• Asia pacific journal of information systems
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• 제19권3호
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• pp.69-98
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• 2009

We investigated what factors motivate gamers to participate in a guild and why they continue to be engaged as members of the guild. We find that, based on the result of focus group interviews with MMORPG gamers, social support and self-esteem factors play important roles. Considering both prior research and the focus group interviews we have conducted, we define social support and character control as independent variables. Character identity, guild identity, and self-esteem are proposed as mediating variables while guild flow and game loyalty as dependent variables. Accordingly, we develop the research model and hypotheses, and verify them empirically. Based on our experiences of playing the WoW game, we proposed a research model and conducted focus-group interviews (FGIs). FGIs involve formulating a hypothesis and then collecting some relevant data. FGIs were conducted face-to-face with students of C University in Korea. We formulated structured interview schedules, and the questions were based on our research variables and personal experiences. The questions for the interviews encompassed the following areas: (a) the demographic characteristics of the focus group; (b) the number of years for which respondents had played online games; (c) the motive for starting a game; (d) the number of game-characters assumed by each gamer; (e) the type of game played; and (f) other issues such as the reasons for involvement in the play, the willingness to reuse the game in case new versions were released, etc. On average, it took two hours to interview each of three groups. A primary set of FGIs was conducted with three groups on the premise that there would be some differences caused by character race (Horde vs. Alliance) or by playable server (Normal vs. Combat). With respect to the manner of playing, we found that guild members shared information, felt a sense of belonging, and played computer games for quite a long time through the guild; however, they did not undergo these experiences when playing alone. Gamers who belonged to a specific guild helped other players without expecting compensation for that, freely shared information about the game, gave away items for free, and more generous with other members who made mistakes. The guild members were aware of the existence other members and experienced a sense of belonging through interactions with, and evaluations from, other players. It was clear that social support was shown within the guild and that it played an important role as a major research variable. Based on the results of the first FGIs, a second set of in-depth FGIs was carried out with a focus on the psychology of the individual within the guild and the social community of the guild. The second set of FGIs also focused on the guild's offline meetings. Gamers, over all, recognize the necessity of joining a community, not only off-line but also online world of the guild. They admit that the guild is important for them to easily and conveniently enjoy playing online computer games. The active behavior and positive attitudes of existing guild members can motivate new members of the guild to adapt themselves to the guild environment. They then adopt the same behaviors and attitudes of established guild members. In this manner, the new members of the guild strengthen the bonds with other gamers while feeling a sense of belonging, and developing social identity, thereby. It was discovered that the interaction among guild members and the social support encouraged new gamers to quickly develop a sense of social identity and increase their self-esteem. The guild seemed to play the role of socializing gamers. Sometimes, even in the real world, the guild members helped one another; therefore, the features of the guild also spilled over to the offline environment. We intend to use self-esteem, which was found through the second set of FGIs, as an important research variable. To collect data, an online survey was designed with a questionnaire to be completed by WoW gamers, who belong to a guild. The survey was registered on the best three domestic game-sites: 'WoW playforum,' 'WoW gamemeca,' and 'Wow invent.' The selected items to be measured in the questionnaire were decided based on prior research and data from FGIs. To verify the content of the questionnaire, we carried out a pilot test with the same participants to point out ambiguous questions as a way to ensure maximum accuracy of the survey result. A total of 244 responses were analyzed from the 250 completed questionnaires. The SEM analysis was used to test goodness-of-fit of the model. As a result, we found important results as follows: First, according to the statistics, social support had statistically significant impacts on character control, character identity, guild identity and self-esteem. Second, character control had significant effects on character identity, guild identity and self-esteem. Third, character identity shows its clear impact on self-esteem and game loyalty. Fourth, guild identity affected self-esteem, guild flow and game loyalty. Fifth, self-esteem had a positive influence on the guild flow. These days, the number of virtual community is rising along with its significance largely because of the nature of the online games. Accordingly, this study is designed to clarify the psychological relationship between gamers within the guild that has been generally established by gamers to play online games together. This study focuses on the relationships in which social support influences guild flow or game loyalty through character control, character identity, guild identity, and self-esteem, which are present within a guild in the MMORPG game environment. The study results are as follows. First, the effects of social support on character control, character identity, guild identity and self-esteem are proven to be statistically significant. It was found that character control improves character identity, guild identity and self-esteem. Among the seven variables, social support, which is derived from FGIs, plays an important role in this study. With the active support of other guild members, gamers can improve their ability to develop good characters and to control them. Second, character identity has a positive effect on self-esteem and game loyalty, while guild identity has a significant effect on self-esteem, guild flow and game loyalty. Self-esteem affects guild flow. It was found that the higher the character and guild identities become, the greater the self-esteem is established. Contrary to the findings of prior research, our study results indicate that the relationship between character identity and guild flow is not significant. Rather, it was found that character identity directly affects game players' loyalty. Even though the character identity had no direct effect on increasing guild flow, it has indirectly affected guild flow through self-esteem. The significant relationship between self-esteem and guild flow indicates that gamers achieve flow, i.e., a feeling of pleasure and excitement through social support. Several important implications of this study should be noted. First, both qualitative and quantitative methods were used to conduct this study. Through FGIs, it was observed that both social support and self-esteem are important variables. Second, because guilds had been rarely studied, this research is expected to play an important role in the online community. Third, according to the result, six hypotheses (H1, H5, H6, H7, H8, and H11) setup based on FGIs, were statistically significant; thus, we can suggest the corresponding relationships among the variables as a guideline for follow-up research. Our research is significant as it has following implications: first, the social support of the guild members is important when establishing character control, character identity, guildidentity and self-esteem. It is also a major variable that affects guild flow and game loyalty. Second, character control when improved by social support shows notable influence on the development of character identity, guild identity and self-esteem. Third, character identity and guild identity are major factors to help establish gamers' own self-esteem. Fourth, character identity affects guild flow through self-esteem and game loyalty. The gamers usually express themselves through characters; the higher character identity is, the more loyalty a gamer has. Fifth, guild identity, established within the guild, has clear effects on self-esteem, guild flow and game loyalty. Sixth, qualitative and quantitative methods are employed to conduct this study. Based on the results of focus group interviews and SEM analysis, we find that the social support by guild members and psychological factors are significant in strengthening the flow of guild and loyalty to the game. As such, game developers should provide some extra functions for guild community, through which gamers can play online games in collaboration with one another. Also, we suggest that positive self-esteem which is built up through social support can help gamers achieve higher level of flow and satisfaction, which will consequently contribute to minimizing the possibility for the players to develop negative attitude toward the guild they belong to.

• 한국지역지리학회지
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• 제23권1호
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• pp.23-46
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• 2017

본 연구는 종로구에 위치한 커피빈이 어떻게 '게이빈'으로 불리며 게이들의 모임 장소라는 성적인 이미지가 생겼는지를 분석하는 것이다. 이를 위해 Michel de Certeau의 모델을 이용하여 이성애 중심공간(heteronormative space)에서의 게잉(게이 행위-행동-수행)의 활발한 역동성을 연구했다. 인터뷰를 통해 수집한 데이터를 활용하여 특정한 공간을 두고 경쟁하는 게이와 이성애자들 사이의 협상전술(negotiation)과 대응기제(coping mechanisms)를 분석했다. 이를 통해 특정한 공간에서 성적 정체성이 상이한 주체들 사이에 공간을 차지하기 위한 비폭력적 경쟁이 지속되는 것을 관찰할 수 있었다. 이는 게이들이 이성애 중심 공간을 어떻게 조화롭게 '게이화'할 수 있는지를 보여주고 있다. 게이빈이 자연스럽게 '게이화'될 수 있었던 배경에는 성찰적 코스모폴리타니즘으로 인해 공간적 위치와 전술이 성적 공간의 평화적인 상호 양보(compromise)를 이끌어 냈다는 것이 중요하다. 특히, 게이빈은 비정상행위(deviant behavior)에 관대한 역사를 가진 두 공간인 인사동과 탑골공원 사이에 위치하여, 다양성과 '타자'에 대한 수용이라는 코스모폴리탄의 이상의 혜택을 누려왔다. 즉 외국인을 환영하는 공간(인사동)과 비정상적 행위에 관대한 공간(탑골공원) 사이에서 게이의 수행성은 존재할 수 있었던 것이다. 그러나, 이성애 중심 공간에서 게잉이 조화롭게 유지된 것은 외부 공간의 관대한 역사에 기인한 것뿐만 아니라 내부에서의 정체성 조절 전술 덕분이 기도 했다. 이성애 중심 공간에서의 질서 유지(policing)는 게이 커뮤니티를 기반으로 게이들에 의해 자체적으로 이루어졌다.

• 만화애니메이션 연구
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• 통권29호
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• pp.129-149
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• 2012

최근 페이스북이 오픈 플랫폼을 통해 다면시장을 형성함으로써 게임 분야에 소셜이 본격적으로 등장하기 시작하였다. 그중 가장 크게 주목을 받고 있는 분야는 소셜 네트워크를 기반으로 발전한 SNG 분야이다. SNG란 Social Network Game으로 소셜 네트워크 서비스(Social Network Service)의 인맥 관계를 기반으로 제작한 게임을 말한다. SNG의 가장 큰 특징은 게임 실력보다는 네트워크를 통해 이루어진 이웃간의 교류가 게임의 가장 큰 요소로 작용하는 것이다. 이러한 소셜 네트워크 게임의 빠른 성장과 함께 연구되어야할 분야는 인간과 인간, 인간과 게임, 게임과 게임 간의 소통이라 볼 수 있다. 본 연구는 SNG을 플레이하는 유저들의 심리가 소셜을 기반으로 하는 게임 속 캐릭터에 어떠한 영양을 미치는지에 대한 것을 알아보고자 한다. 연구방식은 성격 특성의 상관관계를 검증하는 방식으로 심리학적 성격 5요인 특성(Big Five Factor Model)과 리커트(likert) 척도를 사용하여 유저가 생성한 캐릭터와 성격 5요인 특성을 대입하는 방식을 사용 하였다. 본 논문을 통해 게임을 플레이하는 유저들의 심리상태를 파악하는 방식이 연구되어짐으로써 미래의 소셜 네트워크 게임이 어떠한 방향으로 발전해 나갈 것인지에 대한 준거점 역할을 할 수 있을 것으로 기대한다.

• Journal of Photoscience
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• 제2권2호
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• pp.69-72
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• 1995

Dry orderly oriented purple membrane from Halobacterium halobium was obtained by a new technique of preparation. This oriented purple membrane film was very stable, nearly permanently, and showed long term reproducibility with respect to its photochemical behavior. In addition, we have investigated the photooptical properties in terms of the M$_{412}$ intermediate of the bacteriorhodopsin photocycle with respect to the humidity of the film. The relative optical density, i.e. its apparent concentration of the M$_{412}$ intermediate was decreased with the humidity increase as a function of the intensity of the exciting flash within our experimental range. It is suggested that the bound water molecules play an important role in the structure of the bacteriorhodopsin.

• 한국문화재보존과학회:학술대회논문집
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• 한국문화재보존과학회 2005년도 제22회 학술대회 발표 논문집
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• pp.100-103
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• 2005

Lichens play an important role in breaking down rocks physically and chemically. Physical weathering occurs mechanically through hyphae and rhizines growing into the rocks. Lichen substances such as oxalic acid, acidic polysaccharides and depsides may assist altering rocks chemically. These actions partly contribute to soil formation but prove harmful for the substratum. Some people do not like to keep lichens on stained glassof churches or on gravestones mainly because of its unglamorous appearance. A biocide, 'Koretrel', is very effective in removing lichens and blue-green algae from the surface of concrete. After spraying 'Koretrel' in the open air, lichens (Caloplaca sp., Endocarpon petrolepideum, Physciella melanchra, Phaeophyscia hispidula, etc.) growing on buildings died within three months and peeled off fromthe substratum. One year after treatment, concrete surfaces were almost lichen free for three or four years. The biocide makesuse of a kind of lichen substance and harmless both for substances and environment. Our recent experiments show that it is also useful for water grasses growing on the surface of an aqueduct of a hydroelectric power station.

• 한국윤활학회:학술대회논문집
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• 한국윤활학회 2000년도 제31회 춘계학술대회
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• pp.93-98
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• 2000

Turbulence on the journal bearing operation is examined. And the thermal variability is studied for isothermal, convective and adiabatic conditions on the walls within some degree of journal misalignment. An efficient algorithm for the solution of the coupled turbulent Reynolds and energy equations is used to examine the effects of the various factors. The calculation data of turbulent analysis are compared with the ones of laminar analysis. Heat convection is found to play but a small role in determining friction and load. The friction distribution patterns through inside a journal bearing now appear different with high values at the front part of the bearing due to the high speed and low temperature, and a sudden decrease past the pressure maximum.

• Asian Journal of Innovation and Policy
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• 제5권1호
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• pp.55-77
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• 2016

This paper focuses on how an integrated or systemic approach is needed to both investigate and connect different kinds of interdisciplinary inquiry and knowledge within and beyond universities to encourage more productive collaboration with the other three ‘macro stakeholders’ - government, business, and the wider community. In this way universities can and should provide a greater leadership role in sustainability, innovation and policy studies. Such a framework is needed to also help to change the view of many that academics should just play a supporting role of providing specialised technical expertise only to the other macro stakeholders. The interdisciplinary and collaborative framework developed here is applied to the on-going water crisis in Malaysia - an exemplary complex problem-solving basis for seeking sustainable policy solutions to diverse challenges. As further discussed, this was applied also in practice to a multi-stakeholder seminar on addressing the difficult policy challenges of the Malaysian water industry and sector.

• STI Policy Review
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• 제1권4호
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• pp.1-20
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• 2010

This paper explores the role of entrepreneurship education in a modern economy and how the government, academic, and nonprofit sectors in the United States have responded to this growing field. There are several sectors that play important roles in the entrepreneurship education landscape in the United States. Over the past decade, there has been increasing participation of Federal and state governments. This recent trend suggests the field may be increasing in maturity and legitimacy, showing promise for expanding the reach of entrepreneurship education programs. Programs sponsored by nonprofit organizations and private foundations complement government initiatives and display an effective means of leveraging knowledge and resources across the relevant sectors. Thus, new initiatives, whether initiated by government or academia, should learn from the successes of this sector as well as be carefully considered within the context of existent programs and services. Nonetheless, the potentially dynamic environment of the entrepreneurship education field in the United States offers a specific opportunity to leverage the experience in mentorship activities at the post-secondary education to address a possible gap in these activities at the secondary education level.

• 한국정보디스플레이학회:학술대회논문집
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• 한국정보디스플레이학회 2004년도 Asia Display / IMID 04
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• pp.903-906
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• 2004

A ${\pi}$ cell is initially in splay state. Before driving a ${\pi}$ cell, transition from splay to bend state is always necessary which originates from nucleation. We propose a novel technique to make bend transition fast and effectively by forming transition cores around the pixels with the technique of multi-domain alignment, where domain boundaries play a crucial role in splay to bend transition. This noble technique enables the splay to bend transition to occur within less than 2 seconds with a low applied voltage.

• 대한기계학회논문집A
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• 제31권12호
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• pp.1150-1156
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• 2007

Multidisciplinary design optimization methodologies play an essential role in modern engineering design which involves many inter-related disciplines. These methodologies usually require very long computing time and design tasks are hard to finish within a specified design cycle time. Parallel processing can be effectively utilized to reduce the computing time. The research on the parallel computing performance of MDO methodologies has been just begun and developing. This study investigates performances of MDF, IDF, SAND and CO among MDO methodologies in view of parallel computing. Finally, the best out of four methodologies is suggested for parallel processing purpose.