• The Journal of the Korea Contents Association
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• v.14 no.4
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• pp.355-367
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• 2014

The purpose of this research is to find the specific structure with factors that affect online game users' positive word of mouth(WOM) for online game companies to maintain existing and new users. In previous studies the influence of characteristics of online games and attributes of users on intention to play online games is mainly focused on. However online games are products with communication on network, so that critical mass through diffusion as well as the use of product by individual consumers is important issues. Therefore, it is necessary to consider network externality effect that the more value can be obtained by more game users. The authors verified that the influence of the variables like social mass and critical mass, affecting consumers' attitude and WOM. According to the research results, social norm and critical mass have significant influence on positive attitude and WOM intention for online games. Another results verified that social norm and users' attitude affect positive WOM intention directly. These results suggest managerial implication regarding social norm and critical mass to online game companies that desire for WOM to get more online game users.

• The Journal of Information Systems
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• v.21 no.3
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• pp.163-186
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• 2012

With the development of Internet and transition to information society, social capital is expanding to online from the traditional offline context. Especially with the widespread of social network service(SNS) the number of SNS users is increasing sharply and the importance of online social capital has been more and more significant. Most studies on social capital focused on organizational aspects but few studies have payed attention to personal aspect. Empirical studies on the relation between SNS and social capital were seldom conducted in previous studies. Based on the theory of social capital this study targets on the relationship formed through SNS and analyzes on how the relationship affects the perceived social capital. In this study 'self-presentation', 'playfulness' and 'critical mass' are posited as the antecedent factors of 'SNS usage'. This study proposes a research model to examine the effect of 'SNS usage' on 'relationship reinforcement', 'relationship building' and 'perceived social capital'. According to the results of empirical analysis, 'self-presentation', 'playfulness' and 'critical mass' can generate significant positive influence on 'SNS usage'. It also confirms not only the effect of 'relationship reinforcement' and 'relationship building' formed through SNS on 'perceived social capital' but also relationship between the social capital formation and SNS usage. The outcome obtained in this study can be applied in developing SNS services.

• Korean journal of communication and information
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• v.58
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• pp.154-177
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• 2012

Considering the growing importance of TV favorite channel setting function due to the rapid increase of number of TV channels, this study tried to find factors which affect the attitude toward and intention to use the favorite channel setting function. As related theories, this study used theory of diffusion of innovation, channel repertoire, channel changing behaviors, and social influences and suggested research hypotheses and questions based on the theories. After collecting data through online survey of 192 general audience, this study empirically analyzed the data by using multiple regression analysis. The result showed that innate innovativeness, relative advantage and social critical mass affected attitude toward using the favorite channel setting function and that compatibility, visibility, social critical mass influenced intention to use the function.

• The Journal of the Korea Contents Association
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• v.14 no.1
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• pp.165-178
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• 2014

Recently, the social network game (SNG) industry is expanding at a fast pace by the increase in the charged item sales. The objective of the present study is to explore factors influencing user intention to purchase charged items. Based on the literature review, flow has been introduced as an influential factor of the intention to purchase and individual influence, social relationship, and social influence as factors of flow. Enjoyment and self-competence are assumed to be measurement constructs for individual influence, social interaction and self-presentation for social relationship, social norm and perceived critical mass for social influence. Empirical analysis show that enjoyment and self-presentation has significant influence on users' flow while self-competence and social interaction has not. Also social norms and perceived critical mass directly influence intention to purchase items. Theoretical and practical implications are discussed by this results.

• The Journal of Art Theory & Practice
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• no.7
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• pp.7-36
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• 2009

This paper intends to examine the significance of the "Minjoong Misool(People's art)" of the 1980s emerged in Korea in its social, cultural, and art historical context. This paper also aims to provide an analysis of the meaning and form of the individual artist's works, which have been overlooked under the dominant discourse that has emphasized their political role as a collective group. In particular, this paper scrutinizes the work of "Critical Realists" by examining the way in which they perceived Korean society in the early 1980s and visualized their experiences of the period. The figurative art newly emerged in the early 1980s challenged the formalist Modernism, which was adopted into Korea and translated into monochrome paintings and the work of the conversative academicism of the 1970s. The figurative art encouraged a social communication and moreover it intended to criticize the conflicts in the political, economical, and social domains in Korea. The targets of its critique include the unavoidable results of the unprecedented development of economy, various social phenomena of the post-industrial society, and the growth of the commercialized kitsch culture. Along with Shin, Hak-chul's work that incorporates collage technique since the 1980s, the work of some members of "Reality and Utterance" and "Im- sul-nyun" exemplify their critical interests in disclosing the false dream of wealth and happiness by both referring to and drawing on the utopian fantasy manipulated and distributed by mass media and commercial advertisements. This paper pays particular attention to Nouvelle Figuration emerged in France and Europe during the 1960s, which is comparable to the new figurative art emerged in Korea during the 1980s. Nouvelle Figuration criticized the autonomy in art isolated itself from political and social reality after WWII, in particular the indifference of Informel and abstract art as well as American abstract art. Moreover it became rather politicized around May of 1968. Given that French Nouvelle Figuration was introduced in Korea in 1982 and made a significant contribution to the formation of figurative art in Korea, it should be noted that the new figurative art emerged in the 1980s in Korea cannot be categorized merely in relation to People's Art. This paper intends to critically redress the notion that People's art was formed in the particular political, economical, and cultural context of Korea independent of the contemporary artistic practices outside Korea. It will provide a critical examination and analysis of the content and form of the new figurative art, from which People's Art was germinated, in the global context.

• International Journal of Contents
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• v.9 no.3
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• pp.55-61
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• 2013

The Korean films in the 1980s played an important role in impeding the interaction between the media and the audience. In terms of two mechanisms of money and power, the Korean films lost the function of publicity and were forced to disregard positive aspects of culture as a way of understanding society. As a mass medium, the film did not give people the space for critical thought and discussion on social reality. This study tries to discuss how Korean movies in the 1980s functioned as a bulwark of critical debate provided by the interaction between cultural texts and audiences through the notion of the public sphere. For Habermas, the public sphere provides a basis for critical analysis in order to reveal the relationship between media and economic and administrative power in a modern society.

• Asia pacific journal of information systems
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• v.27 no.4
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• pp.191-215
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• 2017

This study investigated the antecedents and the performance impact of two types of Smartphone functions (communication vs. computing functions) in organizational environment and the moderating impact of Smartphone users' organizational roles. More specifically, identifying two distinct types of Smartphone functions such as communication functions and computing functions (including informational, social network, and resource management functions), we investigated the impact of three antecedents (Smartphone dependency, task mobility, and perceived critical mass) on the use of the two Smartphone functions and how organizational workers' perceived performance gains differ by using these two different Smartphone functions for their workplace activities. We tested our hypotheses with survey data collected from 176 organizational workers. Our findings suggest that Smartphone dependency, task mobility and perceived critical mass of Smartphone use are significantly associated with the use of the two different functions, and that the use of computing functions is more strongly associated with perceived performance gain than the use of communication functions. We also found that managerial roles played by individual workers differently moderate the impact of Smartphone use on perceived performance gain. The present findings enable researchers and practitioners to better understand the impact of Smartphone use in workplaces.

• The Journal of the Korea Contents Association
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• v.19 no.2
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• pp.568-580
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• 2019

This research explored how the various of factors including performance expectancy, effort expectancy, social influence and facilitating conditions and some external factors consisting of critical mass, attention, perceived enjoyment, and time distortion had impacts on users' usage of short-clip application based on flow theory and the UTAUT model. The research employed SEM with 263 valid questionnaires. The results showed that social influence and satisfaction factors had positive impacts in sustainable usage of mobile short-clip application, while the other factors have no special effect on it. The results also indicated that time distortions had a negative effect in the intention of continuous usage. Furthermore, performance expectancy, perceived enjoyment, and time distortions had positive impacts in users' satisfaction. The beneficial effects of critical mass on social influence had been recognized through this study.

• Nutrition Research and Practice
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• v.15 no.sup1
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• pp.32-40
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• 2021

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: Considering the high number of deaths from coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in Latin American countries, together with multiple factors that increase the prevalence of vitamin D deficiency, we aimed to determine 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25[OH]D) levels and its association with mortality in patients with critical COVID-19. SUBJECTS/METHODS: This was a prospective observational study including adult patients with critical COVID-19. Data, including clinical characteristics and 25(OH)D levels measured at the time of intensive care unit admission, were collected. All patients were followed until hospital discharge or in-hospital death. The patients were divided into those surviving and deceased patient groups, and univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses were performed to determine independent predictors of in hospital mortality. RESULTS: The entire cohort comprised 94 patients with critical COVID-19 (males, 59.6%; median age, 61.5 years). The median 25(OH)D level was 12.7 ng/mL, and 15 (16%) and 79 (84%) patients had vitamin D insufficiency and vitamin D deficiency, respectively. The median serum 25(OH)D level was significantly lower in deceased patients compared with surviving (12.1 vs. 18.7 ng/mL, P < 0.001). Vitamin D deficiency was present in 100% of the deceased patients. Multivariate logistic regression analysis revealed that age, body mass index, other risk factors, and 25(OH)D level were independent predictors of mortality. CONCLUSIONS: Vitamin D deficiency was present in 84% of critical COVID-19 patients. Serum 25(OH)D was independently associated with mortality in critical patients with COVID-19.

• Journal of Information Science Theory and Practice
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• v.10 no.1
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• pp.30-44
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• 2022

This research aims to identify and reveal the meaning of memes about COVID-19, and explain changes in meme content in regard to the information development of COVID-19 in Indonesia published by the mass media and online media. The data is sourced from memes that are shared on social media, especially WhatsApp groups in the period of January to June 2020. To reveal the meaning of memes, a semiotic analysis of Roland Barthes' model is used. Qualitative analysis is used to reveal the relationship between memes and the information development of COVID-19 in Indonesia. The results of the study show that meme content has shifted according to three stages of information development of COVID-19 in Indonesia published by the mass media and online media. When COVID-19 was not yet confirmed in Indonesia, meme content contained mostly humor that was not educative, moreover it seemed to underestimate the coronavirus. Meme content which is mostly humorous and pornographic occurred when COVID-19 was confirmed in Indonesia and during the lockdown policy. At last, as the government has begun to distribute social assistance, the meme content looks more critical. The results of this research emphasize the urgency of the mass media as a source of public information during the COVID-19 pandemic, become a reference for the community in making memes as a forum for expressing feelings and social criticism, and serve as a reference for the government to act and make the right decisions related to the pandemic that is endemic in their country.