Comparative analysis of innovative diffusion in the high-tech markets of Japan and South Korea: a use–diffusion model approach

In recent years, many scholars and practitioners have raised doubt as to whether or not conventional research on the diffusion of innovation can explain and predict the needs and behavioral patterns of consumers in the raiding and converging market environment. Thus, it has been suggested that the use–diffusion model would be a good alternative framework to study innovation diffusion. This study explores whether the new model is effective in explaining and predicting the needs and innovative behavioral patterns of consumers in the Internet Protocol Television (IPTV) market in Japan and South Korea. Nation-wide surveys were conducted in Japan and South Korea for data collection, resulting in a large random sample (n = 500 in Japan and n = 500 in South Korea). Important findings of the study are: (1) product experience and sophistication of technology were found to be the most important factors in explaining the innovative diffusion process among IPTV users; (2) functional similarity, complementarity, and substitution effect were also main determinants for enhancing users’ satisfaction with IPTV services; (3) complexity and relative advantage were crucial measures of IPTV’s current technological level, functional performance, and quality with regard to services; and (4) a comparative analysis of diffusion patterns of IPTV between Japan and South Korea indicated that IPTV users in Japan appeared to be still in the phase of early adopters, while South Korean users have gone beyond to the phase of early majority in the adoption cycle.     

Market opening and locus of power in Korea’s channels of distribution

In this article, we document how business environmental factors and balance of market power changes in the Korean distribution market, as it opens to foreign participation. We document that the opening of Korean distribution market would foster competition, enhance technological advancement, and reduce regulation. We further document that the market opening would lead to a shift in the locus of distribution power from manufacturers to distributors. These findings suggest that governments of emerging economics should consider favourably market-opening policies, and particularly, entrants into Korean distribution markets should prefer retailing or wholesaling to manufacture–distributors as a mode of entry.     

Sino-South Korea Trade Relations

Trade relations between Mainland China and the Peninsula of Korea date back 1000 years. The advantage of geography and historical, cultural origins are now more tempting while regional cooperation has become more and more important. Fifteen years ago, indirect trade started between China and South Korea. Direct non-governmental trade began in     

Changsha Chamber of Commerce Strengthens Relations with Korea Trade-Investment Promotion Agency

On November 26th 2004, the Vice-President Zhang Weili of Changsha Chamber of Commerce received Mr. Lee Seong-Bae, the Chief Representative of Korea Trade-Investment Promotion Agency (Korea Trade Center, Wuhan). Mr. hang introduced Changsha‘s economy‘s characters and its strong points in Industry and Agriculture. In the reception meeting, Mr. Lee, on behalf of Korean enterprises,     

The Diffusion of Voluntary Environmental Programs: The Case of ISO 14001 in Korea, 1996–2011

Small family businesses have generally been shown to exhibit significant concern for social responsibility, especially at the community level. Despite the reported heterogeneity of family firms in their preferences for and participation in social responsibility, the drivers of such differences are not agreed upon in the literature. We draw from enlightened self-interest and social capital theories by exploring their complementary and competing implications for the effect of duration and community satisfaction on participation in community-oriented social responsibility (CSR). Additionally, drawing on the association between gender and self-construal and evidence that gender shapes helping and giving behaviors, we assess the moderating role of the gender of the firm manager in these relationships. We test our hypotheses on a sample of 279 family businesses and find support that gender moderates the relationship between community duration and satisfaction and measures of CSR.     

Korea Surpasses Japan in Investment in China

From January to May, Korea invested US$ 2.67 billion China, next to HK and Virgin Islands, as the third largest investor to China surpass ing Japan. Investment by Japan amounted to US$ 2.4 billion.     

Customer Orientation of Service Employees—Toward a Conceptual Framework of a Key Relationship Marketing Construct

Abstract

Although customer orientation is a core element of the marketing concept and is especially crucial to the concept of relationship marketing, no widely accepted conceptualization of the construct exists. In the context of service organizations, the fulfillment of customer needs and wishes by customer-contact employeescan be seen as crucial for gaining a high degree of customer orientation. This paper develops a conceptualization of service employee customer orientation which is presented as a three-dimensional construct, the interrelated dimensions being the employee's motivation to serve customers, his or her customer-oriented skills, and his or her self-perceived decision-making authority. Implications are drawn out for relationship marketing of services organizations and relationship marketing theory.     

Korea：Peninsula Landscape Extends from Continent End

The Korea peninsula extends southward from the eastern end of the Asian continent. It is divided just slightly north of the 38th parallel. The peninsula is roughly 1020 kin（612 miles） long and 175 km（105 miles） wide at its narrowest point.     

Korea, Beautiful Landscape with Deep Cultural Tradition

Korea In Brief Land The Korea peninsula extends southward from the eastern end of the Asian continent. The Korean peninsula is roughly 1,020 km (612 miles) long and 175 km (105 miles) wide at its narrowest point. Mountains cover 70% of the Korea's land mass, making it one of the most     

The euro — a story of misunderstanding

From the very beginning of the European Monetary Union the crucial institutions, the European Commission and the European Central Bank, led by mainstream economic thinking, were not up to their task of controlling the core of the system effectively. A huge gap in competitiveness among the member states has arisen due to German wage-dumping policy on the one hand and, on the other, wage growth in Southern Europe which is above the growth of productivity plus the inflation target of 2%. A European-wide coordination of wage policy is the only promising way to close this gap. However, as wages and competitiveness are not high on the agenda of the politicians responsible and their advisers, time to save the euro is running out.     

For a Free Trade System of China

The present Chinese foreign trade structure is gradually being formed from the past extremely rigid planned economic structure through successive exploration and reform over many years. This reform and completion have spurred the rapid development of China's foreign trade over the past 15 years. In the future, China will strive to set up a free trade system with Chinese characteristics to unite with the current world trade system.     

Once upon a time there was a consumer…: stories of magic and the magic of stories

ABSTRACT

This paper explores how the centrality of narrative to people’s understandings of the world, and the power of stories of enchantment in particular, colour consumer culture. Specifically, it analyses the ways in which fantastic themes of magic and heroism are used in the discourses of marketing scholars and practitioners, as well as consumers to shape views of consumption and marketing. It further illuminates the role that marketers and consumers each have in imbuing consumption with a sense of enchantment and situates this phenomenon within the dominant neoliberal ideology. Finally, it discusses implications for marketing theory and for practices aimed at reducing excessive consumption related to such enchantment.     

The Pioneering Spirit of a Centurial Aged Man

Yuan Geng,who created the Shekou Mode,is a pioneer in 30 years' history of China opening to the foreign,and a practicer of the policy by Deng Xiaoping of"Shenzhen Special Zone should break a way for China".The success of Shekou Mode provided a vane to the rapid development of economic zones and develop- ment zones in China,and the"growing up"of China.Referring to Yuan Geng,some say he is a capitalist,some say he is pioneer,and some say he is a star of reform, and so on.To carve a real picture let's go near to him and share the valuable mem- ories.     

When is quality of financial system a source of comparative advantage?

Dominant theories of trade tend to ignore the role of finance as a source of comparative advantage. On the other hand, the finance literature places financial institutions as a driver of economic growth. This paper unites these two competing schools of thought in a general equilibrium framework. For economies with high-quality institutions (defined by the competitiveness of the financial sector, the quality of corporate governance, and the level of property rights protection), finance is passive. On the other hand, for economies with low-quality institutions, the quality of the financial system is an independent source of comparative advantage. Interestingly, the conventional measure of financial development (the size of the financial market relative to GDP) does not adequately capture the underlying quality of financial institutions. In addition, free trade may reduce the aggregate income in South. Financial capital tends to flow from South to North.     

Hilton University promotes a new form of e-learning

For too long, the hospitality industry relied upon the traditional learning media -classroom-based instruction and "follow-th-teacher". Learning was in effect rationed. But e-learning has turned that reality upside down. For Hilton, the development of its people is at the heart of its business. Hilton University was the inspiration of Anthony Harris, the Chief Executive of Hilton International, who sadly     

Codes of ethics — towards a rule-utilitarian justification

This paper attempts to provide a conceptual underpinning for codes of ethics in business and the professions. Rule-utilitarianism is a theory of ethics which I believe can successfully do this. Business persons and professionals, hopefully, will be able to develop codes of ethics in a manner consistent with a well-formulated general ethical theory. This will help enable codes of ethics to be a bridge between general ethical theory and specific ethical decisions made in business and the professions. William C. Starr is Assistant Professor of Philosophy at Marquette University. His most important publication is: Legal Positivism, Dworkin, and International Law.     

Residual Brand Awareness Following the Termination of a Long‐term Event Sponsorship and the Appointment of a New Sponsor

This study examined brand awareness after a change in sponsor and audience perceptions about the sponsors and the event before and after the change. A survey of the audience at a surfing event was conducted. The findings were that the original sponsor maintained high awareness levels with the audience, particularly awareness of the previously sponsored event, thereby supporting the proposition that long‐term sponsorship supports long‐term brand awareness. Secondly, the research found that a change in sponsorship does not necessarily lead to changes in respondents' perceptions of the event. Thirdly, the research showed that there was a mismatch in the values of the original sponsor and the event, whereas the current sponsor had a closer match with the event's values. Sponsorships change fairly frequently and it would be of interest to sponsors to know the extent to which benefits continue to accrue after they have stopped sponsoring an event. Since almost no research has been carried out on residual awareness and awareness decay, this paper should contribute to knowledge about the cessation of sponsorships, as well as to the broader field of sponsorship knowledge.