• Knowledge Management Research
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• v.15 no.3
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• pp.141-168
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• 2014

Purchasing through Internet shopping mall has more uncertainty compared with offline shopping mall. Previous studies have presented that trust plays a role of reducing uncertainty and increasing purchasing intention. In this study, we suggest that third-party assurance and word-of-mouth contribute to the formation of trust. In addition, we also propose that ease of product evaluation plays moderating roles in the relationships between third-party assurance, word-of-mouth and trust. For this study, we collected sample data from two groups consisting of online shoppers purchasing the search goods and experience goods categorized by type of ease of product evaluation. Empirical results show that word-of-mouth and third-party assurance have different effects on trust in two groups. The third-party assurance has a stronger impact on trust in online shopping group of the search goods than in the experience goods, while word-of-mouth in the online community has a stronger impact on trust in online shopping group of the experience goods than in the search goods. We expect that this result will provide researchers and managers who are interested in trust formation factors in online shopping mall with useful theoretical and practical implications.

• Smart Media Journal
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• v.6 no.1
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• pp.39-46
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• 2017

The internet has become an important part of the many aspects of people's daily lives such as work, study, entertainment and in form of electronic commerce, shopping. Electronic commerce is growing rapidly in Kenya. There are many successful business-to-business, business-to-customer and customer-to-customer online shopping companies in Kenya. As a consequence, competition between vendors is intense and, therefore, mitigating the negative effects of high product uncertainty is necessary requirement as it remains a biggest hindrance for success of the online shopping. The purpose of this research is to investigate how online product description, third party product assurance, customer service and website design mitigate the negative impact of high product uncertainty. A questionnaire with 28 items is designed to collect data from online customers. Using multiple regression analysis, the relationship between dependent variable (product uncertainty) and independent variables such as product description, third party assurance, website design and customer service is tested. The result shows that all the independent variables are negatively correlated with dependent variable, which means that product description, third party assurance, website design and customer service can be used by online vendors to lessen the problem of product uncertainty in online markets.

• Journal of Korea Port Economic Association
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• v.21 no.3
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• pp.259-270
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• 2005

This study applies the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) to evaluate service quality of Third-Party Logistics (3PL) providers. For this, 3PL service quality is conceptualized and measured using SERVQUAL's five dimensions such as tangibles, reliability, responsiveness, assurance and empathy. Then, the AHP method is applied to determining the relative importance of five service quality dimensions and eventually selecting the best 3PL provider. Finally, this study conducts an empirical case study on four companies providing 3PL services in Korea to demonstrate the basic idea suggested in this paper. The results obtained in the present study indicate that responsiveness to customers is the most important factor perceived by 3PL customers and 3PL C is the best 3PL provider according to the overall service quality scores. In contrast to some previous researches, this study examined issues of service quality from the perspective of 3PL customers as opposed to the perspective of 3PL providers. In order for this study to be more complete, future research is needed in establishing a set of metrics to quantify each dimension of 3PL service quality proposed.

• Proceedings of the Korea Society of Information Technology Applications Conference
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• 2005.11a
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• pp.293-296
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• 2005

This study applies the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) to evaluate service quality of Third-Party Logistics (3PL) service providers. For this, we first conceptualize five dimensions of 3PL service quality (i.e. tangibles, reliability, responsiveness, assurance and empathy). We then apply the AHP method to determining the relative weights of five service quality dimensions and eventually selecting the best 3PL service provider. To implement this idea in practice, we conduct an empirical study on four companies providing 3PL services in Korea.

• Information Systems Review
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• v.17 no.2
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• pp.1-27
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• 2015

Internet shopping has continued to grow rapidly in the past decade. The main cause of this growth was the cheap price and convenience. However, internet shopping is uncertain compared to off-line shopping malls. Consumers don't have a chance to directly see and touch the products they will purchase. Many previous studies have suggested a trust to resolve this uncertainty. For purposes of the study, we examined how trust affects word-of-mouth effect and third-party assurance. Furthermore, using perceived risk and perceived price as moderating effects, we analyzed to see how each group-that is, those with high perceived risk and low perceived risk and those with high perceived price and low perceived price-shows differences in trust building. The results of empirical study found that both two variables of word-of-mouth effect and third-party assurance have significant impacts in trust building of internet shopping malls. It was proven that each group-those with high perceived risk and low perceived risk and those with high perceived price and low perceived price-showed differences in trust building. The results are expected to provide both the researchers of the trust study and hands-on worker with important implications.

• Journal of Arbitration Studies
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• v.12 no.1
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• pp.55-88
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• 2002

Arbitration Act does not have express provision about voluntary agreement for the arbitration which third party, that is, the expert confirms factual bases of party's relationship of rights and duties, determines contents of the contract, and supplements or modifies contracts, and then the parties obey the expert's decision, but it is more probable that the parties can agree to this kind of arbitration agreement as long as they freely make a contract within the scope of law. However, there is a split of authority on the scope of such arbitration agreement. Some scholars argue that the parties can only agree on the extent of the expert's confirmation about factual situations of party's relationship of rights and duties or contents of the contract. On the other hand, the other scholars argue that the parties can consent not only the expert's confirmation about factual situations of party's relationship of rights and duties or contents of contract, but also the expert's supplement or modification of contents of contract. Due to the expert's decision has effect on both parties and judges who give a judgment as a matter of law, this kind of arbitration agrement can contribute to prevent litigation. Also arbitration relieves court's burden, if such arbitration agreement was done on the important disputes. Considering that the arbitration agreement can function as a dispute resolution or a dispute prevention, it is desirable that legislators make the provision about this kind of arbitration and allow the application of arbitration Act in such arbitration agreement. Most scholars agree that the voluntary agreement for the arbitration as to third party's supplement or modification of contents of the contract can be included in the concept of a substantive law. However, it has not been concluded whether the voluntary agreement for the arbitration which follows the expert's confirmation about factual situations of party's relationship of rights and duties or contents of the contract has the nature of substantive law or procedural law. The dispute about the nature of such arbitration agreement have some shortcomings in the effect of second kind of voluntary arbitration and the applicability of procedural principles. Therefore, it will be more adequate that the focus is given to the original function of this kind of arbitration agreement and the applicability of procedural principles (the neutrality of arbitrator, the assurance of hearing of the parties) rather than the dispute regarding the nature of this kind of arbitration agreement. Considering that more attention is given to the substitutive dispute resolution these days, the function of arbitration as prevention to the litigation and resolution before the litigation should be emphasized. To do this, a legal dispute about such arbitration agreement has to be resolved. More important issues in this kind of arbitration agreement are to retain of the neutral expert and to positively inform the benefits of this institution to the public.

• Proceedings of the KWS Conference
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• 2002.10a
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• pp.430-432
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• 2002

Some confusion in the terminology concerning the weld quality and its assurance seems caused by the different practises currently in use around the world. Qualified welding personnel are not automatically certified personnel. Education and training are the tools to obtain qualification. Flexibility in training and education seems logical and the most cost-effective way to obtain qualified personnel. A third party seems essential for issuing recognised Certificates. Manufacturers of welded products continue to face increased demands and concerns regarding weld quality. The following are the main conditions influencing weld quality: $\bigcirc$ Establishing reliable productions procedures and tests that meet the requirements of established codes and standards. $\bigcirc$ Finding qualified welding personnel capable of reliably carrying out established welding procedures. The issue of hiring and keeping skilled welding personnel has been a crucial consideration for manufacturers worldwide for the past few decades. It will continue to be a concern for decades to come.

• Journal of Arbitration Studies
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• v.23 no.2
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• pp.37-54
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• 2013

This article focuses on integrating institutional mediation systems, especially the analysis of the leading ADR operation. Mediation is a process in which an impartial third party, a mediator, facilitates the resolution of a dispute by promoting voluntary agreements by the parties to the dispute. A mediator facilitates communications, promotes understanding, focuses the parties on their interests, and seeks agreement. These standards give meaning to this definition of mediation. Standard mediation clauses are construed as broadly as possible, and mediation is compelled unless it may be said with positive assurance that the mediation process is not susceptible to an interpretation that covers the asserted dispute. Performing the conflicts check early in the process helps in eliminating any awkwardness or delays caused by making disclosures after mediation commences. Mediator impartiality is central to the mediation process. A mediator should mediate only those matters in which she or he can remain impartial and evenhanded. If at any time the mediator is unable to conduct the process in an impartial manner, the mediator is obligated to withdraw.

• Journal of Industrial Convergence
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• v.18 no.2
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• pp.87-94
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• 2020

This paper belongs in a literature of sustainablity policy determination. This paper offers an actual status and explanation to corporate social responsibility of SMEs in Korea. This study examines CSR situation focused on developing mechanisms to enable the SMEs sector. Firstly, this study suggests introducing the third-party professional assurance service on sustainablity reports and/or asking global accreditation such as ISO14001 and ISO26000 when entry as a provider in government e-procurement system. Secondly, this study introduce the CSR Committee headed by the CEO and coordinates group-wide committees to discuss the CSR Guidelines. Third, because CSR does not only have to do with the SMEs, but pertains to the local community and business partner, this study offered the opportunity to work with large companies in aspects of CSR.

• Korean Management Science Review
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• v.32 no.2
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• pp.79-89
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• 2015

The firms with OHSAS (Occupational Health and Safety Management System) registration should be audited every six months and they have to be reregistered every three years by a third party. In our article audit data were collected from the audit processes of fifty four firms that OHSAS 18001:2007 was implemented and audited by LRQA (Lloyd's Register Quality Assurance). Fifty four firms are largely classified as four categories: civil engineering and construction industry, metal and heavy industry, chemical industry, and other industries including electric, electronic, food, and services. Especially the minor conformity data are analyzed by statistical methods to find out the relationship between four categories of 54 firms and the average number of minor nonconformities. The most frequently appeared minor nonconformities among sub-requirements of OHSAS 18001:2007 are investigated and the reasons for minor nonconformities are specifically explained. The average number of minor nonconformities of firms before and after OHSAS 18001:2007 registration are compared to understand the maturity of OHSAS implementation. Some comments and suggestions are provided for OHSAS to be effectively implemented to the firms if revision is necessary.