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As the global economy continues to boom, there remains a significant need for more efficient transportation and effective management in corporate logistics. In this regard, railways have been considered one of the most efficient modes for long distance transportation. In Asia, there are several extensive and direct railroads such as the TSR (Trans-Siberian-Railroad), the TCR (Trans-Chinese-Railroad) and the TMR (Trans-Mongolian-Railroad) which could connect Asia to Europe. If these railroad networks such as the TKR (Trans-Korean-Railroad) were fully operational, it is expected that they would replace a major portion of the current global trade transportation with is sent through other shipping methods. Therefore, the development of railroad networks is one of the most important steps toward an integrated international transportation system. However, in reality, it is difficult to achieve this vision because of the political and economic problems surrounding multiple countries that this network must cut across. Moreover, it is difficult to ensure the railways’ economic competitiveness when it is compared with other logistics options. In this study, we aim to discover the status quo about railway networks by focusing on the TCR and TSR. Through in-depth interviews and surveys with actual users of these networks, current issues and problems are analysed in order to make suggestions for improvements. This research also provides meaningful insights which the TKR-TSR and TKR-TCR railway networks should consider if they want to continue to be successful in the future.

The paper provides an overview of research published in the innovation and operations management (IOM) literature on 15 methods for cost management in new product development, and it provides a comparison to an earlier review of the management accounting (MA) literature (Wouters & Morales, 2014).

This structured literature search covers papers published in 23 journals in IOM in the period 1990–2014.

The search yielded a sample of 208 unique papers with 275 results (one paper could refer to multiple cost management methods). The top 3 methods are modular design, component commonality, and product platforms, with 115 results (42%) together. In the MA literature, these three methods accounted for 29%, but target costing was the most researched cost management method by far (26%). Simulation is the most frequently used research method in the IOM literature, whereas this was averagely used in the MA literature; qualitative studies were the most frequently used research method in the MA literature, whereas this was averagely used in the IOM literature. We found a lot of papers presenting practical approaches or decision models as a further development of a particular cost management method, which is a clear difference from the MA literature.

This review focused on the same cost management methods, and future research could also consider other cost management methods which are likely to be more important in the IOM literature compared to the MA literature. Future research could also investigate innovative cost management practices in more detail through longitudinal case studies.

This review of research on methods for cost management published outside the MA literature provides an overview for MA researchers. It highlights key differences between both literatures in their research of the same cost management methods.

To be a dominant company (in other words, a long‐term successful company), it is an enormous task to build brand loyalty, to reach brand loyal customers, and to give those customers’ product satisfaction. The purpose of this study was to identify clothing brand loyal customers regarding their buying behavior, self‐image, and demographics. Also, brand loyal customers’ post‐purchase outcomes based on clothing attributes were investigated. The questionnaire was based on a self‐administrated pilot study and included measuring brand loyalty, consumer decision making, and demographics. Data were from 328 questionnaires completed by adult women living in Seoul, Korea. The results showed that in purchasing tee shirts, 24.4 percent of the sample were brand loyal customers, 42.2 percent were brand loyal customers in purchasing trousers and 38.7 percent were brand loyal customers in purchasing jackets. The multiple discriminant analysis indicated several significant variables for profiling brand loyal customers and non‐brand loyal customers. High price, brand loyal customers and low/medium price, brand loyal customers significantly differed in post‐purchase satisfaction.

This paper, in face of the increasing interconnectivity between local and global, has attempted to retrospect the critical moment of Korean society under Tae‐woo Rho (1988–93) regime, in which Korea struggled for fundamental reforms of the earlier centrally controlled state system through economic rationalization and labor flexibilization. During that juncture of Korean history, neo‐liberalization under the influence of Fordian decline was a governing theme behind the Korean economy's policy formation as well as labor agenda. This reliance of government on the neo‐liberal pillar has made an impact on the subsequent leaderships under Young Sam Kim (1993–1998) and Dae Jung Kim (1998‐present). After briefly reviewing the major aspect of Korean economy and labor problems surrounding the financial crisis of East Asia around 1998, the international influence of Fordian decline and neo‐liberalization as a Korean alternative has been discussed.

Hospitality businesses have been challenged to pick fitting electronic word-of-mouth (eWOM) management strategies, yet accurate return on investment assessments and contextual contingencies interpretation essential for leveraging eWOM power are largely absent. This study aims to fill these gaps and develop a tool aiming at more holistic and accurate eWOM management assessment.

An agent-based model is developed based on eWOM-related hospitality/business theories and empirical evidence on the NetLogo 6.0.2 platform, wherein a series of simulated experiments are conducted.

Simulation patterns suggest that conformity to the majority’s choice of eWOM usage can be beneficial for consumption satisfaction, yet conformity to a group’s eWOM posting choice can compromise satisfaction. Compared to the brief reputation-boosting benefit of exaggerated advertising, honesty in advertising is preferable given its compatibility with competing eWOM distribution and long-term reputation benefits.

A preliminary tool is developed for hospitality businesses that aids the clearer interpretation of and more accurate/cost-efficient assessment of effectiveness in managing eWOM distribution. Generic directions for improved eWOM management are also provided.

A prototype model is established that surpasses existing models in its ability to capture the complexity of eWOM management and more accurately assess management effectiveness. The authors also reveal emerging novel patterns concerning the interactive dynamics of eWOM behaviors and contextual influences. The research also adds to the scarce agent-based model applications in hospitality research/practices and recommends future potential applications.

This paper aims to examine the effects of economic policy uncertainty (EPU) on accounting conservatism in Korean firms. An increase in EPU could widen information asymmetry between insiders and outsiders, to the detriment of a firm’s investment decisions, stock price and cost of capital. This paper hypothesizes that Korean firms are likely to decrease accounting conservatism during high EPU due to inefficient institutional structure and weak corporate governance, together with the vulnerability of the Korean economy to exogenous shocks.

This study measures a firm’s level of conservatism using three accrual-based models proposed by Ball and Shivakumar (2006): 1) the cash flow model (CF model), 2) the Dechow and Dichev model (DD model) and 3) the Jones model. As a robustness test, this paper uses C-score model as an alternative measure of accounting conservatism. The data set used in this study is a total of 23,109 firm-year observations during the sample period from 2000 to 2018.

The test results show that an increase in EPU adversely affects Korean firms’ accounting conservatism, and that this adverse impact is more pronounced in financially distressed and non-manufacturing firms. This study’s findings highlight the importance of institutional structure during a period of high EPU, which can create incentives for either improving or deteriorating reporting quality.

This study adds new evidence to extant literature on the effects of EPU on managers’ choice of accounting policies and demonstrates that managers in emerging markets may have different incentives to cope with country-specific EPU fluctuations.

The interfacial structure is vitally important for achieving a good joint reliability during service. The purpose of this paper is to systematically explore the effects of Zn addition into the Sn-3.5Ag eutectic solder on the formation of intermetallic compound (IMC) layer at the interface between Sn-3.5Ag-xZn (x = 0, 0.9 and 3) solders and Cu pad.

To obtain useful information on the formation of interfacial structure and to determine an effective way to avoid the formation of brittle joints, a series of Sn-Ag lead-free solders with different Zn contents were prepared and soldered. To investigate the IMC layers between Sn-3.5Ag-xZn (x = 0, 0.9 and 3) lead-free solders and the Cu pads, three specimens of the Sn-3.5Ag-xZn/Cu were soldered at 250°C for one min.

It is found that the addition of Zn in the Sn-3.5Ag eutectic solder can prompt the formation of Cu₅Zn₈ IMCs, and restrain the formation of the Cu₆Sn₅ IMCs. Moreover, the addition of Zn in the Sn-3.5Ag eutectic solder will reduce the solubility of Cu in the liquid solder, which accelerates the growth of the formed IMCs. Consequently, the thickness of IMC layer increases with increasing the content of Zn.

This paper usefully demonstrates how the addition of Zn favoured the formation of the Cu₅Zn₈ phase and restrained the formation of the Cu₆Sn₅ phase. Moreover, the addition of Zn in the Sn-Ag eutectic solder would reduce the solubility of Cu in the liquid solder, which accelerates the growth of the formed IMCs. Consequently, the thickness of the IMC layer increased with increasing concentration of Zn.

The purpose of this study is structural stability evaluation of umbilical winch. In accordance with the recent trend for developing natural resources, high-technology equipment on exploration ships is becoming more technologically advanced. One such piece of high-technology equipment is the umbilical winch. In this study, the umbilical winch is divided into two parts (drum and winch), where each is respectively designed with three dimensional models using CATIA, and dynamic simulation and structural analysis are performed using ANSYS.

In this paper, the winch is divided into two parts for finite element analysis, the drum and whole winch model, and the parts are designed as three-dimensional models except for some small parts, such as bolt holes. Dynamic simulation and structural analysis are then performed using ANSYS. The analysis results ensure the reliability of the design methods and will be used in the domestic localization of remote operated vehicle (ROV) launch and recovery systems (LARS).

The strain is identified from the results, but it is very small. Some stress is concentrated at the lower corner of the drum, but the maximum stress value is lower than the allowable stress; therefore, the structure has no impact on the strain and stress. Thus, it is determined that the designed structure is safe. The results ensure the reliability of the design methods and will be used in the domestic localization of ROV LARS.

Previous studies focus on the static and mechanic problems of the winch by considering winch and drum breakage in the umbilical winch system. However, ships have a nonlinear motion characteristic with six degrees of freedom according to the constant influence of the external environment. In addition, from a design perspective, the dynamic characteristics (e.g. the ship’s motions) are more important than the static characteristics. Thus, the authors focus on winch stability securement with variable loads, such as ships moving, wave disturbance and other such important environment conditions.

The purpose of this paper is to analyse the factors that make tourist shopping districts successful.

In total, 12 sets of face-to-face interviews were conducted in 7 cities on 4 continents in September and October, 2019. In total, 21 individuals participated in the interviews. Interviews were conducted in Bangkok Thailand, Singapore, Melbourne and Brisbane Australia, Ottawa Canada, New York USA (three sets of interviews) and London England (four sets of interviews).

The literature focusses on operational issues, while respondents highlighted higher order issues relating primarily to organisational structure, governance and funding.

The study focusses primarily on English speaking jurisdictions, with the exception of Bangkok. As such, the results may not be generalisable to non-English speaking economies.

Insights into factors influencing the success of tourism retail shopping districts are highlighted, especially the role of governance and creativity.

The paper indicates that local stakeholders also play a key role in the success of such districts.

This is the first comprehensive, global study of the factors that make tourism shopping districts successful.