• Journal of Families and Better Life
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• v.23 no.3 s.75
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• pp.103-114
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• 2005

The number of grandparents who have responsibility for raising their grandchildren is growing. The present study examines the extent of this phenomenon and some of the issues these grandparents face in surrogate parenting. The sample consists of 69 grandparents(63 grandmothers and 6 grandfathers) of grandchildren who have lived with them at least 6 months without their parents. The grandparents raising grandchildren reported that caregiving bought negative changes in relations with their own children, economic situation and health condition. They concerned most about the issue of good mannered behavior of grandchildren and making good friends and needed social supports in terms of house cleaning and cooking and transportation for after school activities. Caregiver burden was related to the number of family members, the degrees of life changes, economic hardship due to caregiving, grandchildren's school performance and the relations with granparents' own children.

• Asia Marketing Journal
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• v.12 no.2
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• pp.155-175
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• 2010

Most of the service industries including finance and telecommunications have become matured and saturated. The competitions have become severe while the differences among brands become smaller. Therefore maintaining good relationships with customers has been critical for the service providers. In case of credit card and debit card, the similar patterns are shown. It is important for them to maintain good relationships with customers, and therefore, they have used marketing program which provides customized services to customers and utilizes the membership programs. Not only do they build and maintain good relationships, but also highlight their brands from the emotional aspects. For example, KB Card or Hyundai Card uses well-known designers' works for their credit card design. As well, they differentiate the designs of credit cards to stress on their brand personalities. BC Card introduced the credit card with perfume that a customer would like. Even though the credit card is small and not shown to public easily, it becomes more important for those companies to touch the customers' feelings with the brand personalities and their images. This is partly because of changes in consumers' lifestyles. Y-generations becomes highly likely to express themselves in many different ways and more emotional than X-generations. For the Y-generations, therefore, even credit cards in the wallet should be personalized and well-designed. In line with it, credit cards with good design can be seen as an example of brand identity, where different design for each customer can be used to recognize the membership groups that customers want to belong. On the other hand, these credit card companies offer the special treatment benefits for those customers who are heavy users for the cards. For example, those customers who love sports will receive some special discounts when they use their credit cards for sports related products. Therefore this study attempted to explore the relationships between relational benefits, brand identification and loyalty. It has been well known that relational benefits and brand identification lead to loyalty independently from many other studies, but there has been few study to review all the three variables all together in a research model. Furthermore, as reviewed above, in the card industry, many companies attempt to associate the brand image with their products to fit their customers' lifestyles while relational benefits are still playing an important role for their business. Therefore in our research model, relational benefits, brand identification, and loyalty are all included. We focus on the mediating effect of brand identification. From the relational benefits perspective, only special treatment benefit and confidence benefit are included. Social benefit is not applicable for this credit card industry because not many cases of face-to-face interaction can be found. From the brand identification perspective, personal brand identity and social brand identity are reviewed and included in the model. Overall, the research model emphasizes that the relationships between relational benefits and loyalty will be mediated by the effect of brand identification. The effects of relational benefits which are confidence benefit and special treatment benefits on loyalty will be realized when they fit to the personal brand identity and social brand identity. In the research model, therefore, the relationships between confidence benefit and social brand identity, and between confidence benefit and personal identity are hypothesized while the effects of special treatment benefit on social brand identity and personal brand identity are hypothesized. Loyalty, then, is hypothesized to have positive relationships with personal brand identity and social brand identity. In addition, confidence benefit among the relational benefits is expected to have a direct, positive relationship with loyalty because confidence benefit has been recognized as a critical factor for good relationships and satisfaction. Data were collected from college students who have been using either credit cards or debit cards. College students were regarded good subjects because they are in Y-generation cohorts and have tendency to express themselves more. Total sample size was two hundred three at the beginning, but after deleting those data with many missing values, one hundred ninety-seven data points were remained and used for the model testing. Measurement items were brought from the previous literatures and modified for this research. To test the reliability, using SPSS 14, chronbach's α was examined and all the values were from .874 to .928 exceeding over .7. Using AMOS 7.0, confirmatory factor analysis was conducted to investigate the measurement model. The measurement model was found good fit with χ²(67)=188.388 (p= .000), GFI=.886, AGFI=.821, CFI=.941, RMSEA=.096. Using AMOS 7.0, structural equation modeling has been used to analyze the research model. Overall, the research model fit were χ²(68)=188.670 (p= .000), GFI=.886, AGFI=,824 CFI=.942, RMSEA=.095 indicating good fit. In details, all the paths hypothesized in the research model were found significant except for the path from social brand identity to loyalty. Personal brand identity leads to loyalty while both confidence benefit and special treatment benefit have a positive relationships with personal and social identities. As well, confidence benefit has a direct positive effect on loyalty. The results indicates the followings. First, personal brand identity plays an important role for credit/debit card usage. Therefore even for the products which are not shown to public easy, design and emotional aspect can be important to fit the customers' lifestyles. Second, confidence benefit and special treatment benefit have a positive effects on personal brand identity. Therefore it will be needed for marketers to associate the special treatment and trust and confidence benefits with personal image, personality and personal identity. Third, this study found again the importance of confidence and trust. However interestingly enough, social brand identity was not found to be significantly related to loyalty. It can be explained that the main sample of this study consists of college students. Those strategies to facilitate social brand identity are focused on high social status groups while college students have not been established their status yet.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.15 no.22
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• pp.9753-9757
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• 2014

Purpose: To study the quality of life and to identify associated factors among breast cancer patients undergoing treatment in national cancer centers in Nepal. Materials and Methods: One hundred breast cancer patients were selected and interviewed using a structured questionnaire. European Organization of Research and Treatment of Cancer EORTC-QLQ-C30 and EORTC-QLQ-BR23 were used to assess quality of life and modified Medical Outcome Study -Social Support survey(mMOS-SS) was used to assess social support. Only multi-item scales of EORTC C30 and BR23 were analyzed for relationships. Independent sample T-tests and ANOVA were applied to analyze differences in mean scores. Results: The score of global health status/quality of life (GHS/GQoL) was marginally above average (mean=52.8). The worst performed scales in C-30 were emotional and social function while best performed scales were physical and role function. In BR-23, most of the patients fell into the problematic group regarding sexual function and enjoyment. Almost 90% had financial difficulties. Symptom scales did not demonstrate many problems. Older individuals, patients with stage I breast cancer and thosewith good social support were found to have good GHS/GQoL. Of all the influencing factors, social support was established to have strong statistical associations with most of the functional scales: GHS/GQoL (0.003), emotional function (<0.001), cognitive function (0.020), social function (<0.001) and body image function (0.011). Body image was significantly associated with most of the influencing factors: monthly family income (0.003), type of treatment (<0.001), type of surgery (<0.001), stage of cancer (0.017) and social support (0.011). Conclusions: Strategies to improve social support of the patients undergoing treatment should be given priority and financial difficulties faced by breast cancer patients should be well addressed from a policy making level by initiating health financing system.

• Journal of Distribution Science
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• v.13 no.12
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• pp.73-84
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• 2015

Purpose - Various social issues have arisen since the beginning of the 21st century therefore, enterprises that disregarded social issues have become unsustainable, and social enterprises have appeared to address these issues. A social enterprise is a social mission-focused organization that uses a market-based strategy and has a vulnerable business structure. To be self-sustainable, a social enterprise should make consumers aware of the value that it provides and secure its profitability through consumer consumption. From this perspective, this study investigates the relationship between perceived value (utilitarian and hedonic) and loyalty, and examines how memory and attitudes play mediating roles between perceived value and loyalty. For these purposes, the author developed a structural model consisting of several variables. In this model, perceived value, which was utilitarian and hedonic, was proposed to affect the memory and attitudes toward social enterprise products, thus increasing loyalty. Therefore, memory and attitudes were proposed as core mediating variables between perceived value and loyalty. Research design, data, and methodology - To analyze the proposed model, data were collected from 582 respondents and analyzed using SPSS 21.0 and AMOS 21.0. To test unidimensionality and the nomological validity of the measures of each construct, we employed a scale refinement procedure. The results of the reliability test with Cronbach's α and confirmatory factor analysis warranted the unidimensionality of the measures for each construct. In addition, the nomological validity of the measures was warranted from the results of the correlation analysis. The result of the overall model analysis demonstrated a good fit (χ²=529.881, df=144, χ²/df=3.680, p-value=0.000, GFI=0.905, NFI=0.948, CFI=0.961, RMR=0.036, RMSEA=0.068). Results - The findings are summarized as follows. First, the hedonic and utilitarian value of social enterprise products had positive effects on memory and attitudes. Second, the hedonic value of social enterprise products more strongly affects memory and attitudes than utilitarian value. Third, memory and attitudes had positive effects on loyalty. Lastly, memory had a stronger effect on loyalty than attitudes. Conclusions - The purchase rate of social enterprises' products increases only if the products are included in the "information search" and "alternative evaluation" processes in consumers' purchase decision-making processes. Therefore, a social enterprise must actively promote the fact that it pursues a social value, and shares both the hedonic and utilitarian values of its products. Accordingly, because hedonic value has a more significant impact on a company and attitudes, a social enterprise should develop hedonic values for product consumption, thereby leading consumers who care about value consumption to purchase its products. Moreover, a social enterprise must maintain good memories and attitudes for consumers because memory does not change over time, although attitude does. The limitations of this study and suggestions for future research are as follows. This study viewed "consumer loyalty" as the success factor of social enterprises, thereby considers an "increase in sales" as the success factor. Therefore, in future studies, diverse factors, including social contribution and word-of-mouth intention, should be regarded. In addition, future studies need to thoroughly review and make assurances about the relationship between memory and attitude.

• Journal of the Korean Data and Information Science Society
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• v.16 no.3
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• pp.603-608
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• 2005

The purpose of this qualitative case study is to understand how the idea of data view and information graphics is used in the social studios middle school textbooks. Data were collected through national curriculum documents and social studies middle textbooks for 7-9 grades. We set up three questions for this studies; what kinds of information graphics are used in the textbooks, how the graphics are organized in the social studies middle school, and how the 7th social studies curriculum is related with the 7th national mathematics curriculum. Through the data analysis, we found that 1) Photographs, illustrations, information maps, etc., are used and frequencies of their usages are in descending order, 2) double lines graphs, circle graphs, and stripe graphs nip often adopted for the comparison of populations, 3) the relation of the two subjects curricula is not so good, especially in the curriculum steps of information mads scatter diagrams, and comparison of populations. Finally we suggest that new web site of data view or information graphics be provided for two curricula, workshop of information graphics are needed for social studies teachers.

• Journal of Korea Society of Digital Industry and Information Management
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• v.9 no.1
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• pp.43-52
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• 2013

Pervasive computing and social network are good resources in recommendation method. Collaborative filtering is one of the most popular recommendation methods, but it has some limitations such as rating sparsity. Moreover, it does not consider social network in pervasive computing environment. We propose an effective proactive friend recommendation method using social network and contexts in pervasive computing environment. In collaborative filtering method, users need to rate sufficient number of items. However, many users don't rate items sufficiently, because the rating information must be manually input into system. We solve the rating sparsity problem in the collaboration filtering method by using contexts. Our method considers both a static and a dynamic friendship using contexts and social network. It makes more effective recommendation. This paper describes a new friend recommendation method and then presents a music friend scenario. Our work will help e-commerce recommendation system using collaborative filtering and friend recommendation applications in social network services.

• International Journal of Costume and Fashion
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• v.16 no.1
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• pp.17-35
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• 2016

The purpose of this study is to investigate the benefits sought by luxury good customers contingent on product category, and to understand the relationship between the benefits sought and brand loyalty. A qualitative approach was used; therefore in-depth interviews were conducted with seven panels of professionals in the luxury industry. The findings are as follows: 1) Handbag customers mainly seek the social benefits in order to express their social status by purchasing well-known, easily-recognizable brands. 2) Shoe customers primarily seek the practical-functional benefits, which are comfort and function. 3) Small Leather Goods customers seek the social benefits for themselves and as gifts for others. 4) Brand loyalty for handbag customers is reported to be low, as their primary goals are the social benefits. Rather than devoting themselves to one specific brand, handbag customers prefer to purchase from various brands. 5) Shoe customers have reportedly higher brand loyalty, as they tend to come back to brands when they are satisfied with the benefits they pursue. The findings of this study provide more information on the practical implications of luxury good customer purchasing habits. Firstly, customers pursue different benefits depending on product category, and secondly, brand loyalty differs by customers' benefits.

• Journal of muscle and joint health
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• v.19 no.2
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• pp.142-151
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• 2012

Purpose: This study was to explore the relationships among emotional labor, social support, job satisfaction, organizational commitment, and turnover intention in healthcare providers. Methods: Participants were healthcare providers (54 male and 328 female) with a mean age of 30.28 years old. Data analysis were done with PASW 18.0 for descriptive statistics and AMOS 5.0 for path analysis. Results: The hypothetical path model showed a good fit to the empirical data (${\chi}^2$=4.178, df=2, p= .124, GFI= .997, NFI= .995, NNFI= .987, RMSEA= .053). Emotional labor, job satisfaction, and organizational commitment had significant direct effects on turnover intention. Social support had a significant direct effect on emotional labor, job satisfaction and organizational commitment, and indirect and total effect on turnover intention. Conclusion: These findings suggest that turnover prevention or education programs for healthcare providers should include maintaining good mood when interact with patients or visitors with various negative moods in healthcare setting. Further strategies may need to resolve emotional labor, enhance job satisfaction and organizational commitment, and provide social support.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.54 no.1
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• pp.1-7
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• 2021

The Korean government's strategy to combat coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has focused on non-pharmaceutical interventions, such as social distancing and wearing masks, along with testing, tracing, and treatment; overall, its performance has been relatively good compared to that of many other countries heavily affected by COVID-19. However, little attention has been paid to health equity in measures to control the COVID-19 pandemic. The study aimed to examine the unequal impacts of COVID-19 across socioeconomic groups and to suggest potential solutions to tackle these inequalities. The pathways linking social determinants and health could be entry points to tackle the unequal consequences of this public health emergency. It is crucial for infectious disease policy to consider social determinants of health including poor housing, precarious working conditions, disrupted healthcare services, and suspension of social services. Moreover, the high levels of uncertainty and complexity inherent in this public health emergency, as well as the health and socioeconomic inequalities caused by the pandemic, underscore the need for good governance other than top-down measures by the government. We emphasize that a people-centered perspective is a key approach during the pandemic era. Mutual trust between the state and civil society, strong accountability of the government, and civic participation are essential components of cooperative disaster governance.

• Management & Information Systems Review
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• v.18
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• pp.163-182
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• 2006

In social welfare arena field practicum has been an essential instrument and method for social work students to get socialized to the social work professional. However, to whom involve in the actual field practicum-universities(or colleges), institutes - have some difficulties. On the base of community welfare is a clinical approach in this times. To strengthen community welfare policy, the beginning of community welfare committee is such a good opportunity to tackle the problems of the field practicum. This study suggest that the problem of the field training are 1) a guidance of an individual social work institute, 2) the lack of social work institute, 3) the absence of the trainee's sense of values, 4) the bad conditions of the field practicum for social work students in undergraduate courses at the university(or college), and 5) the lack of professionalism for supervisors. This study makes the following social work suggestions to vitalize field practicum in community welfare. It is more likely important to 1) make the law of the field practicum for undergraduate social work courses, 2) make the coordinated programs of the field practicum for undergraduate social work course in community welfare, 3) enlarge the opportunity that a field specialist take further education, 4) support and carry of supervisor reeducation, 5) make the program development of trainee's personal experiences in social work values, and 6) social work professors make a practice in the social work field.