The Korean economy has moved from being a role model, with various impediments to its future development now identified. Some of the problems concern its manufacturing…
Abstract
The Korean economy has moved from being a role model, with various impediments to its future development now identified. Some of the problems concern its manufacturing nationalized industries with debate over their “efficiency”, with high costs of production, wastage of materials and human resources, combined with poor quality. At the same time, there is also a feeling that nationalized industries are not discharging their “responsibilities” to society. While the focus of this paper is a segment of Korean management and business, it has more general and wider relevance to other sectors and counties. The main purposes of this study are to highlight the environmental factors under which nationalized industries operate; draw attention to problems stemming from them that negatively affect efficiency and management; and make some tentative recommendations for possible reforms.
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The Hanbo (meaning Korean treasure) scandal or “Hanbogate” occurred on January 23, 1997, with the bankruptcy of Hanbo Iron and Steel Company, the second largest steel company and…
Abstract
The Hanbo (meaning Korean treasure) scandal or “Hanbogate” occurred on January 23, 1997, with the bankruptcy of Hanbo Iron and Steel Company, the second largest steel company and 14th largest conglomerate in South Korea, as its debt had accumulated to US$5.6 billion. Hanbo's bankruptcy triggered an investigation by the Public Prosecutor's Office that resulted in the imprisonment for 15 years of Hanbo's founder, Chung Tae-Soo, for bribing politicians and bankers to pressure banks to extend hugh bank loans to Hanbo. Nine other persons were also convicted including Chung's son, who was jailed for three years for bribery and embezzlement, and Kim Hyun-Chol, the second son of President Kim Young-Sam, who was sentenced to three years jail and fined US$1.5 million (New York Times, 1997).
Charles Ikerionwu, David Edgar and Edwin Gray
The decision to operate BPO-IT organisational model by a business process outsourcing (BPO) service provider has far reaching benefits. The purpose of this paper is to develop a…
Abstract
Purpose
The decision to operate BPO-IT organisational model by a business process outsourcing (BPO) service provider has far reaching benefits. The purpose of this paper is to develop a service provider’s BPO-IT framework that provides in-house IT function (software) required to process client services.
Design/methodology/approach
The multi-case study adopted an exploratory sequential mixed method research approach. In the first instance, seven BPO service provider organisations were investigated in the qualitative phase and 156 in the quantitative phase, respectively.
Findings
The adoption of the developed framework indicates that it could reduce failures in BPO relationships through reduced turnaround time in processing client services, improved quality of service, reduced cost, improved client and provider’s competitiveness, and confidentiality of client operations. Outsourcing clients could lay the foundation for a successful relationship by adopting a selection process that could choose the right provider.
Originality/value
The paper reveals BPO-IT organisation’s operation towards in-house provision of software required to process client services. A research exploring BPO service providers from a top outsourcing destination like India could provide offshore outsourcing clients the information to move towards onshore outsourcing.
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This paper proposes that if a political system is more like to facilitate a unified government, to establish a strong executive body and to respond to the needs of the majority…
Abstract
This paper proposes that if a political system is more like to facilitate a unified government, to establish a strong executive body and to respond to the needs of the majority, financial reforms are more likely to emerge from the policymaking process and produce positive results. On the contrary, political systems that discourage those governing features are less likely to produce reforms. This chapter compares financial reform processes in China, Taiwan and New Zealand. All of them performed low level of financial reforms in the early 1980s but resulted in different situations later. In the mid-2000s, New Zealand heralded the most efficient and stable financial system; while Taiwan lagged behind and China performed the worst. Evidence showed that China’s authoritarian system may be the most superior in forming a unified government with a strong executive, but the policy priority often responds more to the interests of a small group of power elites; therefore the result of financial reform can be limited. Taiwan’s presidential system can produce greater financial reform when the ruling party controls both executive and legislative bodies, but legislative obstructions may occur under a divided government. New Zealand's Westminster system produces the most effective and efficient financial reform due to its unified government and a strong executive branch with consistent and stable supports from the New Zealand Parliament.
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This chapter focuses on South Korea’s newly found regional leadership, as the emergent middle power of East Asia, in order to advance regional integration and…
Abstract
This chapter focuses on South Korea’s newly found regional leadership, as the emergent middle power of East Asia, in order to advance regional integration and institution-building. Policy leadership is observed and analyzed from an international lens, linked to the literature of middle powers. The chapter first conceptualizes middle powers in connection with the issue of international leadership, since such states often play important roles in promoting cooperation. The chapter looks especially into South Korea’s foreign policy behavior toward East Asian regional processes and how it has manifested innovative and capable leadership. More specifically, the last three presidencies of Kim Dae-jung (1998–2002), Roh Moo-hyun (2003–2008), and Lee Myung-bak (2008–2013) are scrutinized in the hope of underscoring how their particular administrations, political leadership, and strategic approaches to foreign policy toward the region influenced South Korea’s regional leadership attempts and middle power status.
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Wonseok (Eric) Jang, Soojin Kim, Jung Won Chun, A-Reum Jung and Hany Kim
This study aims to understand how travelers evaluate travel destination recommendations received from either artificial intelligence (AI) or human travel experts (TEs) based on…
Abstract
Purpose
This study aims to understand how travelers evaluate travel destination recommendations received from either artificial intelligence (AI) or human travel experts (TEs) based on the size of recommendation and their travel involvement.
Design/methodology/approach
This study used a 2 (agent type: AI vs TE) × 2 (size of recommendation: small vs large) × 2 (travel involvement: low vs high) between-subjects design.
Findings
When AI recommends destinations, less-involved travelers perceive the recommendations as more credible and trust the system when AI offers larger recommendations than smaller ones. Meanwhile, when TEs offer recommendations, travelers consider the recommendations as equally credible and similarly trust the system, regardless of the recommendation size and travel involvement.
Originality/value
This study sheds light on the design of human-centered AI travel destination recommendation services.
研究目的
本研究旨在了解旅行者如何根据推荐的规模和他们的旅行参与度来评估从人工智能 (AI) 或人类旅行专家 (TE) 收到的旅行目的地推荐。
研究设计/方法/途径
本研究使用 2(代理类型:AI 与 TE)×2(推荐数量:小与大)×2(旅行参与:低与高)受试者间设计。
调查结果
当 AI 推荐目的地时, 参与度较低的旅行者认为推荐更可信, 并且当 AI 提供的建议比较小的建议大时信任系统。 同时, 当 TE 提供推荐时, 无论推荐数量大小和旅行参与度如何, 旅行者都认为这些推荐同样可信并且同样信任系统。
研究原创性
这项研究揭示了以人为本的人工智能旅游目的地推荐服务的设计。
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This study aims to investigate how preservice teachers’ stages of concern, beliefs, confidence and interest in AI literacy education evolve as they deepen their understanding of…
Abstract
Purpose
This study aims to investigate how preservice teachers’ stages of concern, beliefs, confidence and interest in AI literacy education evolve as they deepen their understanding of AI concepts and AI literacy education.
Design/methodology/approach
AI literacy lessons were integrated into a technology integration course for preservice teachers, and the impacts of the lessons were evaluated through a mixed-methods study. The Concerns-Based Adoption Model was employed as the analytical framework to explore participants’ specific concerns related to AI.
Findings
Findings revealed that participants initially lacked AI knowledge and awareness. However, targeted AI literacy education enhanced preservice teachers’ awareness and confidence in teaching AI. While acknowledging AI’s educational benefits, participants expressed ongoing concerns after AI literacy lessons, such as fears of teacher displacement and the potential adverse effects of incorporating generative AI on students’ critical learning skills development.
Originality/value
Despite the importance of providing preservice teachers with AI literacy skills and knowledge, research in this domain remains scarce. This study fills this gap by enhancing the AI-related knowledge and skills of future educators, while also identifying their specific concerns regarding the integration of AI into their future classrooms. The findings of this study offer valuable insights and guidelines for teacher educators to incorporate AI literacy education into teacher training programs.
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Gyeung‐Min Kim and Hyun Jung Won
The goal of this research is first to investigate the outsourcing needs of small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in each of the following HR sub‐processes: recruiting, training, HR…
Abstract
Purpose
The goal of this research is first to investigate the outsourcing needs of small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in each of the following HR sub‐processes: recruiting, training, HR administration, payroll, and benefit processes. Then, the outsourcing needs are analyzed against the characteristics of the companies such as company size, operating environment, culture and information technology maturity. Lastly, integrated business process outsourcing (BPO) service models are developed according to the characteristics of the company.
Design/methodology/approach
To fulfil the objective of this research, the questionnaire is used to assess the outsourcing needs of the companies. The data collected by questionnaire are analyzed against the characteristics of the companies. Then integrated BPO service models are developed based on the analysis of the questionnaire data and the interviews with HR managers. This study used both quantitative and qualitative methodologies.
Findings
This study suggests BPO service industry with two different service models: partially integrated model where e‐recruiting and e‐learning are integrated and fully integrated model where all of the HR‐subprocesses are integrated.
Originality/value
As BPO is expected to be booming in the next few years, this study helps BPO service industry to better serve SMEs in the area of human resource management.