• Culinary science and hospitality research
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• v.20 no.4
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• pp.266-279
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• 2014

The purposes of the study are to segment the American family restaurant market based on relational benefits and to compare each group's demographics, dining characteristics, relationship quality(consumer identification, switching costs, satisfaction, commitment), and relational outcomes(positive word-of-mouth intentions and share of purchases). 510 responses were collected from American family restaurant customers and analyzed using frequency analysis, EFA, reliability test, cluster analysis, MANOVA, discriminant analysis, chi-square test, and ANOVA. The results of the study found three different types of relational benefits: confidence, special treatment, and social benefits. The results of cluster analysis identified three market segments, namely, high relational benefits consumers, medium relational benefits consumers, and low relational benefits consumers. The three groups were different in terms of age(p<0.05) and level of education(p<0.05). In addition, high relational benefits consumers showed a higher level of relationship frequency(p<0.001), relationship quality(p<0.001), and relational outcomes(p<0.001), followed by medium and low relational benefits consumers. Overall, the results indicated that family restaurants need to deliver excellent relational benefits to customers in order to achieve desired relationship quality and relational outcomes. Managerial implications were provided.

• Journal of Distribution Science
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• v.13 no.4
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• pp.45-53
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• 2015

Purpose - Online shopping enables consumers to conveniently purchase products irrespective of the time and place. As a result, several online shopping companies have emerged to cater to this growing market and, therefore, the competition among them has become increasingly intense. This paper evaluates the comparative efficiency of online shopping companies for a multi-year period (2009-2013), in order to help online shopping managers identify major drivers for enhancing management efficiency and the subsequent competitiveness. Research design, data, and methodology - The researchers collected the data from 2009 to 2013 from the distribution yearbook. This paper analyzes the marketability (sales figures), profitability (business profits), and management conditions (net profits) of domestic online shopping enterprises by incorporating information on human resources (number of employees) and material resources (total assets and capital). Therefore, the number of employees, total assets, and capital are selected as input variables, and sales figures, business profits, and net profits as the output variables. In this study, Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA) was used to measure the comparative efficiency of domestic online shopping companies. In addition, the Malmquist Productivity Index was used to evaluate the trend of change of Decision Making Units' (DMUs') efficiency for a multi-year period. Results - First, as of 2013, Interpark (2.415) was found to be the most efficient online shopping enterprise, followed by Aladdin Communications (2.117), Hyundai Home shopping (1.867), Home&Shopping (1.176), NS Home shopping (1.170), Commerce Planet (1.126), CJ O Shopping (1.105), Ebay Korea (1.088), and GS Home Shopping (1.051). Second, this study recognizes how the management efficiency has changed for the period 2009-2013. Third, the lesser the capital and employees, the more are the net profits, and the better is the management efficiency of domestic online shopping companies. Lastly, the productivity of such companies is influenced by endogenous factors rather than exogenous factors such as shifts in business environment and technological advances. Conclusions - DHC Korea influenced various distribution channels to reach customers through the Internet. Consequently, this helped in increasing the awareness about its products, in addition to an increase in sales. These achievements can be attributed to the characteristics of online shopping companies. Although it is easy for these companies to suggest goods for one-off purchases, they however have difficulties in retaining customers. Overcoming this challenge can be one of the ways to benchmark a successful case of an efficient company. For example, an online shopping company can attract customers by developing a corresponding mobile application as a convenient way to shop online. Additionally, they can satisfy customers by quick delivery of purchased products, which is possible by building an effective logistics network. Our study indicates that the productivity of an online shopping company was influenced by endogenous factors driven by improvements in managerial practices rather than exogenous factors. Accordingly, online shopping companies should adopt strategies to improve their operational efficiency rather than sales volume-oriented management.

• Journal of Distribution Research
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• v.16 no.5
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• pp.123-140
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• 2011

This study analyzed large distributors' trade features with local suppliers and their direct purchase features through the survey and the interview targeting some MDs(Merchandisers) in large retailers responsible for buying fresh foods (agricultural, fishery, livestock and proceeded products). As the result of conducting the survey targeting the large purchase MDs, it was found that when they select local suppliers, they importantly consider the factors of stable products supply, the quality management, the aggressive management attitude, the affordable (cheap) price, and the suggestion of differentiated goods in order. Concerning their direct purchases in local places, their preference toward the direct-purchase traders were higher than that toward vendors and whole markets as their existing major traders. Among the traders for direct purchase, they preferred farm corporations (including agricultural corporations) the most, and followed the National Agricultural Cooperative, and the unit agricultural cooperative in order. Regarding to the trades with suppliers, when they set the trade price, the merchandisers (MDs) of large distributors preferred long-term trades over 2 years, and utilized the factors of market rate(50.9%), production cost(31.2%) and sale price in the same industry(18.0%). For the local distribution organizations to aggressively counteract the changes of distribution environment in the consumption places, it needs some strategies to organize the agricultural production, to expand the production size and to specialize the distribution channels. And the supply system's continuality and stability are required, so it needs to establish the counteract system enabling to supply all year round through the link of production organizations. Additionally, as an effort to intensify the market negotiation ability, it should collect various market information from the consumption places.

• Journal of Distribution Research
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• v.12 no.3
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• pp.69-90
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• 2007

This study is set out to investigate the factors that influence customers' behavior of choice and switching between online and offline channels, separating the purchase decision into two stages, i.e., information search and purchase. Factors influencing channel choice are found to differ from stage to stage. The main results of this study are as follows. At the information search stage, customers' channel knowledge had impacts on the choice of the channel. Customers are more likely to visit offline bookstores when they have hedonic shopping orientation and higher involvement level with books. On the contrary, customers are more apt to search online when they have a lot of online shopping experiences. At the purchase stage, the results varied according to the search channel. When customers search for information online, the following variables lead to online purchases: online shopping experiences with books, price-focused shopping orientation, and time availability for shopping. Perceived risk made customers purchase offline even though they searched online. In case of offline searching, customers with more convenience-focused, hedonic-focused shopping orientation and less tim availability purchased offline.

• Journal of Distribution Science
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• v.10 no.11
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• pp.71-77
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• 2012

Purpose - This study examined marketing communication in traditional markets by assessing consumers demonstrating brand loyalty through repeat purchases despite active marketing by competing brands hence, showing that the brand did not lose customers owing to communication. Specifically, this study examined the effects of marketing communication factors in traditional markets upon consumers' store loyalty and to determine consumers' practical and hedonic values, as moderating variables. Moreover, this study determined that both experienced and inexperienced consumers in traditional markets could similarly assess the market and examined the outcome of traditional market development as well as future strategies. Research design, data, methodology - To verify the relationship between marketing communication and store loyalty, and the moderating effects of shopping value, data were collected from 230 consumers in the Gyeonggi Province to test the theoretical model and its hypotheses. Although the field of distribution management typically uses two research methodologies, this study was conducted using empirical methodology. Specifically, analysis of variance and hierarchical regression analysis were used to test the hypotheses. Results - Consumers who had experienced the traditional market placed a greater emphasis on the physical environment or word-of-mouth marketing. Moreover, other factors apart from advertising had a significantly positive influence upon marketing communication sub-factors and store loyalty. Word-of-mouth marketing was found to be more important than other factors, therefore affirmative word-of-mouth marketing was considered important from various viewpoints. The study investigated the moderating effects of hedonic value and practical use value in the relationship between marketing communication sub-factors and store loyalty: The negative influence of publicity, physical environment, and word-of-mouth marketing was considered to be statistically significant. Conclusions - Consumers who made use of the traditional market did not think of the physical environment in an affirmative way, and consumers who did not make use of the traditional market perceived it as having a poor physical environment. However, consumers who engaged in word-of-mouth marketing experienced the traditional market in an affirmative way. Consumers who made use of the traditional market had significantly high hedonic value and/or practical use value, therefore future strategies should encourage consumers to make more use of the traditional market. Consumers who had experienced the traditional market demonstrated strong market loyalty. For consumers who did not make use of the traditional market, marketing communication was likely to influence store loyalty in a different manner from a practical perspective. In other words, marketing communication was needed to develop the traditional market, and consumers who did not make use of the traditional market should be given the opportunity to do so. Consumers having low hedonic values experienced high publicity to have high store loyalty, and consumers who experienced good facilities of the traditional market had high store loyalty (Nam & Jun, 2011). Consumers with low hedonic values as well as those with high hedonic values on the traditional market could have high store loyalty through affirmative word-of-mouth marketing.Therefore, various types of events and strategies were needed to enable consumers to experience the traditional market in an affirmative way.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Organic Agriculture Conference
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• 2009.12a
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• pp.281-281
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• 2009

Although national and regional environmentally friend agriculture (EFA) and food development programmes such as the Life-Food Development Plan (LFDP) have been established in Korea, some policy measures in these programmes seem to be unsuitable for Korean organic farming development. Policy measures tend to support external input purchases of organic fertilizers rather than market development actions such as providing consumer information, research, education, training and statistical data collection. The development of an organic action plan (OAP) for Korea is therefore considered essential for the sustainable future of organic farming in Korea. The purposes of OAP are 1) to define and set the clear goals/targets for the organic sector development, 2) to integrate various organic stakeholders and public institutions in partnership, 3)to focus on specific issues with tailored measures and 4) to integrate and develop different policy measures (Stolze, 2005). Most EU member state countries have developed their own OAPs and each reflects its own priorities with regard to organic sector development. This study compares and contrasts the Welsh, England and EU OAP with the Korean Jeonnam Life-Food Development Plan (LFDP) in order to facilitate the development of the organic food and farming sector in Korea. Early action plan, for example, the first Welsh OAP(1999) focused support on developing the supply of organic products whereas later action plans (e.g. England OAPs in 2002 and 2004 and the second Welsh OAP in 2005) focussed more on developing consumer demands for organic products. The EU OAP (2004) also aims at market support related to consumer demand and then organic farming production for its environmental and other social benefits. OAPs not only provide specific issue-solving tools but also perform a role as providing a focus for organic sector development as a whole. The Korean LFDP provides issue-solving tools but plays no regulatory role such as policy development, harmonizing various policy measures and conflicting factors and providing evaluation tools for further development. A national-level OAP could also facilitate international trade of organic products. To achieve better harmonized and sustainable approaches for the Korean organic industry, National- as well as regional- regulatory policy systems are urgently required in the form of an Organic Action Plan.

• Information Systems Review
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• v.18 no.2
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• pp.59-77
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• 2016

Although various recommendation techniques have been applied to the e-commerce market, few studies compare the intent to use these techniques from the customer's perspective. In this paper, we conduct a comparative analysis of customers' intention to use five recommendation techniques widely adapted by online shopping malls and focus on the differences in purchasing electronic goods and apparel products. The recommendation techniques are as follows: best-seller recommendation, merchandiser recommendation, content-based recommendation, collaborative filtering recommendation, and social recommendation. Additionally, we examine which factors influence customer intent to use the recommendation services. Data were collected through a survey administered to 220 e-commerce users with prior experience with recommendation services. Collected data were examined using analysis of variance and regression analysis. Results indicate statistically significant differences in customers' intention to use recommendation services according to the recommendation technique. In particular, the best-seller recommendation technique is preferred when purchasing electronic goods, whereas the content-based recommendation technique is preferred for apparel purchases. Factors such as personal characteristics and personality, purchasing tendency, as well as perception of the product or recommendation service affect a customer's intention to use a recommendation service. However, the influence of these factors varies depending on the recommendation technique. This study provides guidelines for companies to adopt appropriate recommendation techniques according to product categories and personal characteristics of customers.

• Asia pacific journal of information systems
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• v.18 no.1
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• pp.117-144
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• 2008

Lots of virtual communities and online businesses presently derive their primary sources of revenues through advertising, but nevertheless are plagued with marginal profitability though they might possess a significant user base. In the light of the need for an efficacious business model, there have been recent insights of an online community in particular reaping profits through an innovative and lucrative revenue generation method that earns by selling digital items. There have been some obvious evidences (e.g., Cyworld, SecondLife, Habo Hotel, etc.) that online communities can be profitable through their unique business model of selling digital items. However, there is lack of understanding about the motivation of purchasing digital items. This study tries to identify the main motivators of digital item purchases based on social/individual identity theory and self-presentation theory. "Digital items", otherwise known as "virtual assets", may include online avatars, accessories for the avatars, decorative ornaments like furniture, digital wallpapers, skins, background music and virtual weapons used for Internet games. These digital items are employed by users for representation and articulation in the online space, especially to create and enhance their online profiles in web pages and games. Prices for digital items typically range from a few cents to a few dollars each. Based on the theoretical framework like social identity theory and self-presentation theory, we developed the research model and proposed seven hypotheses. An analysis of 225 members of Cyworld found that digital item purchase intention in virtual world is affected by both members' need for self-presentation and need for affiliation. We also found that the need for self-presentation is significantly increased by innovativeness of members, community group norm, and community involvement. We concluded that the need for self-presentation could be a key variable for profitable business model in online community service industry. However, neither individual self-efficacy nor the need for affiliation significantly influenced the need for self-presentation which triggers purchase intention of digital items. In term of the theoretical and practical contribution, this study can be a pioneering empirical research that investigates the purchase intention of digital items based on social identity theory and self-presentation theory in the online context. Also, the findings of our study are valuable and practical for practitioners in the market who wish to adopt or improve the business model of selling digital items in an online community. From the findings, it can be seen that innovativeness of users, community group norm, and community involvement are three significant factors that influence need for self-presentation of users which ultimately leads to their intentions to buy digital items. These findings put forth that virtual community providers and online businesses selling digital items should prioritize their efforts and focus on these three factors if they want to increase the sales of these digital items and generate greater revenues. This study provides important implications for academic researchers and practitioners to understand why the community members pay money for their digital items in virtual world and how the practitioners can increase the sales of digital items in an online community. A couple of limitations of the study and future research directions are also discussed.

• Science of Emotion and Sensibility
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• v.11 no.1
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• pp.57-68
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• 2008

With the shift of consumer’s spending behaviors further into emotionally-driven purchases, the role of brand is becoming even more important, which in turn, expands design’s role in the brand image strategy. The contact point between the consumers and the brand is the primary channel for building strong brand image through experience. Therefore, it is critical to comprehensively plan and manage the consumer contact point for any brand. Given the changing market conditions, the objective of this study is to define and structure an integrated design development and management system for building successful brand image. In order to do so, the research analyzed the characters of brand image, the conditions for consumer experience and the roles of emotion. The analysis into the correlation between images and emotion process model yields three natures of an image. The image 1) is based on empirical decisions, 2) expresses and conveys emotional aspects and 3) builds mental values through a sense of sympathy. Through case studies of successful designs that meet all three characteristics, the roles of a brand icon in building strong brand image and the needs for integrated design approach for implementation are defined. The methods for integrated design include 1) providing a focal point through brand image positioning, 2) utilizing visual themes based on brand image plot, 3) building a Total Identity Program to holistically manage brand images and 4) developing brand icons for brand image reinforcement.

• Culinary science and hospitality research
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• v.22 no.5
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• pp.52-63
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• 2016

This research was conducted about four weeks from April 1, 2016 until April 30. Data collection for customers who visit the restaurant franchise in Seoul. Results shown that choose a restaurant franchise result sync conducted a regression analysis to analyze the impact on consumers' purchase intention. Kindness was the influence of B=0.597 (p<.001), is a unique B=0.210 (p<.001), cleanliness is B=0.230 (p<.001) significant information on the degree of consumer purchases (+). Second, choose a restaurant franchise motivation verify the moderating effect of consumer attitudes between the purchase intention of consumers eating out analysis. In the first stage determining factor model to 0.630, F=128.612 (p<0.01) emerged as significant. In the second stage of the explanatory models increased by the addition of an additional 6.1% of consumer attitudes consumer attitudes to F=58.656 (p<0.01) for it came out significantly. In Step 3 of Select synchronization options* and the increase in explanatory power due to the additional input of consumer attitudes 0.6%, so for F=1.585 (p<0.01) emerged as a significant moderating effect.