• Journal of the Korean Regional Science Association
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• v.6 no.1
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• pp.11-38
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• 1990

The purpose of this thesis is, first to present the spatial division of labor in Korea and its mechanism, and second, to elucidate the organic integral relation between local labor market and local community by studing the mechanism that the spatial division of labor is projected into the individual lacal labor marker, and reproduction of labor force process in this local labor market. According to this purpose, the theoretical frame of this analysis is done, the positive analysis is made and Kumi is choosed as its analysis case area. The main data is from 'Survey Report on Manufacturing Idustry Wage Conditions' published by Minimum Wage Council, Ministry of Labour and from the questionnaires and interview on textile industry and electric electronics industry firms in Kumi Export Industrial Estate. The following are the results of this study. 1. The mechanism of spatial division of labor in Korea, seen through the employment structure index, is accelerating the regional discrimination by fixing the regional hierarchisation between Seoul (or Seoul Metropolitan Area as expanded Seoul) and other areas. But it is also developing highly the regional employment structure at the level of technical division of labor, since the spatial division of labor in Korea is leaded by large firms and influenced by the policy for regional development. 2. Local labor market is formed in Kumi area and its delimitation is Kumi city. The employment structure of Kumi local labor market is occupying lower hierarchy division at management hierachical level and occupying upper hierarchy division at the level of technical division of labor, and brand plants of large firs are determinating and dominating this emplogment structure. These bdranch plants of large firs are forming more favorable and stabel labor marker than locally controlled ploants in Kumi local labor market. But the reproduction of labor force process in Kumi local labor market is not fully carried out and leaked into central city, therefore Kumi is now becoming an unstable local community, suffering from large movement of population. This is because Kumi local labor market is found not for itself, but by the state policy and externally controlled plants of large firms, and therefore no potentiality to control and to absorb the exterior influences is built in Kumi local labor market. 3. The case firms A, B have spatial division of labor between decision-making function and production function, and between upper management hierachical labor force and lower management hierachical labor force in internal labor market.

• Journal of the Korean Geographical Society
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• v.44 no.1
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• pp.56-76
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• 2009

The purpose of this study is to clarify the global commodity chains of the grafted cactus of Umseong region. The major findings of this study are as follows. Buying materials for cultivating the grafted cactus is based on the intra-Umseong local network. In addition, exporting grafted cactus using cheaper labor force means spatial division of labor from semi-periphery region to core region in terms of Wallerstein's world system theory. It is thought that buyer-driven commodity chains of farm products profit by division of labor caused by a sales network of the grafted cactus. And such situation means that high quality of the grafted cactus in Umseong maintains the spatial continuity by commodity chains.

• Journal of the Economic Geographical Society of Korea
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• v.8 no.2
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• pp.237-245
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• 2005

The main purpose of this study is to examine spatial labor productivity differences in manufacturing industries located in the National Industrial Parks. To examine the spatial productivity differences, related parameters were estimated using the data of 2003 Industrial Complex Survey Report prepared by KICC. The results of estimation showed that labor productivity is positively related with plan and equipment investment, living-in period of industry, and negatively related with the number of employee. In a spatial labor productivity, the Chulla-do, Chugchung-do, and Gyeongsang-do provinces were higher than the National Capital area

• Journal of the Economic Geographical Society of Korea
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• v.2 no.1_2
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• pp.27-45
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• 1999

Recently, the changes of industrial location can be explained as the concentration of small and medium manufacturing firms or high technology industries by industrial restructuring in Seoul metropolitan area, and the dispersion of large companies'branch plant into the peripheral region in Korea. Particularly deindustrialization is progressing in the inner city and manufacturing firms disperse into the outer city in Seoul metropolitan area. This study reviews on the structural perspectives for the changing industrial location factors. The development of capitalism organizes economic spacial structures and Its characteristics can be reasons which can raise changes in industrial location. Korean economy rapidly grew in the movement process of international capital. And capital accumulation by continuous economic growth is raising the spatial division of labor or the spatial difference and inequality on land price, wages. the base of labor reproduction. Therefore, these factors are the most reasons to raise the changes of industrial location in Korea. Hereafter the study on these factors, that is, in relation to sociocultural structure and land use structure have to be progress more concretely.

• Journal of the Korean Regional Science Association
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• v.12 no.2
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• pp.99-116
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• 1996

This study investigates the nature and patterns of interrelation between the emerging information and communication technology(ICT) and the organization of corporate space, both theoretically and empirically. In this work, ICT is conceptualized not so much a space-adjusting technology as an organizational technology. ICT is considered as a governance technology which is related to coordination function within a firm. Therefore, it is supposed to have a great relevance to the spatial reorganization of functions within a firm. Both questionnaire and case study method are used to gather necessary data from Korean electronics manufactures. The results of this study can be summarized as follow. First, the spatial structure of a firm, which is operationalised as the number and type of spatially separated establishments, is turned out to have a great explanatory power to its adoption of computer networks. Computer networks in muli-locational companies are introduced to overcome the limits of its spatial structure, such as duplication of functions, such as duplication of functions, loss of time spent in proceeding a job between different functional units, and unresponsiveness to the change of market demand. Second, new spatial division of labor and function could be possible through a series of business process reengineering, not through the mere adoption of ICT. Case studies reveal that computer network could help a firm to realize new forms of spatial division of labor, especially in those functions which is mainly based on the flow of information. Such function as ICT management, sales logistics and after-sales service are major parts where a new operational unit has appeared with the help of ICT. From above results, it can be concluded that the interrelations between ICT and organizational space should be approached intimately integrated with the change of industrial structure and it's organizational implications.

• Journal of the Korean Regional Science Association
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• v.9 no.1
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• pp.3-23
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• 1993

In this paper the prevailing geography of the information sector, fousing on its occupatonal dimension, is examined. The purposes of this paper are to analyze the labor force share of information occupation workers at each special city and region, to compare the inter-regional distribution of information workforce and to analyze regional share of information occupations in manufacturing industry. Spatial pattern of size and occupational composition of information sector shows a core-periphery disparity. There is a clear evidence of Seoul's dominance of the information economy, particularly such as scientific and technical, consultative services, management and process control function. Also the distribution of information workers in manufacturing industry over space was polarized than is the case for total manufacturing employment and noninformation workers. Therefore Korean information economy is marked by a highly articulated spatial division of labor within individual industry, which can be attributed to the locational characteristics of information intensive industries and industrial composition of regional economy. From the results of this study, information employment prospects among regions of Korea would reinforce the unequal geography of job opportunity. In this light, regional policy efforts should be given to the improvement of information infrastructure to facilitate new computer-based service products and process in peripheral regions.

• Journal of the Korean association of regional geographers
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• v.3 no.1
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• pp.135-154
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• 1997

The purpose of this study is to clarify the reason of the change of production-and-marketing system and of the regional division. The data for this study were collected by administering interviews with people engaging in hemp fabric industry: namely, craftsmen and managers in the production and marketing of "hemp fabric" handcraft. The summary of this study is as follows: First, the hemp fabric industry is a main subsidiary business of agriculture in Andong. The process of making hemp fabric heavily depends on manual labor. The process is divided into five stages: namely, cultivating hemp, pre-reeling, reeling, weaving, and colouring. Second, Andong "hemp fabric" handicrafts industry had been continuously growth until the late 1960s. During the period of Japan colonization, it was under boom condition: while the other traditional fabric industries were declined. In the 1970s, the decrease of the demand of hemp fabric was the result of mass production of substitute goods on factory system: while, in the 1980s, the growth of per capital income play an important role in bringing about the increased demand of hemp fabric. Third, in the 1980s. production-and-marketing system was changed as the result of the effort to improve the quality and the process, the advanced age of craftsmen, and the weak function of existing marketing systems. The social division of labor within the district is well developed between cultivating hemp, reeling and weaving. The social division of labor is also found in the partly process of handcratfs, and between the production and marketing. The social division of labor between production and marketing is not strongly developed to establish a reliable enterprise that develops a new product and opens a new market. Fourth, the spatial boundary of the production of hemp fabric handcrafts becomes limited into a special region based on the regional specialization of hemp cultivating and the differentiation of utilization of labor.

• Journal of the Economic Geographical Society of Korea
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• v.1 no.1
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• pp.81-112
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• 1998

This study reviews the industrialization process of the United States-Mexico Borderlands and the economic relations between the U.S. and Mexico and examines their impact on the borderlands. Main factor in the industrialization of the borderlands was the U.S. investment on the maquiladora program of Mexico since 1965. It contributed to the increase in employment and population of borderlands and the development of service industries. Low wage level of Mexico induced not only standardized labor-intensive industries but also the high-tech automated industries because they still use a lot of labor in manufacturing and assembly process, while the functions of management. R & D, and distribution remained in the U.S. This is a typical case of international division of labor and satellite industrial district. The rules of origin in NAFTA, however forced branch Plants of multinational companies to form the local linkages between firms.

• Journal of the Korean Regional Science Association
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• v.6 no.2
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• pp.123-147
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• 1990

This paper examines the changing geography of producer service industries in the 1980s. The foci of this study are to analyze the regional distribution of each producer services, and to reveal the spatial linkage of producer services. Further this paper asserts the potential role of producer services for reducing the potential endogenous development in the periphery. During the 1981-86 period, producer service industries grew more rapidly than other service sectors and manufacturing sector. The main reason of the raid growth of producer services is attributable to an increase in demand for intermediate services from manufacturing firms. In order to compete an increasingly complex business environment, firms have expanded the amount of effort devoted to activities such as planning, coordination and control, and consequently have increased their use of producer services. The most distinctive feature of the location of producer services is spatial concentration into Seoul and surrounding region. Especially the degree of the concentration o business services into the Capital Region has been accelerating during the 1990s. The pattern of employment growth and regional distribution of producer services show a clear core / periphery disparity. Much of the regional inequality in producer services is largely due to variation in demand associated with the pattern of corporation headquarters with the pattern of corporation headquarters and branch plants location with large manufacturing firms. The analysis of spatial division of labor reflects that producer services are related to the location of headquarters in manufacturing industry. Headquarters in manufacturing firms and business service firms tend to cluster each other. Most of the headquarters spatially separated from branch offices are clustered heavily in Seoul. Especially headquarters of business services and insurance services are overwhelmingly concentrated into Seoul. The firms whose headquarters are located in Seoul have a linkage pattern on a nationwide scale. It is viewed have little potential for generating local multiplier effects and regional development. In the light of the result of this study, producer services are not likely to disperse soon to peripheral regions. Consequently the absence of policies directed at enhancing producer sevice in the periphery, concentration tendency would continue to reinforce the core's dominance at the expense of peripheral regions. From a regional perspective, the quality of a region's producer service sector is a key determinant of economic growth, since manu industrial location decisions are influenced by the differential availability of producer services among regions. Poor performance of producer services in peripheral regions seemed to be linked to the region's manufacturing base. Low-wage, standardized branch plants are not likely to induce the growth in knowledge intensive services associated with high-technology corporate headquarters. Producer services may help to create and attract new business including manufacturing firms, and also to enhance the productivity and competitiveness of local firms. Therefore the provision of service producing activities would be lead not only to generate and retain endogenous development but also to attract external firms, especially small and medium sized firms which have a lower propensity of internalized services. Hence, it may be more efficient to create and expanse new locally owned producer services rather than to attract branch plants of mult-locational firms in order to make indigenous economic development.

• Journal of the Economic Geographical Society of Korea
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• v.15 no.4
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• pp.642-659
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• 2012

The main aim of this article is to examine theoretical issues on the 'global-local connectivity' of regional industrial cluster and regional innovation system which have been presented since the 2000s in terms of three different aspects. Firstly, the concept of 'geographical proximity' is discussed within the context of its importance for the regional industrial development by considering relationships of cluster, local buzz and global pipeline. Secondly, concepts on knowledge gatekeeper and temporary cluster are explored with respect to their role of a mediator in forming or transforming global-local connectivity. Finally, policy implications of the global-local connection are presented. Authors arguments are as follows; firstly, in order to improve regional industrial cluster on the basis of geographical proximity, relational proximity which is beyond different spatial scales has to be secured. It means that geographical convenience and inconvenience are required simultaneously for regional industrial development. Secondly, A base of the global-local connectivity is socal capital and embeddedness. Therefore, it needs to understand that relational proximity is embedded into different culture and habit at different spatial scales. Finally, within the context of the global-local connectivity, in order to overcome spatial hierarchy by the division of labor of firms, it needs to consider the complex system which is composed of vertical and horizontal hierarchy by the spatial division of labor by firms, openness and closeness of clusters, and the scope of policies' inclusion and exclusion by central and local governments.