• Title/Summary/Keyword: one-person business

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Recommender Systems using Structural Hole and Collaborative Filtering (구조적 공백과 협업필터링을 이용한 추천시스템)

  • Kim, Mingun;Kim, Kyoung-Jae
    • Journal of Intelligence and Information Systems
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    • v.20 no.4
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    • pp.107-120
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    • 2014
  • This study proposes a novel recommender system using the structural hole analysis to reflect qualitative and emotional information in recommendation process. Although collaborative filtering (CF) is known as the most popular recommendation algorithm, it has some limitations including scalability and sparsity problems. The scalability problem arises when the volume of users and items become quite large. It means that CF cannot scale up due to large computation time for finding neighbors from the user-item matrix as the number of users and items increases in real-world e-commerce sites. Sparsity is a common problem of most recommender systems due to the fact that users generally evaluate only a small portion of the whole items. In addition, the cold-start problem is the special case of the sparsity problem when users or items newly added to the system with no ratings at all. When the user's preference evaluation data is sparse, two users or items are unlikely to have common ratings, and finally, CF will predict ratings using a very limited number of similar users. Moreover, it may produces biased recommendations because similarity weights may be estimated using only a small portion of rating data. In this study, we suggest a novel limitation of the conventional CF. The limitation is that CF does not consider qualitative and emotional information about users in the recommendation process because it only utilizes user's preference scores of the user-item matrix. To address this novel limitation, this study proposes cluster-indexing CF model with the structural hole analysis for recommendations. In general, the structural hole means a location which connects two separate actors without any redundant connections in the network. The actor who occupies the structural hole can easily access to non-redundant, various and fresh information. Therefore, the actor who occupies the structural hole may be a important person in the focal network and he or she may be the representative person in the focal subgroup in the network. Thus, his or her characteristics may represent the general characteristics of the users in the focal subgroup. In this sense, we can distinguish friends and strangers of the focal user utilizing the structural hole analysis. This study uses the structural hole analysis to select structural holes in subgroups as an initial seeds for a cluster analysis. First, we gather data about users' preference ratings for items and their social network information. For gathering research data, we develop a data collection system. Then, we perform structural hole analysis and find structural holes of social network. Next, we use these structural holes as cluster centroids for the clustering algorithm. Finally, this study makes recommendations using CF within user's cluster, and compare the recommendation performances of comparative models. For implementing experiments of the proposed model, we composite the experimental results from two experiments. The first experiment is the structural hole analysis. For the first one, this study employs a software package for the analysis of social network data - UCINET version 6. The second one is for performing modified clustering, and CF using the result of the cluster analysis. We develop an experimental system using VBA (Visual Basic for Application) of Microsoft Excel 2007 for the second one. This study designs to analyzing clustering based on a novel similarity measure - Pearson correlation between user preference rating vectors for the modified clustering experiment. In addition, this study uses 'all-but-one' approach for the CF experiment. In order to validate the effectiveness of our proposed model, we apply three comparative types of CF models to the same dataset. The experimental results show that the proposed model outperforms the other comparative models. In especial, the proposed model significantly performs better than two comparative modes with the cluster analysis from the statistical significance test. However, the difference between the proposed model and the naive model does not have statistical significance.

Privacy Intrusion Intention on SNS: From Perspective of Intruders (SNS상에서 프라이버시 침해의도: 가해자 관점으로)

  • Eden Lee;Sanghui Kim;DongBack Seo
    • Information Systems Review
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    • v.20 no.1
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    • pp.17-39
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    • 2018
  • SNS enables people to easily connect and communicate with each other. People share information, including personal information, through SNS. Users are concerned about their privacies, but they unconsciously or consciously disclose their personal information on SNS to interact with others. The privacy of a self-disclosed person can be intruded by others. A person can write, fabricate, or distribute a story using the disclosed information of another even without obtaining consent from the information owner. Many studies focused on privacy intrusion, especially from the perspective of a victim. However, only a few studies examined privacy intrusion from the perspective of an intruder on SNS. This study focuses on the intention of privacy intrusion from the perspective of an intruder on SNS and the factors that affect intention. Privacy intrusion intentions are categorized into two types. The first type is intrusion of privacy by writing one's personal information without obtaining consent from the information owner;, whereas the other type pertains to intrusion of privacy by distributing one's personal information without obtaining consent from the information owner. A research model is developed based on motivation theory to identify how these factors affect these two types of privacy intrusion intentions on SNS. From the perspective of motivation theory, we draw one extrinsic motivational factor (response cost) and four intrinsic motivational factors, namely, perceived enjoyment, experience of being intruded on privacy, experience of invading someone's privacy, and punishment behavior. After analyzing 202survey data, we conclude that different factors affect these two types of privacy intrusion intention. However, no relationship was found between the two types of privacy intrusion intentions. One of the most interesting findings is that the experience of privacy intrusion is the most significant factor related to the two types of privacy intrusion intentions. The findings contribute to the literature on privacy by suggesting two types of privacy intrusion intentions on SNS and identifying their antecedents from the perspective of an intruder. Practitioners can also use the findings to develop SNS applications that can improve protection of user privacies and legitimize proper regulations relevant to online privacy.

Survery on Business of the Departments of Radiology in Health Centers (보건소(保健所)의 방사선과(放射線科) 업무(業務)에 관한 조사연구(調査硏究))

  • Choi, Jong-Hak;Jeon, Man-Jin;Huh, Joon;Park, Sung-Ock
    • Journal of radiological science and technology
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    • v.8 no.2
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    • pp.21-28
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    • 1985
  • We serveyed the actual condition of business of the departments of radiology of 45 health conters (except 3) in the area of Seoul, Kyungki and Inchon from March, 1984 to November, 1984. The results are summarized as follows : 1. T.O. of the radiologic technologist is three persons in each health center of Seoul area, and one person in each one of Kyungki and Inchon area. P.O. is 2-5 persons in Seoul area, 1-2 persons in Kyungki or Inchon area. 2. The number of all the radiologic technologists employed now is 75 persons, and among all of them, when analized by position class 7th is 54.7%, class 8th 28.0%, class 9th is 13.3%, and class 6th is 2.7%, and by sex, female is 68.0%, male is 32.0%, by educational background, for the most part, junior college graduates come to 73.3%, by age group 60% of them is in their twenties, 16.0% is in their thirties and forties, 8.0% is in their fifties, and by career after certificate 60% have the career of 1-5 years, 13.3% have the one of 6-7 years or mor than 21 years, and 6.7% have the one of 11-15 years of 16-20 years. 3. All the diagnostic x-ray equipment being kept is 62, and among them flxing equipment is 71.0%, portable equipment is 29.0% and by rating of X-ray equipment, maximum tube current 100 mA is 46.8%, maximum KV 100KVP is 72.6%, the most part. 4. Photofluorographic camera and hood are equipped in every health center. While, as to the radiographic cassettes, $14{\times}14"$ cassetts are equipped in every health center, but cassettes of other sizes are in half of them. 5. Bucky's table is equipped in 11.9% health centers, the automatic processor is in 21.4%, the photofluorographic film changer is 9.5%, the grid is 73.8%, the protective apron is in 88.1%, and the protective glove is in 57.1% health centers. 6. The number of the people who got the x-ray examination for one year (by the year 1989) is the most, 1,000-6,000 in direct radiography of the chest, or 15,0001-45,000 in the health centers of Seoul area, 5,000-20,000 in Kyungki and Inchon area in photofluorography of the chest. Moreover, other radiographies are being taken extremely limitedly in all health centers. 7. In processing types of x-ray film, automatic processing is used in 9 health centers (21.4%), manual tank processing is in 30 (71.4%), and manual tray processing in 3 (7.2%). 8. As for collimation of x-ray exposure field, "continual using restricted by a subject size" has the most part, 78.6% "restricted using at every radiography" has 19%, and the case of "never considered" has 2.4% response. 9. As for the dosimeter used for radiation control, film badge (35.7%) and pocket dosimeter (26.2%) are used, and in 38.1% health centers the dosimeter is not equipped at all. Consideration of the previous radiation exposure is being done in only one health center. 10. Reading of radiographs is mainly depended on the radiologists electively (45.2%) or on the genral practitioners(45.2%).

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An Exploratory Study on the Improvement of Small and Medium Enterprises Priority System that Hinders Technology Transfer (기술이전을 저해하는 중소·중견기업 우선제도의 개선방안에 대한 탐색연구)

  • Jung, Dong Duck
    • Asia-Pacific Journal of Business Venturing and Entrepreneurship
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    • v.12 no.2
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    • pp.87-94
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    • 2017
  • The utilization of the achievements derived from the national R & D project is a key task of the science and technology industry policy that should lead the national economic growth by enhancing the investment efficiency of the national R&D. Although Korea has implemented various programs supporting technology transfer, commercialization, Performance is not sufficient. One of several causes may include inflexibility of a small or medium-sized company Priority System. This study is exploratory research on the directions for improving the current a small or medium-sized company Priority System. Results: First, Because the current SMEs Priority System contributes positively to enhancing SMEs R&D capability, We have to keep the system in principle. However, it is necessary to improve the direction of giving the strategic flexibility of the system so that the system is not operated formally. First, it is appropriate to make an exceptional contract with a person other than a small or medium-sized company, if a small and medium-sized company is not suitable for a technology execution contract due to the nature of technology. Second, it is desirable to consider the fulfillment of the obligations of this system when "sufficient efforts" are made to find a technical user.

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Deconstructionism in Issey Miyake's Fashion Design

  • Kwon, Hae-Sook
    • Journal of Fashion Business
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    • v.11 no.6
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    • pp.87-100
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    • 2007
  • This study aims at analyzing the characteristics of deconestructionism expressed in Issey Myake's fashion who is one of the most creative designers in the world. Method and contents of this study are as follows. Through the review of literatures, three major categories such as interminacy of meaning, decentring, and intertextuality and eight subcategories have been identified as major features of deconestructionism. These subcategories for content analysis were selected to examine the characteristics of deconstructionism expressed in Issey Myake's design in depth. Interminacy of meaning was divided into unstructured and unconstructed factors while decentring into qualities of cross-gender, subculture, anti-fashion, and post-humanism. Lastly, intertextuality was classified into factors of disordered mixing mode and mixed styles. Materials for analysis were chosen from total 349 designs on the website,www.firstview.com, which carries Issey Miyake's collection from 2002 S/S through 2006 F/W. 2 fashion major analysts including the researcher participated in 1st analysis and two another fashion major analysts participated in 2nd analysis. The final level of consistency between analysts was over 97% for all categories. The data analysis quantitatively evaluates the frequency of each category and qualitatively evaluates the characteristics of design. The result is as follows. First, the avant-garde facets of inter-textuality are most prominent. In particular, Miyake has introduced the various novelly textiles to fashion and employed the mixtured styles, not to copy them but to create hybrid designs by using pastiches and mixing fashion styles. Moreover, he has used various fabrics in order to inflict shock and contrast but still create subtle harmony, thus enriching his fashion. Second, the indeterminacy of meaning is the second most frequently shown facet of Miyake's fashion design. Miyake has employed unconstructed expression techniques, which has projected unusual images free from basic forms of designs and also has used the unstructured styles which dismantle harmony and balance-the common rule of design. He has made a new attempt to acknowledge clothing as an expressive artwork by allowing clothes to take a complete form when a person actually wears them. He has demonstrated a unique perspective on cloth construction and presented a love for artistic collaboration in the development of his collections A distinct manufactured aesthetic is exaggerated, even hyperbolic. Thirdly, the aspects of decentralization were also shown in Miyake's design, however, it has been visibly decreased after 2002 S/S.

A Study on the Information Cascades Effects of the Offline WOM and Online Review (오프라인 구전과 온라인 리뷰간의 정보 캐스케이드 영향 분석)

  • Kim, Jin-Hwa;Bae, Jae-Kwon;Jeon, Han-Cheol
    • The Journal of Society for e-Business Studies
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    • v.15 no.1
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    • pp.39-60
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    • 2010
  • It becomes common thing that many customers buy the goods through the online shopping mall as internet grows very fast. The information cascades that happen when a person imitates the other's acts also it occurs in online. Many people buy the goods referring on other people's purchasing experiences and such cases are spreading more and more. Through numerous existing researches, the researches in association with this issue have been studied on the information cascades effect on offline or online separately. The research of comparing the information cascades effects from the offline word of mouth (WOM) and the online review has not studied yet. On that reason this study shows that the online review induces the information cascades. We also compared the effects with information cascades effects from traditional offline word of mouth. In result of this study, the following points have been concluded. Firstly, we examined that information cascades was occurred through both the online review and offline word of mouth. Secondly, the information cascades effect through the online review is greater than through the offline words of mouth. It means the company has to understand the importance of the online review and manage it. Thirdly, the information cascades effects are occurred differently in accordance with the goods brands. Therefore a company has to know whether its products is superior to the competitor's one or not.

An Analysis of the Determinants of Employment Productivity in Korean Transportation Industry Using Korea Labor and Income Panel Study (한국노동패널자료를 활용한 국내 운송업 고용생산성 결정요인 분석)

  • So, Ae-rim;Shin, Seung-sik
    • Journal of Korea Port Economic Association
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    • v.35 no.1
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    • pp.57-76
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    • 2019
  • This study deals with the determinants of employment productivity of transportation labor, who are the main agents of the transportation industry that has made significant contributions to our country's industrial development. The study selected the determinants of employment productivity using the Korea Labor and Income Panel Study data, and analyzed the effects of various factors using panel logistic regression, panel OLS model, and panel robust regression. The results were as follows. First, a more positive effect was shown when employees held a regular job, had a "high level of education", "joining the labor union" and "experiencing vocational training". Second, in the case of job security, having a "high level of education" and "joining the labor union" showed a more positive effect; further, job security was higher for employees who worked in a "big company" or were "married". Third, in the case of higher income productivity, higher values of "age", "academic ability" and "company size" had a more positive effect, whereas larger values of "education" and "health condition except job training" had a negative one. Fourth, in the case of job satisfaction, "female", "joining the labor union" and having a higher "income" or "job security" led to higher satisfaction and a better "health condition compared to an average person". Further, a higher "overall life satisfaction" and "economic level" led to lower job satisfaction. The analysis of the determinants of employment productivity of transportation business and seeking for improvement plan is expected to improve the employment productivity in the transportation business.

A Study on the Establishment of Industrial Security Education Programs in Korea (한국 산업보안교육 프로그램의 정립에 관한 연구)

  • Choi, Sun-Tae;Yu, Hyeong-Chang
    • Korean Security Journal
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    • no.25
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    • pp.185-208
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    • 2010
  • This study is to suggest the current security education programs and improvement of industrial security curriculums in Korea. We live in a world of insecurity; the world is changing at an ever accelerating pace. Life, society, economics, international relations, and security risk are becoming more and more complex. The nature of work, travel, recreation, and communication is radically changing. We live in a world where, seemingly with each passing year, the past is less and less's guide to the future. Security is involved in on one way or another in virtually every decision we make and every activity we undertake. The global environment has never been more volatile, and societal expectations for industrial security and increasing if anything. The complexities of globalization, public expectation, regulatory requirements, transnational issues, jurisdictional risks, crime, terrorism, advances in information technology, cyber attacks, and pandemics have created a security risk environment that has never been more challenging. We had to educate industrial security professional to cope with new security risk. But, how relevant is a college education to the security professional? A college degree will not guarantee a job or advancement opportunities. But, with a college and professional training, a person has improved chances for obtaining a favored position. Commonly, Security education and experience are top considerations to find a job so far, also training is important. Today, Security is good source to gain competitive advantage in global business. The future of security education is prospect when one considers the growth evident in the field. Modern people are very security-conscious today, so now we had to set up close relevant industrial security programs to cope with new security risk being offered in colleges or several security professional educational courses.

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The Usefulness of Product Display of Online Store by the Product Type of Usage Situation - Focusing on the moderate effect of the product portability - (사용상황별 제품유형에 따른 온라인 점포 제품디스플레이의 유용성 - 제품 휴대성의 조절효과를 중심으로 -)

  • Lee, Dong-Il;Choi, Seung-Hoon
    • Journal of Distribution Research
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    • v.16 no.2
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    • pp.1-24
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    • 2011
  • 1. Introduction: Contrast to the offline purchasing environment, online store cannot offer the sense of touch or direct visual information of its product to the consumers. So the builder of the online shopping mall should provide more concrete and detailed product information(Kim 2008), and Alba (1997) also predicted that the quality of the offered information is determined by the post-purchase consumer satisfaction. In practice, many fashion and apparel online shopping malls offer the picture information with the product on the real person model to enhance the usefulness of product information. On the other virtual product experience has been suggested to the ways of overcoming the online consumers' limited perceptual capability (Jiang & Benbasat 2005). However, the adoption and the facilitation of the virtual reality tools requires high investment and technical specialty compared to the text/picture product information offerings (Shaffer 2006). This could make the entry barrier to the online shopping to the small retailers and sometimes it could be demanding high level of consumers' perceptual efforts. So the expensive technological solution could affects negatively to the consumer decision making processes. Nevertheless, most of the previous research on the online product information provision suggests the VR be the more effective tools. 2. Research Model and Hypothesis: Presented in

    , research model suggests VR effect could be moderated by the product types by the usage situations. Product types could be defined as the portable product and installed product, and the information offering type as still picture of the product, picture of the product with the real-person model and VR. 3. Methods and Results: 3.1. Experimental design and measured variables We designed the 2(product types) X 3(product information types) experimental setting and measured dependent variables such as information usefulness, attitude toward the shopping mall, overall product quality, purchase intention and the revisiting intention. In the case of information usefulness and attitude toward the shopping mall were measured by multi-item scale. As a result of reliability test, Cronbach's Alpha value of each variable shows more than 0.6. Thus, we ensured that the internal consistency of items. 3.2. Manipulation check The main concern of this study is to verify the moderate effect by the product type of usage situation. indicates that our experimental manipulation of the moderate effect of the product type was successful. 3.3. Results As
    indicates, there was a significant main effect on the only one dependent variable(attitude toward the shopping mall) by the information types. As predicted, VR has highest mean value compared to other information types. Thus, H1 was partially supported. However, main effect by the product types was not found. To evaluate H2 and H3, a two-way ANOVA was conducted. As
    indicates, there exist the interaction effects on the three dependent variables(information usefulness, overall product quality and purchase intention) by the information types and the product types. As predicted, picture of the product with the real-person model has highest mean among the information types in the case of portable product. On the other hand, VR has highest mean among the information types in the case of installed product. Thus, H2 and H3 was supported. 4. Implications: The present study found the moderate effect by the product type of usage situation. Based on the findings the following managerial implications are asserted. First, it was found that information types are affect only the attitude toward the shopping mall. The meaning of this finding is that VR effects are not enough to understand the product itself. Therefore, we must consider when and how to use this VR tools. Second, it was found that there exist the interaction effects on the information usefulness, overall product quality and purchase intention. This finding suggests that consideration of usage situation helps consumer's understanding of product and promotes their purchase intention. In conclusion, not only product attributes but also product usage situations must be fully considered by the online retailers when they want to meet the needs of consumers.

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  • 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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