Search results

Welded built-up square CFT columns are widely employed in construction field thanks to their structural efficiencies by avoiding stress concentration area and improving workability in fabrication and maximizing the composite effect enabled by bent ribs. Although welded built-up square CFT columns have structural advantages over other members and are widely used, they are classified as non-fireproof in Korea because the steel tubes are directly exposed to a fire. Thus, fire coating required for the columns by the law results in inefficient design. This study suggests welded built-up square CFT columns with reduced coating to enable improved fire-resistance performance for 2˜3 hours. The purpose of the study is to analyse their fire-resistance performance using the variable of axial Load ratio which is the major factor in the performance and suggest efficient functional design with reduced coating.

This paper describes the development process of a mobile Voice User Interface (VUI) for Korean users with dysarthria with currently available speech recognition technology by conducting systematic user needs analysis and applying usability testing feedback to prototype system designs.

Four usability surveys are conducted for the development of the prototype system. According to the two surveys on user needs and user experiences with existing VUI systems at the stage of the prototype design, the target platforms, and target applications are determined. Furthermore, a set of basic words is selected by the prospective users, which enables the system to be not only custom designed for dysarthric speakers but also individualized for each user. Reflecting the requests relating to general usage of the VUI and the UI design preference of users through evaluation of the initial prototype, we develop the final prototype, which is an individualized voice keyboard for mobile devices based on an isolated word recognition engine with word prediction.

The results of this paper show that target user participation in system development is effective for improving usability and satisfaction of the system, as the system is developed considering various ideas and feedback obtained in each development stage from different prospective users.

We have developed an automatic speech recognition-based mobile VUI system not only custom designed for dysarthric speakers but also individualized for each user, focussing on the usability aspect through four usability surveys. This voice keyboard system has the potential to be an assistive and alternative input method for people with speech impairment, including mild to moderate dysarthria, and people with physical disabilities.

This study aims to investigate the influence of image and reputation of imported fresh fruits on consumer satisfaction and purchase intentions. The moderating role of familiarity with imported fruits was also assessed.

A total of 332 Taiwanese consumers who had purchased imported Korean pears participated using an online survey and were grouped based on their familiarity to Korean pears. Multi-group analysis with structural equation modeling was used to test the hypotheses.

Image and reputation of imported Korean pears were identified as predictors of the satisfaction and purchase intention. Multi-group analysis results found the moderating effect of familiarity between image and satisfaction. Images were identified as predictors of the satisfaction and purchase intention of imported Korean pears for consumers with low familiarity, whereas image did not show any influence on satisfaction for consumers with high familiarity.

This study can contribute to the limited understanding of imported fresh fruit markets and provides insights into familiarity for consuming imported fresh fruits.

The purpose of this paper is to examine the moderating effect of uncertainty avoidance (UA) on the relationships among subjective knowledge, attitude toward Korean foods and dining out behavioral intentions (BI) of foreign residents in Korea.

A total of 247 foreign residents in Korea were participated through a street intercept survey at several locations in metropolitan areas of South Korea. Subsequently, the samples were divided into two groups (a low UA group and a high UA group) for multiple group analysis to examine the moderating role of UA.

The results of structural equation modeling showed that subjective knowledge and attitude toward Korean foods significantly influenced intention to visit Korean restaurants. Furthermore, multiple group analysis results showed that UA had a significant moderating effect as a cultural dimension on the relationships between subjective knowledge and BI, as well as between attitude and BI.

This research has made the first attempt to account for UA in examining the relationships among subjective knowledge, attitude and BIs, especially for ambiguous situations where foreign residents who are new to the mainstream Korean food culture face challenges in visiting Korean restaurants.

The findings indicate that enhancing subjective knowledge about Korean foods should increase the probability of foreign residents visiting Korean restaurants, so restaurant marketers should consider subjective knowledge as they work to encourage foreign residents to try Korean foods. Furthermore, planning strategies for marketing to foreign residents should consider level of UA among foreigners.

This study first illustrates the value of considering the cultural trait of UA in examining dining out behavior at ethnic restaurants. The UA trait sheds light on how subjective knowledge helps predict attitude and dining out BI at ethnic restaurants.

The purpose of this study is to develop a measurement scale to explain how international tourists, as consumers at destination restaurants, evaluate their dining experiences.

The measurement scale was developed using a three-stage process: initial item generation, scale development and scale evaluation. A total of 369 self-administered questionnaires validated the developed scale.

The results showed five dimensions of value of destination restaurant services: service quality value, authentic experience value, emotional experience value, social value and utility value. The scale, comprising 40 items, was reliable and valid for assessing the value of destination restaurant services.

This scale revealed new items that help explain the value of various destination restaurant services among international tourists. The developed scale could be used to extend the research model with antecedents of value and consequences of value for destination restaurant services.

Considering the popularity of food tourism among international tourists, the developed scale should be useful in assessing how tourists value destination restaurant services, thereby helping restaurant managers create effective marketing strategies.

This study contributes with a new, reliable and valid measurement scale that was specifically developed to address the unique value of destination restaurant services.

This study aimed to investigate the effects of accessibility, quality perception, and price perception on consumer satisfaction with imported fruit, specifically imported Asian pears. The moderating role of the country image was also assessed.

A total of 413 Americans aged over 19 years who had purchased imported Asian pears were surveyed through an online questionnaire. Structural equation modeling and multiple group analysis were conducted to test the hypotheses.

Accessibility, quality perception, and price perception exhibited a significant impact on consumer satisfaction with imported Asian pears and influenced behavioral intention through satisfaction. Multiple group analysis results revealed a moderating effect of the country image on these relationships. Accessibility had a significant impact on consumer satisfaction of consumers with a high country image of Korea, whereas prices had no significant impact on them. In contrast, price was determined as a key satisfaction factor for consumers with a low country image of Korea, whereas accessibility did not have a significant impact.

This study contributes to the literature on imported fruits and provides practical implications for promoting the consumption of imported Asian pears in the US.

This study evaluated the effect of functional jackets designed to reduce the workload on the upper extremities and boost the muscle strength of workers from prolonged repetitive work.

The functional jacket designs for the upper limb incorporated a dynamic taping line with an elastic band, three-dimensional support for the abdomen and posterior waist (S2) and an X-shaped line on the scapular region combined with abdominal and posterior waist support (S3). Clothing pressure was adjusted ergonomically for different areas. A standard jacket served as the control (S1). The designs were evaluated based on work posture, electromyography and subjective sensation.

S2 and S3 effectively reduced the workload on the upper extremities by decreasing the trapezius muscle, shoulders and waist movement. S3 showed a low muscle-activation level on electromyogram analysis and was excellent in subjective sensation.

A functional jacket with optimal compression applied differentially to the upper extremities, with three-dimensional abdominal and posterior waist support and an X-shaped line on the scapula region, can reduce the workload on the upper extremities and boost the core muscle strength to improve work performance.

The purpose of this study is to segment consumers according to their decision-making styles in the context of social commerce. Additionally, the differences among consumer segments in consumer innovativeness, perceived risk, satisfaction and demographic characteristics are evaluated.

A total of 384 respondents who shopped for restaurant deals through social commerce participated in this study through an online survey. Two-step cluster analyses were used to segment social commerce consumers into groups, using their decision-making styles.

The results showed three types of social commerce consumers of restaurant deals: innovative brand-preferring consumers; realistic consumers; and passive consumers. Innovative brand-preferring consumers chose specific brands and showed the most innovativeness, while realistic consumers and passive consumers were price-conscious and far more cautious in purchasing restaurant deals using social commerce. Passive consumers were, in addition, confused by overchoice. All three consumer groups perceived higher risks to privacy in purchases using social commerce. Passive consumers were especially aware of the risk, while the innovative brand-preferring consumers and the realistic consumers were less concerned about risk. Consumers were especially likely to perceive economic risk, performance risk, social risk, psychological risk, privacy risk and time risk. Innovative brand-preferring consumers were more likely to be innovative and showed a higher level of satisfaction, while passive consumers showed the lowest satisfaction and the least innovativeness.

This study provides additional insights on consumer decision-making styles in the context of social commerce in Korea.

Consumer decision-making styles can help restaurant managers to develop deals tailored to specific types of consumers, as well as create customized products and services.

This study is one of the very few attempts to investigate consumer decision-making styles in social commerce for restaurant deals, so it contributes to the literature on social commerce in the hospitality industry. This study shows that consumer decision-making styles are important in understanding the behavior of social commerce consumers.

This study aims to explore the role of restaurant experienscape in affecting diners' emotions and satisfaction with solo dining, considering the moderating role of solo dining willingness and public self-consciousness (PSC).

In total, 403 Korean customers who had dined alone at restaurants in the past three months participated in this study. Structural equation modeling, including multiple group analysis, was conducted to examine the hypotheses.

The dining atmosphere influenced solo diners' positive emotions but not their negative emotions. Responses from other guests and the interactional fairness of employees affected solo diners' negative emotions but not their positive emotions. Food sensory influences both positive and negative emotions. This study found that PSC significantly moderated the effect of the dining atmosphere on positive emotions, and solo dining willingness significantly moderated the impact of food sensory on positive emotions.

This study suggests that restaurant managers should pay close attention to providing fair service to all customers by training and educating employees because the unfair treatment that solo diners receive from employees affects focal customers' negative emotions.

The experienscape model was applied to the solo dining context based on Mehrabian and Russell's (1974) stimulus–organism–response paradigm and Pizam and Tasci's (2019) experienscape concept, which reflects the growing trend in solo dining.