• The Journal of Industrial Distribution & Business
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• v.15 no.1
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• pp.19-29
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• 2024

Purpose: It is necessary to look at the reasons why the Korean government has failed in boosting mom and pops, even though many aid programs for independent retailers have been introduced. Furthermore, this research will provide policy makers and practitioners with new insight to improve the performance of government policies. Research design: the researcher has had an interview with the 26 practitioners to gather the right information. Furthermore, interview results have been categorized into the government-related issues, support programs and shop owner-related issues, from a practitioner's perspectives. Results: The researcher found that the confusion of governmental support organization, the lack of retail marketing experts, frequent job rotation, the lack of cooperation between bureaucrats and associations, concerned about the governmental-related issues, are failure reasons. In terms of support program issues, the research found the following reasons: no blueprint, the lack of retail experts, relevance to budget scale, and the complexity of budget implementation. Associated with shop owner-related issues, the author found that the causes of failure are closely related to aging shopkeepers, the absence of a successor and increasing dependence on a government. Conclusions: The author proposes that a government has to rebuild existing support programs for small shop owners.

• Journal of Distribution Science
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• v.10 no.3
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• pp.51-61
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• 2012

This study seeks to understand how the choice of a coffee shop is related to a customer's loyalty and which characteristics of a shop influence this choice. It considers large-sized coffee shops brands whose market scale has gradually grown. The users' choice of shop is determined by price, employee service, shop location, and shop atmosphere. The study investigated the effects of these four properties on the brand attitudes of coffee shops. The effects were found to vary depending on users' characteristics. The properties with the largest influence were shop atmosphere and shop location Therefore, the purpose of the study was to examine the properties that could help coffee shops get loyal customers, and the choice properties that could satisfy consumers' desires The study examined consumers' perceptions of shop properties at selection of coffee shop and the difference between perceptual difference and coffee brand in order to investigate customers' desires and needs and to suggest ways that could supply products and service. The research methodology consisted of two parts: normative and empirical research, which includes empirical analysis and statistical analysis. In this study, a statistical analysis of the empirical research was carried out. The study theoretically confirmed the shop choice properties by reviewing previous studies and performed an empirical analysis including cross tabulation based on secondary material. The findings were as follows: First, coffee shop choice properties varied by gender. Price advantage influenced the choice of both men and women; men preferred nearer coffee shops where they could buy coffee easily and more conveniently than women did. The atmosphere of the coffee shop had the greatest influence on both men and women, and shop atmosphere was thought to be the most important for age analysis. In the past, customers selected coffee shops solely to drink coffee. Now, they select the coffee shop according to its interior, menu variety, and atmosphere owing to improved quality and service of coffee shop brands. Second, the prices of the brands did not vary much because the coffee shops were similarly priced. The service was thought to be more important and to elevate service quality so that price and employee service and other properties did not have a great influence on shop choice. However, those working in the farming, forestry, fishery, and livestock industries were more concerned with the price than the shop atmosphere. College and graduate school students were also affected by inexpensive price. Third, shop choice properties varied depending on income. The shop location and shop atmosphere had a greater influence on shop choice. The customers in an income bracket of less than 2 million won selected low-price coffee shops more than those earning 6 million won or more. Therefore, price advantage had no relation with difference in income. The higher income group was not affected by employee service. Fourth, shop choice properties varied depending on place. For instance, customers at Ulsan were the most affected by the price, and the ones at Busan were the least affected. The shop location had the greatest influence among all of the properties. Among the places surveyed, Gwangju had the least influence. The alternate use of space in a coffee shop was thought to be important in all the cities under consideration. The customers at Ulsan were not affected by employee service, and they selected coffee shops according to quality and preference of shop atmosphere. Lastly, the price factor was found to be a little higher than other factors when customers frequently selected brands according to shop properties. Customers at Gwangju reacted to discounts more than those in other cities did, and the former gave less priority to the quality and taste of coffee. Brand preference varied depending on coffee shop location. Customers at Busan selected brands according to the coffee shop location, and those at Ulsan were not influenced by employee kindness and specialty. The implications of this study are that franchise coffee shop businesses should focus on customers rather than aggressive marketing strategies that increase the number of coffee shops. Thus, they should create an environment with a good atmosphere and set up coffee shops in places that customers have good access to. This study has some limitations. First, the respondents were concentrated in metropolitan areas. Secondary data showed that the number of respondents at Seoul was much more than that at Gyeonggi-do. Furthermore, the number of respondents at Gyeonggi-do was much more than those at the six major cities in the nation. Thus, the regional sample was not representative enough of the population. Second, respondents' ratio was used as a measurement scale to test the perception of shop choice properties and brand preference. The difficulties arose when examining the relation between these properties and brand preference, as well as when understanding the difference between groups. Therefore, future research should seek to address some of the shortcomings of this study: If the coffee shops are being expanded to local areas, then a questionnaire survey of consumers at small cities in local areas shall be conducted to collect primary material. In particular, variables of the questionnaire survey shall be measured using Likert scales in order to include perception on shop choice properties, brand preference, and repurchase. Therefore, correlation analysis, multi-regression, and ANOVA shall be used for empirical analysis and to investigate consumers' attitudes and behavior in detail.

• Journal of Distribution Science
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• v.9 no.4
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• pp.93-102
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• 2011

With the increasing interest in boosting conventional markets, many authors have paid considerable attention to the roles of shop owners, store image improvement, and how to attract or maintain customers. Nevertheless, it is not easy to find papers related to the relationship between shop owners and their contribution to trading areas, directly or indirectly, in the academic world. Accordingly, research for answering the following question has been initiated: what kind of roles do shopkeepers should play in revitalizing poor conventional markets? Based on the previous studies focusing on enhancing traditional markets, this research was approached from the new insights that have been obtained concerning how to boost conventional markets, that is, from the perspectives of a shop owner and a trader. Therefore, this research aims at identifying some resolutions associated with the roles of shop owners to enhance a shopping district in a specific area, classifying their business roles into a few categories, depending on the degree of their participation in improving the shopping environment. Compared with previous studies focusing on emphasizing the importance of improving customer services from a shopkeeper's perspective, this research provides a new insight as far as how to boost conventional markets. It is, furthermore, necessary to note how market participants, particularly shop owners as they are the key players, can contribute to rebuilding their business area together with their customers. As a research technique for effectively achieving the research goal, the authors adopted a documentation methodology based on a large amount of the existing literature for studying how to rebuild traditional markets. Concerned about the ways to revitalize conventional markets, many authors have proposed a variety of strategies, and have suggested more detailed action plans from a practitioner's perspective. By analyzing these research results, the authors will have accomplished the research aim. Rather than simply identifying the roles of shop owners, the author found that they had to understand their social contribution for enhancing their trading areas, as well as their functional roles, in forming a regional society. The conventional market should be, thus, regarded as the place to share regional culture. Consequently, the authors draw some conclusions from the research results. In order to answer the above question, it was found that the roles of shop owners have been considered as one of the most important ways for revitalizing traditional markets. With respect to their roles, it is evident that their business activities are closely related to the improvement of the trading area in terms of sociality, regional development, and market revitalization, by selling products or services to the customers visiting that area. In a word, this implies that shop owners have to actively take part in boosting conventional markets as a core player. Although the authors have properly achieved the research aim, this study has a limitation, like most other research, in adopting a documentation method. Because the research is based on existing data results provided by the prior research conducted a long time ago, whether the research findings are applicable in a contemporary market should be re-examined in future research from a practitioner's perspective, rather than from an academic's perspective.

• Journal of Distribution Science
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• v.22 no.4
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• pp.91-104
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• 2024

Purpose: The study aims to assess the current status of domestic public food delivery apps and analyze the process through which sellers choose between private delivery apps and public delivery apps. This involves exploring strategiesto achieve the original purpose of public food delivery apps, which is to enhance the small business owners income and promote consumer welfare by preventing the monopoly of private food delivery apps. Research design, data and methodology: the research methodology is based on a model that introduces adjustments for non-economic effects, considering the preferences of multi-homing consumers, to more realistically reflect the benefits of sellers' choices. For data analysis, real business performance data from 'Daeguro', 'Meokkaebi', and 'Somunnan Shop' were used. Results: The study revealed that if the market share of public delivery apps within a specific region increases beyond a certain level, the benefits for small-business sellers also increase. This leads to the strategic advantage of simultaneously using both delivery apps. Furthermore, the results exhibit a tendency similar to real social phenomena. Conclusions: This analysis confirmed the role of public food delivery apps in the domestic delivery app market and presents policy recommendations, including application integration and the implementation of exclusive public interest functions, to effectively fulfill this role.

• The Journal of the Korea Contents Association
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• v.8 no.11
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• pp.296-305
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• 2008

This paper aims to examine the location factors affecting small service business performance, especially hair-style service business sales which are assumed to be dependent on outskirts' residents. In contrast to the prior research, this study measures sales amount as business success factors rather than business man's satisfaction level or customers' royalty. The empirical results show that hair-style service business can be determined by visibility and access level of its shop. In addition, its sales can be influenced by hairstyling chair, but its sales per a designer can impacted by hairstyling chair. This study also presents additional examinations about several independent factors which can have influence on hair-style business performance and several location traits that can have an significant influence on its sales volume.

• Journal of Distribution Science
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• v.14 no.10
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• pp.153-164
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• 2016

Purpose - In general, large companies have larger organizations, funds, and systems to provide more effective and efficient services in the market. However, development needs to support the livelihood of ordinary citizens who work for small businesses as well. This research suggests that a new distribution channel, called a "foothold style Kosa mart," that cooperates jointly with a distribution center and a large discount mart can provide direct solutions to small and mid-size distributors. This new distribution channel can achieve a limited type of "Nadle shop (small supermarket) foster project" related to building a joint distribution center and improvement in wholesale supply. Research design, data, and methodology - Data about the Korea distribution situation, the Nadle stores, and the logistics centers were collected from literature, Statistics Korea, journals, and reports. Specifically, we investigated information about Kosa Mart and Nadle stores. We focused on the redesign of the distribution center for the Nadle store. Results - The Kosa Mart distribution center now includes 18 warehouses, and has been handling 2000-3000 items. Most of the warehouses have been simply designed and items loaded and stored without refrigeration; thus, it is possible to store only products of certain manufactured goods. The current logistics center has no wholesale function because it failed to resolve the joint purchasing and product supply issues of competitively priced products. Conclusions - This study aimed to identify ways to strengthen the competitiveness of small- and medium-sized retailers. A Kosa Mart redesign aims to unifying the logistics center, stores, and customers. First, the joint wholesale logistics system, equipped with an integrated ordering system, needs to process customer orders and store orders at the same time. Second, excellent small business product development has to connect with production. Third, the store composition needs to support a shipping hub. Fourth, the Mart differentiates itself from convenience store goods by supplying regional and specialized products to customers. Fifth, a service buying agent and direct transactions between producers and consumers need to be established, and exhibits and displays of goods need to be improved.

• Journal of Distribution Science
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• v.14 no.6
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• pp.65-73
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• 2016

Purpose - Recently, the management conditions of small independent retailers are getting worse everyday as large-scale marts and franchised convenience stores are increasing. The objective of this research is to find out the antecedents and consequences of cooperation in voluntary chain in order to enhance small independent retailer's competitiveness. Voluntary chains, also called affiliation or symbol groups, or allied group represent a high market shared in some European countries like Italy, France, and Germany. Nevertheless, there are still limitations in this research from academic fields. Drawing from network theory, the author investigates the relationship between antecedent factors in voluntary chain cooperation, such as participation benefits, justice of compensation, and autonomy in voluntary chain, and relationship specific asset. The author also attempts to examine the relationship between the relationship specific asset and cooperation of voluntary chain member shop and cooperation and consequence factors of voluntary chain cooperation, such as efficiency, group cohesiveness, and long-term relationship. Research design, data, and methodology - The author presented conceptual framework integrating the major antecedents and consequences of voluntary chain cooperation. The data were collected from 174 independent small retailers who joined K-voluntary chain. K-voluntary chain consists of small independent retailers. In accordance with their status, each entrepreneur associated with the voluntary group can own one or more outlets and can be a part of the life and the decision-making process of the group. This participation is not based on company turnover or on the number of outlets, but based on a one member, one vote system. To verify the research model and test hypotheses, the author carefully investigated the reliability, content validity, convergent validity, and discriminant validity of the proposed model. The data were analyzed by using SPSS 18.0 and AMOS structural equation modeling program. Results - The results of this study are as follows. First, as antecedent variables, participation benefits and justice of compensation have positive effect on the relationship specific assets of voluntary chain members. Second, voluntary chain members' relationship specific asset also directly related to the level of its cooperation to chain headquarter. Third, cooperation of voluntary chain member shop facilitates efficiency, group cohesiveness, and long-term relationship. Unexpectedly, there are no effect autonomy in voluntary chain to relationship specific asset. Conclusions - This research shows several theoretical and practical implications to both marketing scholars and marketers. In terms of theoretical implications, this study applies to network theory and network theory variables to explain the antecedent and consequence factors of cooperation in voluntary chain. From the point of view from business management, most of all, this study shows the way how to reinforce competitiveness of voluntary chain. Specifically, it is necessary for voluntary chain headquarter to give higher level of participation benefit and justice of compensation to its members. Second, the results also indicate what the consequence factors of cooperation in voluntary chain. In other words, to increase the level of marketing efficiency, group cohesiveness, long-term orientation in retail voluntary chain, and chain headquarter need to facilitate participants' cooperation.

• Speech Sciences
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• v.14 no.4
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• pp.169-178
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• 2007

This thesis describes the development of a service system for small-sized shops which support not only music broadcasting, but editing and generating voice announcement using the TTS(Text-To-Speech) technology. The system has been developed based on web environments with an easy access whenever and wherever it is needed. The system is able to control the sound using silverlight media player based on the ASP .NET 2.0 technology without any additional application software. Use of the Ajax control allows for multiple users to get the maximum load when needed. TTS is built in the server side so that the service can be provided without user's computer. Due to convenience and usefulness of the system, the business sector can provide better service to many shops. Further additional functions such as statistical analysis will undoubtedly help shop management provide desirable services.

• Proceedings of the Korea Information Processing Society Conference
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• 2020.11a
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• pp.160-163
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• 2020

본 논문에서는 자리가 많이 남는 소상공인 커피숍의 자리를 예약하여 학생, 회사원 등 다양한 사용자들이 무료로 커피숍 자리를 이용할 수 있고, 지리적 격차와 인지도에 따른 프랜차이즈 카페와 소상공인 카페 사이의 불균형을 해결하고, 사용자 정보들을 분석하여 부가적인 효과를 가질 수 있는 공유 플랫폼 앱을 개발하였다.

• Journal of Distribution Science
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• v.9 no.2
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• pp.111-122
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• 2011

The purpose of this study is to survey the successful cases of small and medium Business Systematization Cognition by examining their entrepreneurial characteristics and analysing the factors affecting their success. To that end, previous studies on the association types of small businesses were studied. A research model was developed, and research hypotheses for an empirical analysis were established upon it. Suh et al. (2010) insist on the importance of Small Business Systematization in Korea but also show that small business performance is suffering: they are too small to stand alone. That is why association is so crucial for them: they must stand together. Unfortunately, association is difficult, as they have few specific links and little motivation. Even in franchising networks, association tends to be initiated by big franchisers, not small ones. In that sense, association among small businesses is crucial for their long-term survival. With this in mind, this study examines how they think and feel about the issue of 'Industrial Classification', how important Industrial Classification is to their business success, and what kinds of problems it raises in the markets. This study seeks the different cognitions among the association types of small businesses from the perspectives of participation motivation, systematization expectation, policy demand level, and management performance. We assume that different industrial classification types of small businesses will have different cognitions concerning these factors. There are four basic industrial classification types of small businesses: retail sales, restaurant, service, and manufacturing. To date, most of the studies in this area have focused on collecting data on the external environments of small businesses or performing statistical analyses on their status. In this study, we surveyed 4 market areas in Busan, Masan, and Changwon in Korea, where business associations consist of merchants, shop owners, and traders. We surveyed 330 shops and merchants by sending a questionnaire or visiting. Finally, 268 questionnaires were collected and used for the analysis. An ANOVA, T-test, and regression analyses were conducted to test the research hypotheses. The results demonstrate that there are differences in cognition depending upon the industrial classification type. Restaurants generally have a higher cognition concerning job offer problems and a lower cognition concerning their competitiveness. Restaurants also depend more on systematization expectation than do the other industrial classification types. On the policy demand level, restaurants have a higher cognition. This study identifies several factors that are contributing to management performance through differences in cognition that depend upon association type: systematization expectation and policy demand level have positive effects on management performance; participation motivation has a negative effect on management performance. We confirm also that the image factors of different cognitions are linked to an awareness of the value of systematization and that these factors show sequential and continual patterns in the course of generating performances. In conclusion, this study carries significant implications in its classifying of small businesses into the four different associational types (retail sales, restaurant, services, and manufacturing). We believe our study to be the first one to conduct an empirical survey in this subject area. More studies in this area will likely use our research frameworks. The data show that regionally based industrial classification associations such as those in rural cities or less developed areas tend to suffer more problems than those in urban areas. Moreover, restaurants suffer more problems than the norm. Most of the problems raised in this study concern the act of 'associating itself'. Most associations have serious difficulties in associating. On the other hand, the area where they have the least policy demand is that of service types. This study contributes to the argument that associating, rather than financial assistance or management consulting, promotes the start-up and managerial performance of small businesses. This study also has some limitations. The main limitation is the number of questionnaires. We could not survey all the industrial classification types across the country because of budget and time limitations. If we had, we could have produced many more useful results and enhanced the precision of our analysis. The history of systemization is very short and the number of industrial classification associations is relatively low in Korea. We should keep in mind, though, that this is very crucial to systemization entrepreneurs starting their businesses, as it can heavily affect their chances of success. Being strongly associated with each other might be critical to the business success of industrial classification members. Thus, the government needs to put more effort and resources into supporting the drive of industrial classification members to become more strongly associated.