view, we expect that the innovative SMEs can adjust dividend payment faster than the noninnovative SMEs, on the ground of their future growth opportunity and profitability. And also, we expect that the financial unconstrained firms can adjust dividend payment faster than the financial constrained firms, on the ground of their financing ability of investment funds through the market accessibility. Aivazian et al.(2006) exert that the financial unconstrained firms with the high accessibility to capital market can adjust dividend payment faster than the financial constrained firms. We collect the sample firms among the total SMEs listed on Korea Securities Market and Kosdaq Market of Korea Exchange during the periods from January 1999 to December 2007 from the KIS Value Library database. The total number of firm-year observations of the total sample firms throughout the entire period is 5,544, the number of firm-year observations of the dividend firms is 2,919, and the number of firm-year observations of the non-dividend firms is 2,625. About 53%(or 2,919) of these total 5,544 observations involve firms that make a dividend payment. The dividend firms are divided into two groups according to the R&D intensity, such as the innovative SMEs with larger than median of R&D intensity and the noninnovative SMEs with smaller than median of R&D intensity. The number of firm-year observations of the innovative SMEs is 1,506, and the number of firm-year observations of the noninnovative SMEs is 1,413. Furthermore, the innovative SMEs are divided into two groups according to level of financial constraints, such as the financial unconstrained firms and the financial constrained firms. The number of firm-year observations of the former is 894, and the number of firm-year observations of the latter is 612. Although all available firm-year observations of the dividend firms are collected, deletions are made in the case of financial industries such as banks, securities company, insurance company, and other financial services company, because their capital structure and business style are widely different from the general manufacturing firms. The stock repurchase was involved in dividend payment because Grullon and Michaely (2002) examined the substitution hypothesis between dividends and stock repurchases. However, our data structure is an unbalanced panel data since there is no requirement that the firm-year observations data are all available for each firms during the entire periods from January 1999 to December 2007 from the KIS Value Library database. We firstly estimate the classic Lintner(1956) dividend adjustment model, where the decision to smooth dividend or to adopt a residual dividend policy depends on financial constraints measured by market accessibility. Lintner model indicates that firms maintain stable and long run target payout ratio, and that firms adjust partially the gap between current payout rato and target payout ratio each year. In the Lintner model, dependent variable is the current dividend per share(DPS_t), and independent variables are the past dividend per share(DPS_t-1) and the current earnings per share(EPS_t). We hypothesized that firms adjust partially the gap between the current dividend per share(DPS_t) and the target payout ratio(Ω) each year, when the past dividend per share(DPS_t-1) deviate from the target payout ratio(Ω). We secondly estimate the expansion model that extend the Lintner model by including the determinants suggested by the major theories of dividend, namely, residual dividend theory, dividend signaling theory, agency theory, catering theory, and transactions cost theory. In the expansion model, dependent variable is the current dividend per share(DPS_t), explanatory variables are the past dividend per share(DPS_t-1) and the current earnings per share(EPS_t), and control variables are the current capital expenditure ratio(CEA_t), the current leverage ratio(LEV_t), the current operating return on assets(ROA_t), the current business risk(RISK_t), the current trading volume turnover ratio(TURN_t), and the current dividend premium(DPREM_t). In these control variables, CEA_t, LEV_t, and ROA_t are the determinants suggested by the residual dividend theory and the agency theory, ROA_t and RISK_t are the determinants suggested by the dividend signaling theory, TURN_t is the determinant suggested by the transactions cost theory, and DPREM_t is the determinant suggested by the catering theory. Furthermore, we thirdly estimate the Lintner model and the expansion model by using the panel data of the financial unconstrained firms and the financial constrained firms, that are divided into two groups according to level of financial constraints. We expect that the financial unconstrained firms can adjust dividend payment faster than the financial constrained firms, because the former can finance more easily the investment funds through the market accessibility than the latter. We analyzed descriptive statistics such as mean, standard deviation, and median to delete the outliers from the panel data, conducted one way analysis of variance to check up the industry-specfic effects, and conducted difference test of firms characteristic variables between innovative SMEs and noninnovative SMEs as well as difference test of firms characteristic variables between financial unconstrained firms and financial constrained firms. We also conducted the correlation analysis and the variance inflation factors analysis to detect any multicollinearity among the independent variables. Both of the correlation coefficients and the variance inflation factors are roughly low to the extent that may be ignored the multicollinearity among the independent variables. Furthermore, we estimate both of the Lintner model and the expansion model using the panel regression analysis. We firstly test the time-specific effects and the firm-specific effects may be involved in our panel data through the Lagrange multiplier test that was proposed by Breusch and Pagan(1980), and secondly conduct Hausman test to prove that fixed effect model is fitter with our panel data than the random effect model. The main results of this study can be summarized as follows. The determinants suggested by the major theories of dividend, namely, residual dividend theory, dividend signaling theory, agency theory, catering theory, and transactions cost theory explain significantly the dividend policy of the innovative SMEs. Lintner model indicates that firms maintain stable and long run target payout ratio, and that firms adjust partially the gap between the current payout ratio and the target payout ratio each year. In the core variables of Lintner model, the past dividend per share has more effects to dividend smoothing than the current earnings per share. These results suggest that the innovative SMEs maintain stable and long run dividend policy which sustains the past dividend per share level without corporate special reasons. The main results show that dividend adjustment speed of the innovative SMEs is faster than that of the noninnovative SMEs. This means that the innovative SMEs with high level of R&D intensity can adjust dividend payment faster than the noninnovative SMEs, on the ground of their future growth opportunity and profitability. The other main results show that dividend adjustment speed of the financial unconstrained SMEs is faster than that of the financial constrained SMEs. This means that the financial unconstrained firms with high accessibility to capital market can adjust dividend payment faster than the financial constrained firms, on the ground of their financing ability of investment funds through the market accessibility. Futhermore, the other additional results show that dividend adjustment speed of the innovative SMEs classified by the Small and Medium Business Administration is faster than that of the unclassified SMEs. They are linked with various financial policies and services such as credit guaranteed service, policy fund for SMEs, venture investment fund, insurance program, and so on. In conclusion, the past dividend per share and the current earnings per share suggested by the Lintner model explain mainly dividend adjustment speed of the innovative SMEs, and also the financial constraints explain partially. Therefore, if managers can properly understand of the relations between financial constraints and dividend smoothing of innovative SMEs, they can maintain stable and long run dividend policy of the innovative SMEs through dividend smoothing. These are encouraging results for Korea government, that is, the Small and Medium Business Administration as it has implemented many policies to commit to the innovative SMEs. This paper may have a few limitations because it may be only early study about the relations between financial constraints and dividend smoothing of the innovative SMEs. Specifically, this paper may not adequately capture all of the subtle features of the innovative SMEs and the financial unconstrained SMEs. Therefore, we think that it is necessary to expand sample firms and control variables, and use more elaborate analysis methods in the future studies.

• KDI Journal of Economic Policy
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• v.36 no.4
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• pp.1-32
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• 2014

Auction is widely used in allocation and procurement of resources due to its desirable properties: efficiency and revenue maximization. It is well-known, however, that auction may fail to achieve efficiency when allocative externalities exist. Such a result may happen in the auction of the resources that are very scarce, for example, radio spectrum. This is because allocation of the resources has effects on competition of the firms in the aftermarket, and thus a firm that utilizes the resources less efficiently may make a higher bid to lessen competition. This paper shows first that efficient allocation may not be achieved by auction even when the number of bidders is 2, while it is shown in the literature that auction may result in inefficient allocation when the number of bidders is greater than or equal to 3. There exist 2 firms, who make a bid to win the scarce resources that increase the value or decrease the production cost of their own product. After the auction ends, the firms engage in Bertrand competition on the Hotelling line. Inefficient allocation may happen even under the second-price auction rule, and it happens only when the firms are different in the initial value or the initial cost of their products as well as in the value of the auctioned resources. The firm who has been the leader loses a large portion of the market if it fails to win the auction, and thus makes a high bid even when the other firm can use the resources more efficiently. Allocative efficiency Pareto improves when the smaller firm's bid counts more than the leader's bid. This paper suggests a modified rule that the smaller firm wins the auction when its bid multiplied by some constant is greater than the leader's bid. The multiplier can be calculated from the market shares. It is equal to 1 when the two firms are the same, and is increasing in the leader's market share. Allocation is efficient in a strictly larger set of parameters under the modified rule than under the standard second-price auction rule.

• Journal of Intelligence and Information Systems
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• v.21 no.4
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• pp.111-131
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• 2015

There are only a handful number of research conducted on pattern analysis of corporate distress as compared with research for bankruptcy prediction. The few that exists mainly focus on audited firms because financial data collection is easier for these firms. But in reality, corporate financial distress is a far more common and critical phenomenon for non-audited firms which are mainly comprised of small and medium sized firms. The purpose of this paper is to classify non-audited firms under distress according to their financial ratio using data mining; Self-Organizing Map (SOM). SOM is a type of artificial neural network that is trained using unsupervised learning to produce a lower dimensional discretized representation of the input space of the training samples, called a map. SOM is different from other artificial neural networks as it applies competitive learning as opposed to error-correction learning such as backpropagation with gradient descent, and in the sense that it uses a neighborhood function to preserve the topological properties of the input space. It is one of the popular and successful clustering algorithm. In this study, we classify types of financial distress firms, specially, non-audited firms. In the empirical test, we collect 10 financial ratios of 100 non-audited firms under distress in 2004 for the previous two years (2002 and 2003). Using these financial ratios and the SOM algorithm, five distinct patterns were distinguished. In pattern 1, financial distress was very serious in almost all financial ratios. 12% of the firms are included in these patterns. In pattern 2, financial distress was weak in almost financial ratios. 14% of the firms are included in pattern 2. In pattern 3, growth ratio was the worst among all patterns. It is speculated that the firms of this pattern may be under distress due to severe competition in their industries. Approximately 30% of the firms fell into this group. In pattern 4, the growth ratio was higher than any other pattern but the cash ratio and profitability ratio were not at the level of the growth ratio. It is concluded that the firms of this pattern were under distress in pursuit of expanding their business. About 25% of the firms were in this pattern. Last, pattern 5 encompassed very solvent firms. Perhaps firms of this pattern were distressed due to a bad short-term strategic decision or due to problems with the enterpriser of the firms. Approximately 18% of the firms were under this pattern. This study has the academic and empirical contribution. In the perspectives of the academic contribution, non-audited companies that tend to be easily bankrupt and have the unstructured or easily manipulated financial data are classified by the data mining technology (Self-Organizing Map) rather than big sized audited firms that have the well prepared and reliable financial data. In the perspectives of the empirical one, even though the financial data of the non-audited firms are conducted to analyze, it is useful for find out the first order symptom of financial distress, which makes us to forecast the prediction of bankruptcy of the firms and to manage the early warning and alert signal. These are the academic and empirical contribution of this study. The limitation of this research is to analyze only 100 corporates due to the difficulty of collecting the financial data of the non-audited firms, which make us to be hard to proceed to the analysis by the category or size difference. Also, non-financial qualitative data is crucial for the analysis of bankruptcy. Thus, the non-financial qualitative factor is taken into account for the next study. This study sheds some light on the non-audited small and medium sized firms' distress prediction in the future.

• Journal of the Economic Geographical Society of Korea
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• v.3 no.2
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• pp.43-61
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• 2000

This study investigate the spatial characteristics and corporate networks of foreign business service firms in Korea. Specifically intrafirm and extrafirm organization of foreign firms are addressed utilizing the corporate network perspective. For this purpose, this study conducted questionnaire and interview surveys for the foreign firms. Parent-subsidiary relationships are focused on the mechanisms by which Transnational Corporations (TNCs) headquarters control and coordinate their foreign affiliates and subsidiaries in order to achieve investment purpose in Korea (overseas market expansion). But extrafirm networks of foreign business services firms in Korea do not appear to play an important role in regional development to date. A low proportion of foreign firms is engaged in academics-industry linkages, and a low number o( foreign firms is formally linked with government organizations, research institutes, and trade associations. To conclude, Foreign direct investment firms in business services in Korea are characteristics by globalized intrafirm networks and localized interfirm and extrafirm networks. It is understood that regional development can be vitalized when Korean local firms have close relationships with technologically advanced foreign firms in tacit knowledge capacity. Foreign firms are able to play an important role in the development of business services in Korea. This study suggests that regional foreign direct investment policy should be targeted towards the corporate networking with foreign firms and domestic firms and incrementation of the potential of foreign firms as a knowledge-intensive industry.

• Journal of Technology Innovation
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• v.14 no.2
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• pp.183-199
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• 2006

This paper explores multi-technology capabilities between Korea and Taiwan by analyzing the pattern of inventive activities concerning technology fusion by using patent bibliometrics. Although two countries exhibit a similar level of invention activities and high degree of specialization in emerging technologies measured by the number and technological fields of their US patents, innovation systems in two countries differ. MTCs (multi-technology corporations) are stronger in Korea national innovation system while small innovative firms play important roles in Taiwan national innovation system. Technology fusion has been an important source of technological innovation and it suggests possible advantage for the Korean innovation system because it is a common belief that global size firms - most of them are multi-technology corporations - can perform better in multi-technology fusion and scientific research. The result of patent bibliometrics suggests rather complex answers to the belief Even though Korea shows slight advantage, it may not be ascribed to the large MTCs.

• The Journal of Information Systems
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• v.5
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• pp.383-409
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• 1996

This study has two research objectives related to end-user computing (EUC). One of the research objectives was to investigate the current status of EUC of Korean firms. Another research objective was to examine the relationship between individual differences of end-users and EUC success. Using survey data from 752 end-users of 23 firms, the current status of EUC and the relationship between individual differences of end-users and EUC success were investigated. The current status of EUC was examined from six perspectives : 1) what is the characteristics of EUC strategy of Korean firms, 2) what are the individual characteristics of end-users in Korean firms 3) what are the characteristics of tasks performed by end-users computer, 4) what are the application areas of EUC, 5) How end-users are satisfied with the support of firm, 6) what are system usage and satisfaction of end-users. It was also found that individual differences of end-users are related to EUC success. More specifically, it was shown that the male gender, younger age, higher level of education, higher rank and organizational tenure, higher math ability, thinking type of cognitive style, positive and optimistic attitudes toward computer, more experience with computer, more computer education and knowledge are individual differences variables associated with EUC success. The results of stepwise regression analysis suggested that the individual difference variables accounted for 14%, 25%, 39%, and 30% of the variances of four EUC success variables, satisfaction for outcome, satisfaction for ability, frequency of computer use, and the number of tasks, respectively. Theses empirical findings suggest that EUC managers should consider individual differences of end-users in managing EUC, such as education, training support, and human resource management, to maximize potential benefits of EUC.

• Journal of Technology Innovation
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• v.17 no.1
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• pp.179-204
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• 2009

This paper aims to analyze the relationship between R&D outsourcing ratio (external R&D expenditures out of total R&D expenditures) and firm characteristics. Four hypotheses are tested using firm-level data with Tobit regression method. The major findings of this paper are as follows. First, firms with high technological capabilities, which are measured by R&D expenditures per sale and the number of patents per employee, rely more on R&D outsourcing. Nonetheless, firms that own R&D centers tend to rely less on external outsourcing of R&D. Second, firms with high managerial innovation capabilities, which is measured by the introduction of IT solutions, show higher R&D outsourcing ratio. Third, bigger firms are likely to spend more in external R&D than in internal R&D. This paper also discusses implications on R&D policy of Korea.

• The Journal of Asian Finance, Economics and Business
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• v.8 no.7
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• pp.129-137
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• 2021

This paper aims to analyze whether company characteristics are potential determinants of human resource accounting (HRA) disclosure practices by Vietnamese listed companies. It examines the human resource disclosure level of 204 companies by content analysis of these companies' annual reports. The study has relied on a multiple linear regression to test the association between a number of corporate attributes and the extent of human resource disclosure in companies' annual reports. The extent of human resource disclosure was measured using unweighted human resource disclosure index. The explanatory variables considered in this study were firm size, firm age, profitability, leverage, industry profile, and auditor type. The results revealed that the most influential variable for explaining firms' variation in human resource disclosure is firm size followed by firm age and profitability. Thus, it can be concluded that firm size, firm age and profitability are major predictors that may affect the variety of HRA disclosure practices on firms listed in the Vietnam Stock Exchange. However, neither industry profile nor auditor type seems to explain differences in human resource disclosure practices between Vietnamese listed firms, indicating that company's industry profile and auditor type are not a matter for the company to disclose HRA information.

• Journal of Technology Innovation
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• v.31 no.3
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• pp.139-169
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• 2023

This study analyzes the effects of firms' technology innovation(patent applications) on employment(number of workers and proportion of high-skilled workers) and corporate performance(sales per worker), while considering the two-way causal relationships between these variables. We used the three-stage least squares(3SLS) estimation to examine system of equations in which the dependent variables affect each other with a two-year lag wherever relevant, and applied it to firm-level panel data of Korean manufacturers with 100 or more workers. Our data covered the period of 2005-2017. Exogenous variables, such as firms' managerial and other characteristics, were controlled as explanatory variables. The identification variables for each equation included firms' R&D intensity, labor cost per worker(or operation of firms' own R&D center), and investment on worker training. We find that firms' patent applications increased number of workers, proportion of high-skilled workers, and sales per worker; the causal relationships in the opposite direction were also significant. Evidently, firms' technology innovation is critical to the growth and quality improvement of employment as well as sustainable corporate growth.

• Journal of the Korea Safety Management & Science
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• v.10 no.1
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• pp.215-224
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• 2008

Recently, product life-cycles are shortening faster than ever before, and companies with a suggestion system are in better position to overcome this shortening life-cycle and thus promote customer satisfaction. Suggestion systems, however, are not actively utilized on the production floors in many firms. This study showed that small-sized and medium-sized firms where a suggestion system is properly functioning by a strong will of top management are not many in Gangwon-do area. In considerable number of companies, a suggestion system is informally and spontaneously applied by the workers on the production floors not by company-wide systems. A suggestion system is required as a means of creating future value-added and it is a matter of course that the role of top management, together with middle-class managements' influence is quite important in the course of the successful application of it. A suggestion system, to be successful, calls not only individual efforts but also positive corporate cultures.