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The Interrelationship between Riparian Vegetation and Hydraulic Characteristics during the 2020 Summer Extreme Flood in the Seomjin-gang River, South Korea (2020 여름 섬진강 대홍수시 하안식생과 수리 특성의 상호관계)

  • Lee, Cheolho;Lee, Keonhak;Kim, Hwirae;Baek, Donghae;Kim, Won;Kim, Daehyun;Lee, Hyunjae;Woo, Hyoseop;Cho, Kang-Hyun
    • Ecology and Resilient Infrastructure
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    • v.8 no.2
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    • pp.79-87
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    • 2021
  • Because active interactions occur among vegetation, hydrology, and geomorphology in riparian systems, any changes in one of these factors can significantly affect the other two. In this study, we evaluated these interactions at four sites (two in Gajeong and two in Hahan) along the Seomjin-gang River that was substantially devastated by an extreme flood in 2020. We examined the relationship between the riparian vegetation and the hydraulic characteristics of the flood using remote sensing, hydraulic modeling, and field surveys combined. The evaluation results showed that the floods caused a record-breaking rise of up to 43.1 m above sea level at the Yeseong-bridge stage gauge station (zero elevation 27.4 m) located between the Gajeong and Hahan sites, with the shear stress being four times higher in Hahan than in Gajeong. Additionally, the water level during the flood was estimated to be a maximum of 1 m higher depending on the location in the presence of riparian plants. Furthermore, both sites underwent extensive biological damage due to the flood, with 78-80% loss in vegetation, with preferential damage observed in large willow species, compared to Quercus acutissima. The above findings imply that all plant species exhibit different vulnerabilities towards extreme floods and do not induce similar behavior towards events causing a disturbance. In conclusion, we developed strategies for effectively managing riparian trees by minimizing flood hazards that could inevitably cause damage.

A Study of Fluoride Adsorption in Aqueous Solution Using Iron Sludge based Adsorbent at Mine Drainage Treatment Facility (광산배수 정화시설 철 슬러지 기반 흡착제를 활용한 수용액상 불소 흡착에 관한 연구)

  • Lee, Joon Hak;Kim, Sun Joon
    • Economic and Environmental Geology
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    • v.54 no.6
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    • pp.709-716
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    • 2021
  • In this study, an adsorbent prepared by natural drying of iron hydroxide-based sludge collected from settling basin at a mine drainage treatment facility located in Gangneung, Gangwon-do was used to remove fluoride in an artificial fluoride solution and mine drainage, and the adsorption characteristics of the adsorbent were investigated. As a result of analyzing the chemical composition, mineralogical properties, and specific surface area of the adsorbent used in the experiment, iron oxide (Fe2O3) occupies 79.2 wt.% as the main constituent, and a peak related to calcite (CaCO3) in the crystal structure analysis was analyzed. It was also identified that an irregular surface and a specific surface area of 216.78 m2·g-1. In the indoor batch-type experiment, the effect of changes in reaction time, pH, initial fluoride concentration and temperature on the change in adsorption amount was analyzed. The adsorption of fluoride showed an adsorption amount of 3.85 mg·g-1 16 hours after the start of the reaction, and the increase rate of the adsorption amount gradually decreased. Also, as the pH increased, the amount of fluoride adsorption decreased, and in particular, the amount of fluoride adsorption decreased rapidly around pH 5.5, the point of zero charge at which the surface charge of the adsorbent changes. Meanwhile, the results of the isotherm adsorption experiment were applied to the Langmuir and Freundlich isotherm adsorption models to infer the fluoride adsorption mechanism of the used adsorbent. To understand the thermodynamic properties of the adsorbent using the Van't Hoff equation, thermodynamic constants 𝚫H° and 𝚫G° were calculated using the adsorption amount information obtained by increasing the temperature from 25℃ to 65℃ to determine the adsorption characteristics of the adsorbent. Finally, the adsorbent was applied to the mine drainage having a fluoride concentration of about 12.8 mg·L-1, and the fluoride removal rate was about 50%.

Fabrication of a Novel Ultra Low Temperature Co-fired Ceramic (ULTCC) Using BaV2O6 and BaWO4 (BaV2O6와 BaWO4을 이용한 초저온 동시소성 세라믹 제조)

  • Kim, Duwon;Lee, Kyoungho
    • Journal of the Microelectronics and Packaging Society
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    • v.28 no.4
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    • pp.11-18
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    • 2021
  • A novel microwave dielectric composite material for ultra-low temperature co-fired ceramics (ULTCC) with (1-x)BaWO4-xBaV2O6 (x=0.54~0.85) composition was prepared by firing a mixture of BaWO4 and BaV2O6. Shrinkage tests showed that the ceramic composite begins to densify at a temperature as low as 550℃ and can be sintered at 650℃ with 98% of relative density under the influence of BaV2O6. X-ray diffraction analysis showed that BaWO4 and BaV2O6 coexisted and no secondary phase was detected in the sintered bodies, implying good chemical compatibility between the two phases. Near-zero temperature coefficients of the resonant frequency (𝛕f) could be achieved by controlling the relative content of the two phases, due to their positive and negative 𝛕f values, respectively. With increasing BaV2O6 (x from 0.53 to 0.85), the 𝛕f value of the composites increased from -7.54 to 14.49 ppm/℃, εr increased from 10.08 to 11.17 and the quality factor (Q×f value) decreased from 47,661 to 37,131 GHz. The best microwave dielectric properties were obtained for x=0.6 samples with εr=10.4, Q×f=44,090 GHz, and 𝛕f=-2.38 ppm/℃. Chemical compatibility experiments showed the developed composites are compatible with aluminum electrode during co-firing process.

Development and Testing of the Model of Health Promotion Behavior in Predicting Exercise Behavior

  • O'Donnell, Michael P.
    • Korean Journal of Health Education and Promotion
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    • v.2 no.1
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    • pp.31-61
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    • 2000
  • Introduction. Despite the fact that half of premature deaths are caused by unhealthy lifestyles such as smoking tobacco, sedentary lifestyle, alcohol and drug abuse and poor nutrition, there are no theoretical models which accurately explain these health promotion related behaviors. This study tests a new model of health behavior called the Model of Health Promotion Behavior. This model draws on elements and frameworks suggested by the Health Belief Model, Social Cognitive Theory, the Theory of Planned Action and the Health Promotion Model. This model is intended as a general model of behavior but this first test of the model uses amount of exercise as the outcome behavior. Design. This study utilized a cross sectional mail-out, mail-back survey design to determine the elements within the model that best explained intentions to exercise and those that best explained amount of exercise. A follow-up questionnaire was mailed to all respondents to the first questionnaire about 10 months after the initial survey. A pretest was conducted to refine the questionnaire and a pilot study to test the protocols and assumptions used to calculate the required sample size. Sample. The sample was drawn from 2000 eligible participants at two blue collar (utility company and part of a hospital) and two white collar (bank and pharmaceutical) companies located in Southeastern Michigan. Both white collar site had employee fitness centers and all four sites offered health promotion programs. In the first survey, 982 responses were received (49.1%) after two mailings to non-respondents and one additional mailing to secure answers to missing data, with 845 usable cases for the analyzing current intentions and 918 usable cases for the explaining of amount of current exercise analysis. In the follow-up survey, questionnaires were mailed to the 982 employees who responded to the initial survey. After one follow-up mailing to non-respondents, and one mailing to secure answers to missing data, 697 (71.0%) responses were received, with 627 (63.8%) usable cases to predict intentions and 673 (68.5%) usable cases to predict amount of exercise. Measures. The questionnaire in the initial survey had 15 scales and 134 items; these scales measured each of the variables in the model. Thirteen of the scales were drawn from the literature, all had Cronbach's alpha scores above .74 and all but three had scores above .80. The questionnaire in the second mailing had only 10 items, and measured only outcome variables. Analysis. The analysis included calculation of scale scores, Cronbach's alpha, zero order correlations, and factor analysis, ordinary least square analysis, hierarchical tests of interaction terms and path analysis, and comparisons of results based on a random split of the data and splits based on gender and employer site. The power of the regression analysis was .99 at the .01 significance level for the model as a whole. Results. Self efficacy and Non-Health Benefits emerged as the most powerful predictors of Intentions to exercise, together explaining approximately 19% of the variance in future Intentions. Intentions, and the interaction of Intentions with Barriers, with Support of Friends, and with Self Efficacy were the most consistent predictors of amount of future exercise, together explaining 38% of the variance. With the inclusion of Prior Exercise History the model explained 52% of the variance in amount of exercise 10 months later. There were very few differences in the variables that emerged as important predictors of intentions or exercise in the different employer sites or between males and females. Discussion. This new model is viable in predicting intentions to exercise and amount of exercise, both in absolute terms and when compared to existing models.

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Current Status of Sericulture and Insect Industry to Respond to Human Survival Crisis (인류의 생존 위기 대응을 위한 양잠과 곤충 산업의 현황)

  • A-Young, Kim;Kee-Young, Kim;Hee Jung, Choi;Hyun Woo, Park;Young Ho, Koh
    • Korean journal of applied entomology
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    • v.61 no.4
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    • pp.605-614
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    • 2022
  • Two major problems currently threaten human survival on Earth: climate change and the rapid aging of the population in developed countries. Climate change is a result of the increase in greenhouse gas (GHG) concentrations in the atmosphere due to the increase in the use of fossil fuels owing to economic and transportation development. The rapid increase in the age of the population is a result of the rise in life expectancy due to the development of biomedical science and technology and the improvement of personal hygiene in developed countries. To avoid irreversible global climate change, it is necessary to quickly transition from the current fossil fuel-based economy to a zero-carbon renewable energy-based economy that does not emit GHGs. To achieve this goal, the dairy and livestock industry, which generates the most GHGs in the agricultural sector, must transition to using low-carbon emission production methods while simultaneously increasing consumers' preference for low-carbon diets. Although 77% of currently available arable land globally is used to produce livestock feed, only 37% and 18% of the proteins and calories that humans consume come from dairy and livestock farming and industry. Therefore, using edible insects as a protein source represents a good alternative, as it generates less GHG and reduces water consumption and breeding space while ensuring a higher feed conversion rate than that of livestock. Additionally, utilizing the functionality of medicinal insects, such as silkworms, which have been proven to have certain health enhancement effects, it is possible to develop functional foods that can prevent or delay the onset of currently incurable degenerative diseases that occur more frequently in the elderly. Insects are among the first animals to have appeared on Earth, and regardless of whether humans survive, they will continue to adapt, evolve, and thrive. Therefore, the use of various edible and medicinal insects, including silkworms, in industry will provide an important foundation for human survival and prosperity on Earth in the near future by resolving the current two major problems.

Development of Tree Carbon Calculator to Support Landscape Design for the Carbon Reduction (탄소저감설계 지원을 위한 수목 탄소계산기 개발 및 적용)

  • Ha, Jee-Ah;Park, Jae-Min
    • Journal of the Korean Institute of Landscape Architecture
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    • v.51 no.1
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    • pp.42-55
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    • 2023
  • A methodology to predict the carbon performance of newly created urban greening plans is required as policies based on quantifying carbon performance are rapidly being introduced in the face of the climate crisis caused by global warming. This study developed a tree carbon calculator that can be used for carbon reduction designs in landscaping and attempted to verify its effectiveness in landscape design. For practical operability, MS Excel was selected as a format, and carbon absorption and storage by tree type and size were extracted from 93 representative species to reflect plant design characteristics. The database, including tree unit prices, was established to reflect cost limitations. A plantation experimental design to verify the performance of the tree carbon calculator was conducted by simulating the design of parks in the central region for four landscape design, and the causal relationship was analyzed by conducting semi-structured interviews before and after. As a result, carbon absorption and carbon storage in the design using the tree carbon calculator were about 17-82% and about 14-85% higher, respectively, compared to not using it. It was confirmed that the reason for the increase in carbon performance efficiency was that additional planting was actively carried out within a given budget, along with the replacement of excellent carbon performance species. Pre-interviews revealed that designers distrusted data and the burdens caused by new programs before using the arboreal carbon calculator but tended to change positively because of its usefulness and ease of use. In order to implement carbon reduction design in the landscaping field, it is necessary to develop it into a carbon calculator for trees and landscaping performance. This study is expected to present a useful direction for ntroducing carbon reduction designs based on quantitative data in landscape design.

Traffic Operation Strategy for the Mixed Traffic Flow on Autonomous Vehicle Pilot Zone: Focusing on Pangyo Zero City (자율주행차 혼재 시 시범운행지구 교통운영전략 수립: 판교제로시티를 중심으로)

  • Donghyun Lim;Woosuk Kim;Jongho Kim;Hyungjoo Kim
    • The Journal of The Korea Institute of Intelligent Transport Systems
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    • v.22 no.1
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    • pp.172-191
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    • 2023
  • This study was undertaken to strategize the mixed traffic operation of autonomous vehicles in the pilot zone. This was achieved by analyzing the changes expected when autonomous vehicles are mixed in the autonomous vehicle pilot zone. Although finding a safe and efficient traffic operation strategy is required for the pilot zone to serve as a test bed for autonomous vehicles, there is no available operation strategy based on the mixture of autonomous vehicles. In order to presents a traffic operation strategies for each period of autonomous vehicle introduction, traffic efficiency and safety analysis was performed according to the autonomous vehicle market percentage rate. Based on the analysis results, the introduction stage was divided into introductory stage, transition period, and stable period based on the autonomous vehicle market share of 30% and 70%. This study presents the following traffic operation strategies. Considering the traffic flow operation strategy, we suggest the advancement of the existing road infrastructure at the introductory stage, and operating an autonomous driving lane and the mileage system during the transition period. We also propose expanding the operation of autonomous driving lanes and easing the speed limit during the stable period. In the traffic safety strategy, we present a manual and legal system for responding to autonomous vehicle accidents in the introductory stage, an analysis of the causes of autonomous vehicle accidents and the implementation of preventive policies in the transition period, and the advancement of the autonomous system and the reinforcement of the security system during the stable period. Through the traffic operation strategy presented in this study, we foresee the possibility of preemptively responding to the changes of traffic flow and traffic safety expected due to the mixture of autonomous vehicles in the autonomous vehicle pilot zone in the future.

.A Study on Parents' Transnational Educational Passion in the Tendency of Globalization : The Potential and Limitations of Educational Nomadism (세계화의 흐름에서 학부모의 초국가적 교육열 - 교육노마디즘의 가능성과 한계를 중심으로 -)

  • Kim, So-Hee
    • Korean Journal of Culture and Arts Education Studies
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    • v.5 no.1
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    • pp.97-147
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    • 2010
  • Under the recent trend of globalization, a new proposal on education has not been able to avoid the request for multi-cultural trend. Furthermore, education has been exposed to circumstances which are far different from the previous situations in which global cooperation and intercultural understanding have been more emphasized. 'Educational Nomadism'is a metaphor of creating new value and significance of education. In fact, transnational education which could be a crisis and opportunity at the same time has recently been the mainstream throughout the world. In terms of education, Korea has encountered base hollowing-out in which excessive dependence on the US education and autonomous education coexist. In fact, the world has spent a lot of time and money to have better educational background on a resume through redundant expense by the government and parents. Under this critical situation, it's urgent to change Korea's modern education into a creative educational system in connection with an advanced foreign educational system and further develop the advantage of Korea's education. A parent's investment in his/her child is a support to create new culture as well as an assistance for hope and better future of Korean education. A new direction of parents' education fever that has opened a door to global communitas can stir up infinite potential through which the flow of education fever can be changed to the resources of new civilization. The global cooperation and efforts for communitas means the communication with this world. Through this communication, the culture in which people are forced to zero-sum competition can leap into the education for change of civilization which creates pleasure of self sufficiency and donation.

The Impact of the Internet Channel Introduction Depending on the Ownership of the Internet Channel (도입주체에 따른 인터넷경로의 도입효과)

  • Yoo, Weon-Sang
    • Journal of Global Scholars of Marketing Science
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    • v.19 no.1
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    • pp.37-46
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    • 2009
  • The Census Bureau of the Department of Commerce announced in May 2008 that U.S. retail e-commerce sales for 2006 reached $ 107 billion, up from $ 87 billion in 2005 - an increase of 22 percent. From 2001 to 2006, retail e-sales increased at an average annual growth rate of 25.4 percent. The explosive growth of E-Commerce has caused profound changes in marketing channel relationships and structures in many industries. Despite the great potential implications for both academicians and practitioners, there still exists a great deal of uncertainty about the impact of the Internet channel introduction on distribution channel management. The purpose of this study is to investigate how the ownership of the new Internet channel affects the existing channel members and consumers. To explore the above research questions, this study conducts well-controlled mathematical experiments to isolate the impact of the Internet channel by comparing before and after the Internet channel entry. The model consists of a monopolist manufacturer selling its product through a channel system including one independent physical store before the entry of an Internet store. The addition of the Internet store to this channel system results in a mixed channel comprised of two different types of channels. The new Internet store can be launched by the independent physical store such as Bestbuy. In this case, the physical retailer coordinates the two types of stores to maximize the joint profits from the two stores. The Internet store also can be introduced by an independent Internet retailer such as Amazon. In this case, a retail level competition occurs between the two types of stores. Although the manufacturer sells only one product, consumers view each product-outlet pair as a unique offering. Thus, the introduction of the Internet channel provides two product offerings for consumers. The channel structures analyzed in this study are illustrated in Fig.1. It is assumed that the manufacturer plays as a Stackelberg leader maximizing its own profits with the foresight of the independent retailer's optimal responses as typically assumed in previous analytical channel studies. As a Stackelberg follower, the independent physical retailer or independent Internet retailer maximizes its own profits, conditional on the manufacturer's wholesale price. The price competition between two the independent retailers is assumed to be a Bertrand Nash game. For simplicity, the marginal cost is set at zero, as typically assumed in this type of study. In order to explore the research questions above, this study develops a game theoretic model that possesses the following three key characteristics. First, the model explicitly captures the fact that an Internet channel and a physical store exist in two independent dimensions (one in physical space and the other in cyber space). This enables this model to demonstrate that the effect of adding an Internet store is different from that of adding another physical store. Second, the model reflects the fact that consumers are heterogeneous in their preferences for using a physical store and for using an Internet channel. Third, the model captures the vertical strategic interactions between an upstream manufacturer and a downstream retailer, making it possible to analyze the channel structure issues discussed in this paper. Although numerous previous models capture this vertical dimension of marketing channels, none simultaneously incorporates the three characteristics reflected in this model. The analysis results are summarized in Table 1. When the new Internet channel is introduced by the existing physical retailer and the retailer coordinates both types of stores to maximize the joint profits from the both stores, retail prices increase due to a combination of the coordination of the retail prices and the wider market coverage. The quantity sold does not significantly increase despite the wider market coverage, because the excessively high retail prices alleviate the market coverage effect to a degree. Interestingly, the coordinated total retail profits are lower than the combined retail profits of two competing independent retailers. This implies that when a physical retailer opens an Internet channel, the retailers could be better off managing the two channels separately rather than coordinating them, unless they have the foresight of the manufacturer's pricing behavior. It is also found that the introduction of an Internet channel affects the power balance of the channel. The retail competition is strong when an independent Internet store joins a channel with an independent physical retailer. This implies that each retailer in this structure has weak channel power. Due to intense retail competition, the manufacturer uses its channel power to increase its wholesale price to extract more profits from the total channel profit. However, the retailers cannot increase retail prices accordingly because of the intense retail level competition, leading to lower channel power. In this case, consumer welfare increases due to the wider market coverage and lower retail prices caused by the retail competition. The model employed for this study is not designed to capture all the characteristics of the Internet channel. The theoretical model in this study can also be applied for any stores that are not geographically constrained such as TV home shopping or catalog sales via mail. The reasons the model in this study is names as "Internet" are as follows: first, the most representative example of the stores that are not geographically constrained is the Internet. Second, catalog sales usually determine the target markets using the pre-specified mailing lists. In this aspect, the model used in this study is closer to the Internet than catalog sales. However, it would be a desirable future research direction to mathematically and theoretically distinguish the core differences among the stores that are not geographically constrained. The model is simplified by a set of assumptions to obtain mathematical traceability. First, this study assumes the price is the only strategic tool for competition. In the real world, however, various marketing variables can be used for competition. Therefore, a more realistic model can be designed if a model incorporates other various marketing variables such as service levels or operation costs. Second, this study assumes the market with one monopoly manufacturer. Therefore, the results from this study should be carefully interpreted considering this limitation. Future research could extend this limitation by introducing manufacturer level competition. Finally, some of the results are drawn from the assumption that the monopoly manufacturer is the Stackelberg leader. Although this is a standard assumption among game theoretic studies of this kind, we could gain deeper understanding and generalize our findings beyond this assumption if the model is analyzed by different game rules.

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Business Relationships and Structural Bonding: A Study of American Metal Industry (산업재 거래관계와 구조적 결합: 미국 금속산업의 분석 연구)

  • Han, Sang-Lin;Kim, Yun-Tae;Oh, Chang-Yeob;Chung, Jae-Moon
    • Journal of Global Scholars of Marketing Science
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    • v.18 no.3
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    • pp.115-132
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    • 2008
  • Metal industry is one of the most representative heavy industries and the median sales volume of steel and nonferrous metal companies is over one billion dollars in the case America [Forbes 2006]. As seen in the recent business market situation, an increasing number of industrial manufacturers and suppliers are moving from adversarial to cooperative exchange attitudes that support the long-term relationships with their customers. This article presents the results of an empirical study of the antecedent factors of business relationships in metal industry of the United States. Commitment has been reviewed as a significant and critical variable in research on inter-organizational relationships (Hong et al. 2007, Kim et al. 2007). The future stability of any buyer-seller relationship depends upon the commitment made by the interactants to their relationship. Commitment, according to Dwyer et al. [1987], refers to "an implicit or explicit pledge of relational continuity between exchange partners" and they consider commitment to be the most advanced phase of buyer-seller exchange relationship. Bonds are made because the members need their partners in order to do something and this integration on a task basis can be either symbiotic or cooperative (Svensson 2008). To the extent that members seek the same or mutually supporting ends, there will be strong bonds among them. In other words, the principle that affects the strength of bonds is 'economy of decision making' [Turner 1970]. These bonds provide an important idea to study the causes of business long-term relationships in a sense that organizations can be mutually bonded by a common interest in the economic matters. Recently, the framework of structural bonding has been used to study the buyer-seller relationships in industrial marketing [Han and Sung 2008, Williams et al. 1998, Wilson 1995] in that this structural bonding is a crucial part of the theoretical justification for distinguishing discrete transactions from ongoing long-term relationships. The major antecedent factors of buyer commitment such as technology, CLalt, transaction-specific assets, and importance were identified and explored from the perspective of structural bonding. Research hypotheses were developed and tested by using survey data from the middle managers in the metal industry. H1: Level of technology of the relationship partner is positively related to the level of structural bonding between the buyer and the seller. H2: Comparison level of alternatives is negatively related to the level of structural bonding between the buyer and the seller. H3: Amount of the transaction-specific assets is positively related to the level of structural bonding between the buyer and the seller. H4: Importance of the relationship partner is positively related to the level of structural bonding between the buyer and the seller. H5: Level of structural bonding is positively related to the level of commitment to the relationship. To examine the major antecedent factors of industrial buyer's structural bonding and long-term relationship, questionnaire was prepared, mailed out to the sample of 400 purchasing managers of the US metal industry (SIC codes 33 and 34). After a follow-up request, 139 informants returnedthe questionnaires, resulting in a response rate of 35 percent. 134 responses were used in the final analysis after dropping 5 incomplete questionnaires. All measures were analyzed for reliability and validity following the guidelines offered by Churchill [1979] and Anderson and Gerbing [1988]., the results of fitting the model to the data indicated that the hypothesized model provides a good fit to the data. Goodness-of-fit index (GFI = 0.94) and other indices ( chi-square = 78.02 with p-value = 0.13, Adjusted GFI = 0.90, Normed Fit Index = 0.92) indicated that a major proportion of variances and covariances in the data was accounted for by the model as a whole, and all the parameter estimates showed statistical significance as evidenced by large t-values. All the factor loadings were significantly different from zero. On these grounds we judged the hypothesized model to be a reasonable representation of the data. The results from the present study suggest several implications for buyer-seller relationships. Theoretically, we attempted to conceptualize the antecedent factors of buyer-seller long-term relationships from the perspective of structural bondingin metal industry. The four underlying determinants (i.e. technology, CLalt, transaction-specific assets, and importance) of structural bonding are very critical variables of buyer-seller long-term business relationships. Our model of structural bonding makes an attempt to systematically examine the relationship between the antecedent factors of structural bonding and long-term commitment. Managerially, this research provides industrial purchasing managers with a good framework to assess the interaction processes with their partners and, ability to position their business relationships from the perspective of structural bonding. In other words, based on those underlying variables, industrial purchasing managers can determine the strength of the company's relationships with the key suppliers and its state of preparation to be a successful partner with those suppliers. Both the supplying and customer companies can also benefit by using the concept of 'structural bonding' and evaluating their relationships with key business partners from the structural point of view. In general, the results indicate that structural bonding gives a critical impact on the level of relationship commitment. Managerial implications and limitations of the study are also discussed.

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