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Purpose: This paper aims to provide a case study of complex conflict management within the arms race on the Korean Peninsula. Exploring the complex nexus of nuclear weapons, asymmetry and a qualitative arms race, the study explains how the arms race between Seoul and Pyongyang has promoted stability on the Korean Peninsula. Design/methodology/approach: Presenting the limits of arguments that the US security guarantee is the factor that saved the two Koreas from going to war again, this paper explores the utility of the inter-Korean arms race as a stabilizer that promotes indirect negotiations. While presenting Korean anomalies, this paper analyzes the three stages of the inter-Korean arms race – especially its nuclear weapons, its asymmetry and the nature of arms races – and provides extant explanations on the causes and consequences of the qualitative arms race. These key elements drive the states' strategic motives. Findings: Using the case of the inter-Korean qualitative arms race and US extended nuclear deterrence on the Korean Peninsula, the study shows the complexities of conflict management today. This paper identifies three contributing factors – US nuclear weapons, asymmetry and the qualitative characteristic of the arms race – to explain the enduring stability on the peninsula despite the arms race's intensification. The paper finds that although US nuclear-extended deterrence plays a critical role, it does not capture the full context of the ongoing, dynamic inter-Korean arms race; a prolonged arms race between the two Koreas has become a new regularity; the qualitative characteristic of the inter-Korean arms race, which is driven by technological advancement, contributes to stability in the arms race; and as the constant mismatch in priority technologies becomes more severe, the changes to the existing asymmetry could increase instability. Originality/value: This paper offers a diverse perspective to the literature on conflict management and captures the complexities of 21st-century conflict management. Through a thorough examination of the inter-Korean arms race, it brings readers' attention to the nested dynamics within the arms race and shows how an intensifying arms race can promote stability. Furthermore, the paper explains the implications for potential instability – fueled by the comprehensive mix of a dynamic qualitative arms race and the US extended nuclear deterrence – in the Indo-Pacific region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose -- The purpose of this paper is to compare the competitiveness of the economies of Taiwan. and Korea. Design/methodology/approach - The comparison between Taiwan and Korea is based on the average value of the data over five years (2000-2004). It applies a generalized double diamond model approach to analyse the overall competitiveness of these two small open economies. Findings -- Taiwan surpasses Korea in all decisive factors with the exception of the demand condition in the domestic diamond in the years 2000-2004, which is due to Korea's population being more than double Taiwan's. As to the international diamond, Taiwan enjoys comparatively high competitiveness, and its international diamond is better than Korea's in all four parts. Research limitations/implications -- The data sources include: Indicators of Science and Technology, Taiwan, 2004 and 2005, Korean National Statistical Office and related statistical data obtained from various government agencies, including data on factor, demand, firms strategy, structure, and rivalry covering the period from 2000 to 2004, whereas related and supporting industries only covered the years 2000-2003. Originality/value -- This is the first paper to apply a generalized double diamond model approach to analyse and to compare the competitiveness of the economies of both Taiwan and Korea. Its empirical evidences and policy implications is of interest to academicians, government officials, and business managers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose -- This paper aims to identify and compare the nature of decentralization that has emerged in three important Asian societies after a decade of their involvement in the decentralization movement. Design/methodology/approach -- Data from the first cycle of the program for international student assessment were analyzed to investigate educational decentralization in three Asian societies: Hong Kong, Japan, and Korea. Cluster analysis was used to reveal the nature and extent of decentralization of the schooling systems in the three societies. Findings -- The results revealed four models of decentralization: highly centralized, school-driven, teacher-driven, and highly decentralized. Whilst the school-driven model was dominant in Hong Kong, indicating that the school itself is largely responsible for making school-related decisions, the centralized model was dominant in both Japan and Korea, indicating that authorities outside the school are largely responsible for making school-related decisions. Research limitations/implications -- The study is based on cross-sectional design and focuses mainly on secondary schooling systems in the three Asian societies. Originality/value -- OECD/PISA constitutes one of the most comprehensive and rigorous international databases about different aspects of educational systems. It provides a unique opportunity to assess the distribution of decision-making responsibilities between the different stakeholders in different education systems. This enables for the first time a country-wide comparison on issues of decentralization of various decision areas in this paper. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to investigate gender differences in the relationships between job demands, job control and distress with the moderation effects of family status (i.e. marriage and parenthood) in the patriarchal cultural context of Korea. Design/methodology/approach: The authors formulated hypotheses on the grounds of stress and role theories and tested them using a hierarchical regression analysis. A sample of 403 Korean employees (230 males; 173 females) was used for the analysis. Findings: Family status moderated the relationship between job demands and distress for both males and females, whereas family status significantly moderated the effect of job control on distress for only males. Regardless of gender, marriage and parenthood were associated with distress affected by job demands, while only males exhibited significant distress in interactions between family status and job control. Originality/value: This exploratory study is one of few that explicitly addresses the concepts of the job demands-control model dealing with the unique characteristics of demographic groups. By incorporating data from the single, the married and parents, this study identified applications of the conservation of resources and role theory for various family statuses in a non-Western culture. Particularly, this study is meaningful in that it highlighted the impacts of family roles on distress that can be observed in any culture, but is salient in a highly hierarchal, patriarchal and work-centered culture, like Korea. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose – Disabled people have the same information needs as non-disabled people. Nevertheless, only 5 per cent of the world's publishing output is made accessible in alternative formats for people who cannot access and use printed materials. This paper aims to suggest the strategy for a national development plan, role models for production and distribution of the alternative format materials for the equitable library service for Koreans with print disabilities. Design/methodology/approach – The paper is based on a series of pre-research studies and discusses arguments for and principles of an alternative format materials development plan in terms of protecting access to information, eliminating the knowledge and information gap, the role of libraries and their social responsibilities, the inadequacy of materials currently available, production plans at the national level, and the advent of an era of digital distribution. Findings – This research presents a strategic development plan as well as a role division model concerning the production of alternative format materials based on the mid- to long-term plan and a nation-wide cooperative network centring on the National Library Support Center for Disabled People in Korea. Originality/value – The strategic development plan and a role division model concerning the production of alternative format materials presented in this study will improve consciousness about the gap in information. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose - The purpose of this paper is to analyze the jobs and duties involved in Korean academic libraries and to provide a clear picture of relative issues. This research will assist universities with the HR management and institutional development that are essential for appropriate role division, organizational diagnosis and rational reform, and increasing the expertise of librarians. Design/methodology/approach - All of the various duties being executed in academic libraries were identified. Korean academic libraries were requested to assist with the survey. Questionnaires were collected surveying the level of awareness of all the duties involved in the academic libraries and survey responses analyzed to determine the importance, difficulty, and professionalism of 189 library duties. Findings - Through this study, perceived levels of frequency, importance, and difficulty of duties related to academic libraries were surveyed and average values for each duty were compared and analyzed to formulate a duty model and action plan. Originality/value - This paper presents a basic library duty model reflecting the rapidly changing information technologies and information types of Korean academic libraries based on the job analysis. Through this process, university libraries will be able to optimize human resources management and achieve efficiency in organizational management, as well as creating materials to support education/training and performance management, thus ultimately helping with the rationalization of their operation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose - This paper seeks to examine the impact of labor-management partnership on organizational performance and industrial relations quality at Korean firms. Design/methodology/approach - Data were collected from 139 firms for organizational-level research. Hierarchical regression analyses were employed. Findings - The research showed that the partnership principle and the five practices of management efforts to secure jobs, information sharing, fair financial rewards, investment in employee training, and worker participation in management were significantly and positively associated with the quality of industrial relations. The partnership principle and two of these practices (investment in training and fair financial rewards) had significant and positive effects on organizational performance. Practical implications - The results suggest that the partnership principle on its own does not necessarily lead to improved organizational performance or industrial relations quality, and that a company needs not only to adopt the principle of partnership but also to implement it effectively through specific practices. Originality/value - The paper examines the impact of the partnership model in Korean contexts and offers practical implications for managers seeking effective implementation of the labor-management partnership model. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose - The paper seeks to examine cross-cultural differences in how consumers evaluate "scratch and save" (SAS) promotions (which are characterized by uncertainty of savings outcomes) between Canada and Korea, where the promotion tool is widely used but the countries have different cultural values. Design/methodology/approach - An experiment was conducted to examine cross-cultural differences in SAS promotion evaluations between Canada (n = 77) and Korea (n = 78). Findings - SAS promotions effectively stimulate favorable shopping intentions in Canada, a country with a low uncertainty avoidance culture, more so than in Korea, a country with a high uncertainty avoidance culture. However, subjects in Korea show consistently higher savings expectations from SAS promotions than subjects in Canada. Thus, the results report that consumers with the highest savings expectations do not necessarily have the highest intention to shop. In addition, in Korea, a SAS promotion with guaranteed minimum savings is found to be very effective due to reduced ambiguity about its outcome. Research limitations/implications - The study suggests cross-cultural differences in the applicability of the disjunction effect. Practical implications - The findings suggest that when SAS promotions are presented in a country with high uncertainty avoidance, retailers should explicitly indicate the value of the guaranteed minimum savings. By promising guaranteed savings, retailers can reduce consumers' relatively high concerns about unknown SAS outcomes, which results in a greater advantage in building favorable perceptions. Originality/value - Very little work has been undertaken into SAS promotions and no known empirical research has been undertaken into cross- cultural differences. This paper fills some of the gaps. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose - The purpose of this paper is to investigate the Korean consortia models generally and discuss how the consortium governing body, Korea Education & Research Information Service (KERIS), manages the e-book consortium effectively from the Korean perspective. Design/methodology/approach - This research is conducted with overall consortia models of online resources by KERIS. Over several years of modeling it has contrived to develop a few consortia modeling patterns in Korea and assess their effectiveness on collection management. The e-book consortium modeling process entailed the following: identifying the appropriate consortium model, sampling the consortium size for pricing models and selecting the criteria for e-book title selection. Findings - Two types of e-book consortium models are presented. One is the subscription model and the other is the purchasing model. Both sharing and purchasing options are quite cost-effective for Korean universities since they try to balance the digital and paper collections. The consortium model for e-books in Korean universities was successful and fit into the conservative collection management in Korea for academic use. Also, perpetual access and purchase model is preferred rather than annual access and lease model. Originality/value - Online resources including e-books need a sustainable model for continuous access due to budget constraints. Considering the life-span of information we need to find the appropriate business and service models for all the resources available online, Various criteria for consortia have been presented. No previous research has been conducted on the nationwide consortium model in Korean universities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose - The key purpose of the present research is to learn whether businesses use web site metrics to support business strategies and how web site metrics used differ by web site categories. Design/methodology/approach - A combination of a preliminary telephone survey and an e-mail questionnaire survey was used to gather data. Potential respondents were contacted by phone to find firms measuring web site success. An e-mail survey was conducted to learn how metrics were used to measure the success of a corporate web site. Responses were examined to study not only purposes and net benefits of measurement but also metrics measured. Findings - Findings of the study indicated that a majority of businesses which took part in this survey were using the metrics more for operational than for strategic purposes. This observation is to some extent consistent with the normative view highlighted by the literature that organizations should measure how successfully their web sites support business objectives and, therefore, the web metrics to measure web site success should differ by web site categories. Research limitations/implications - This explorative research is not based on a large sample, thereby limiting its academic contribution. Since the data analysis is over eight web site categories, future research will need to employ a sample large enough to eliminate any potential bias. Practical implications - A key managerial implication is that businesses need to measure the success of their web site using web metrics tied to their business objectives, if they want their web site to effectively support business strategies. Originality/value- This paper is the first attempt to explore the way that Internet-dependent businesses measure the success of their web site via web metrics, for the purpose not only of observing some patterns between web metrics measured and site categories, but also of examining whether metrics were used for strategic or merely for operational purposes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to develop an adoption model to identify the critical factors that affect firms' intention to adopt mobile enabled supply chain systems (mSCM) in retail industry. This study focuses on inter-organizational dimension since mSCM is an inter-organizational system that provides both inter- and intra-organizational linkages for firms across the supply chain. Design/methodology/approach – A survey method was used to test the proposed model. Data from this study were obtained from South Korean firms. Findings – Supply chain awareness was shown to be a strong predictor of both inter-organizational dependence and inter-organizational trust which positively affects firms' long-term relationship with their trading partners. Institutional pressures, long-term relationship, and top management support also had a significant influence firms' mSCM adoption intention. Research limitations/implications – First, only executives and managers in retail industry of South Korea were surveyed, thus, the results may not be generalized to retail industry in other countries. Second, the current study focuses on a firm's mSCM adoption intention rather than actual adoption. Practical implications – This study provides useful insights for practitioners to better manage institutional pressures and nurture long-term relationship in order to promote co-adoption of mSCM. Originality/value – This study provides useful insights for supply chain members on how to overcome barriers to adopting an innovation and to increase the chance of successfully adopting mSCM in the retail supply chain. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose - The purpose of this paper is to investigate the aims of IPTV-based public services in Korea. Design/methodology/approach - This is a case study written based on the results of a government research project that the authors participated in. Findings - Korea's IPTV promotion policies are driven with a strong force. Focusing on public as well as industrial benefits, the Korean government decided to provide public services through IPTV. For example, the Korean government introduced a plan called "tailored IPTV education services" to expand education services through IPTV. The study of this case is expected to provide implications about new public services under the ubiquitous environment that combines broadcasting and communication. Research limitations/implications - IPTV-based public services are currently in trial phase. Therefore, additional research is necessary to analyze the effectiveness of services after a commercial launch. Practical implications - This case serves as a reference for other countries that are pursuing public interests through the new media. Originality/value - This is the first study that looks into the effects of IPTV-based public services. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose — The purpose of this paper is to explore how the scope of universal service has been extended from voice telephony to include broadband and mobile communications in Korea. This paper addresses how Korea's approach to broadband and mobile service utilizes different strategies. Design/methodology/approach — The paper is an analysis of universal service policies. It applies five criteria for reviewing whether broadband and mobile communications could be included in the scope of universal service. Findings — This paper addresses Korea's approach to broadband and mobile service utilizes different strategies. An information society policy was applied to broadband diffusion, while a regulatory policy was applied to mobile service diffusion. Korea's universal service expansion policy shows a government and industry integration model. Originality/value — This paper shows Korea's unique approach for universal service. It deals with how universal service has been driven forward as a part of an information society p/an and information divide bridging policy in Korea. With flexible approaches, broadband and mobile services could start to be regarded as universal services. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose — The purpose of this paper is to understand how consumers in three countries (Mexico, South Korea, and Japan) perceive a US global brand versus domestic brands and their marketing efforts. There has been an increasing number of global brands and corresponding competition among global retailers. At the same time, markets in the world are becoming complex, and consumers in many markets demand localized marketing and branding strategies. Design/methodology/approach — The hypotheses are developed based on the brand analysis framework that consists of brand-specific associations (emotional value, perceived quality), general brand impressions (brand awareness, brand image), and brand commitment (brand loyalty, purchase intention). Findings — The results revealed significant main effects of country and brand type (global v. domestic) on brand-specific associations, general brand impressions, and brand commitment. Interactive effects also existed on brand-specific associations, general brand impressions, and brand commitment (only brand loyalty). Research limitations/implications — While almost all of the hypotheses are supported, future research should test other global brands to generalized findings of the study. Sample can be extended to consumers in many other countries to provide more comprehensive insights into consumer perceptions and brand behaviors towards global brands. Practical implications — The findings demonstrate that clear-cut and unique brand analysis patterns exist among consumers in three different countries for both a US global brand and domestic brands. Based on this, potential strategies for both US global brands and domestic brands are suggested for each country. Originality/value — This study discovered the effects of country (i.e. Mexico v. South Korea v. Japan) and brand type (i.e. US global v. domestic) on consumer responses to three brand analysis components: brand-specific associations, general brand impressions, and brand commitment. The results provide significant insights into what global and domestic companies must emphasize to be successful in capturing and sustaining consumers' desire to buy and use their brand. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose - The purpose of this paper is to provide an overview of the IFLA or World Library and Information Conference held in Seoul, in August 2006. Design/methodology/approach - The paper takes the form of a description of the environment and social setting of the conference together with a selection from the conference content. Findings - IFLA is the key international forum for libraries and information professionals, and was useful and timely. Originality/value - This brief conference report will be of value to library and information professionals worldwide. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose - The increasing number of M-internet subscribers and the fast growing revenue proves the great potential of M-internet as well as the enormous business opportunity in Korea. The success in this business is dependent on understanding the concerns of customers and identifying the factors that promote the use of M-internet. Thus, this paper aims to examine the human motivations underlying individual behavioral intention to use M-internet in Korea. Design/methodology/approach - Employs TAM (technology acceptance model) as the base model and develops a more comprehensive version of TAM to better reflect M-internet context. The model employs perceived playfulness, contents quality, system quality, internet experience and perceived price level, in addition to perceived usefulness and ease of use. Investigates the causal relationships among the constructs used in this revised TAM and identifies the direct and indirect causal role of the constructs in developing the intention to use M-internet. Findings - Finds that attitude toward M-internet is the most significant factor in predicting the behavioral intention to use M-internet. Also identifies the positive role of the perceived playfulness and the negative role of perceived price level in developing the attitude as well as the intention. The positive causal relationships of "perceived contents quality - perceived usefulness", "perceived system quality- perceived usefulness" and "internet experience-perceived ease of use" were also witnessed. Practical implications - Considering the explosive growth of the M-internet market, well-established business strategy in M-internet will deliver great success to the mobile operators. Thus, understanding comprehensive causal relationship among the constructs used in this revised TAM would help managers to better implement the strategic ramifications in promoting M-internet. Originality/value - Develops a more comprehensive version of TAM to better reflect M-internet context in Korea, adding five new constructs and identifies the role of the construct in promoting the use of M-internet. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose - Economic structural complementarity between country A and country B, or the way the two countries specialize in different industries is a useful tool for the analysis of the likely impact of trade liberalization. Although implicit in earlier work on economic integration, this concept has been overshadowed subsequently, probably because of the "econometrization" of the studies on trade liberalization. This paper aims to discuss first the relevance of the concept of structural complementarity between two economies in the context of regional integration. Second, since the EU and Korea are on the verge of signing a free trade agreement (FTA), it aims to show that measuring economic structural complementarity in the case of these two countries is all the more desirable. Design/methodology/approach - The paper applies a number of indices such as the trade complementarity index and the Kreinin-Finger similarity of export index to the manufacturing sector. Findings - On the whole the EU and Korea are structurally complementary, implying large potential gains from the FTA. However, the existence of two critical industries, namely road vehicles and electrical machinery are revealed. Practical implications - The FTA poses some sectoral challenges to the industries, in particular for the EU, and it calls for appropriate strategies in these areas. Originality/value - This article both clarifies and measures economic structural complementarity, a concept connected with, but not reduced to that of competitiveness. By using several indicators, the present study shows that the manufacturing sectors of the EU and of Korea are on the whole complementary. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose – The present study aims to investigate the predictive effect of work-family conflict and work-family facilitation on job satisfaction in the Korean hotel industry. In addition, this study seeks to examine if there is a significant effect of job satisfaction on job performance. Design/methodology/approach – The data were obtained from full-time frontline staff in ten five-star hotels in Seoul. Confirmatory factor analysis and path analysis through AMOS 4.0 were performed to demonstrate relationships among variables. In addition, frequent analysis to investigate sample characteristics and correlation analysis to determine relationships between each of the two constructs were conducted using SPSS 10.0. Findings – The results show that job satisfaction may be improved by limiting "work to family conflicts" and evaluating the nature of "facilitation from family to work". An additional finding is that job satisfaction may enhance job performance. Unexpectedly, "family to work conflict" significantly and positively relates to job satisfaction in the workplace. Research limitations/implications – It would be desirable for future research to study these issues via extending the sample to various categories of employment, and not only hotels but also different areas of the tourism and hospitality industry. Longitudinal research that allows social researchers and hotel organizations to understand employees better in specific industrial situations would be beneficial to understand fully the relationship of work-family interface to job outcomes more completely. Practical implications – This study proposes that organizations invest more resources in flexible working schedules, regular working hours, family-friendly programs, and additional useful benefits and support related to family. Originality/value – This study offers useful guidelines for foreign hotel entrepreneurs entering the Korean market regarding how to improve job satisfaction and job performance in relation to work-family interaction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose - This study aims to investigate relationships among supplier capabilities, collaboration in new car development, and the competitive advantage of carmakers based on the resource-based view (RBV). Design/methodology/approach - A survey of first-tier suppliers in the Korean automotive parts industry was conducted, and pertinent hypotheses were tested by using the ordinary least squares (OLS) method and hierarchical multiple regression analysis (HMRA). Findings - It was found that suppliers' flexibility, engineering and modularization capabilities positively influence collaboration in new car development, which in turn positively affects the competitive advantage of carmakers. This result empirically verifies the RBV proposition that one motive for interfirm collaboration can be the opportunity to gain access to other firms' resources/capabilities. The theory of the RBV was further extended by demonstrating that suppliers' quality improvement and modularization capabilities directly contribute to the competitive advantage of carmakers and that the influence of quality improvement and modularization capabilities on this competitive advantage are robust against technological uncertainty. However, the positive effect of collaboration in new car development on the competitive advantage of carmakers is decreased by the moderating effect of technological uncertainty. Research limitations/implications - The findings of this study were obtained from a limited population of the Korean automotive industry. This study not only empirically verified the proposition of the RBV but also extended the RBV theory by empirically demonstrating direct relationships between suppliers' capabilities and carmakers' competitive advantages. Practical implications - Suppliers must enhance flexibility, modularization and engineering capabilities in order to vitalize collaboration with carmakers in new car development. As technological uncertainty increases, carmakers should address in-house the problems caused by technological uncertainty or delegate related jobs only to suppliers with significant capabilities for quality improvement and modularization. Originality/value - This is one of the few studies to identify the moderating effect of technological uncertainty on interfirm collaboration [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose -- The purpose of this study is two-fold: to survey research on supply management and corporate social responsibility (CSR) reported over the past two decades; and to carry out an empirical study of the current status of supply management and CSR in the Korean electronics industry. Design/methodology/approach -- The study is based on an explorative approach, wherein "triangulation" is adopted, combining quantitative and qualitative methods. A questionnaire survey with a 132-company sample is employed as a quantitative method and the telephone interviews with 23 samples are used as a qualitative method. By adopting a triangulation approach, rich data and explanatory power can be obtained to answer the research question. Findings -- The results of the study show that "environmental" pressures and standards are widely accepted and implemented for supply management in the Korean electronics industry. However, "social" pressures and standards are still not commonly used and there is a lack of implementation in the entire supply chain in the industry. The main reason for adopting CSR standards is to identify risks and problems in the supply chain, and to avoid or at least reduce the consequences for the final manufacturer. Although most manufacturers in the Korean electronics industry demand certified environmental standards such as ISO 14001 from their suppliers, there is generally a lack of integration of social standards in supplier management or requirements. Practical implications -- Companies today face a growing number of restrictions from national legislations and international standards influencing the environment, labour standards, and human rights issues. Within the Korean electronics industry as a whole there appears to be consensus that it is not easy being "socially responsible". Vague notions about CSR issues for supply management practices have not provided suppliers with adequate guidance as they seek to improve their performance vis-à-vis company standards. The development of evaluation standards to assess suppliers can be a critical factor in improving a firm's performance. Another critical factor is documenting all CSR activities for external requirements such as auditors. Originality/value -- This study is the first empirical attempt to explore CSR adoption and implementation in supply management in the Korean electronics industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose — This study seeks to investigate the effect of mobile number portability (MNP) on mobile subscribers in Korea by focusing on subscribers' perception and behavior related to MNP Design/methodology/approach — The study collected data on subscribers who had changed mobile carriers between the beginning of MNP (July 2003) and December 2005. The data were analyzed by statistical analyses such as ANOVA and logistic regression. Findings — Statistical analyses in this study reveal that subscribers perceive the switching barrier still as high, discouraging subscribers from switching carriers. While MNP lowered switching costs considerably, a significant level of switching costs still remains despite MNP Carriers develop new subscriber lock-in strategies that make them stay with current carriers. In addition, there are hidden costs other than MNP that should burden subscribers with number portaling. Research limitations/implications — The findings imply that the MNP has directly affected the industries to a greater extent than subscribers, which suggests implications for both regulators and industries: how to effectively enforce MNP to achieve the intended goals and how to achieve competitive advantage with MNP Originality/value — This research is particularly interested in investigating the effect of the introduction of MNP on subscribers' behaviors and perceptions, and therefore their motivations for changing or remaining with mobile carriers (operators) with the introduction of MNP Although there have been many studies looking at the effect of number portability on competition at the industry level, little attention has been shown on the individual level such as subscribers' behavior or perception. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose - The purpose of this study is to examine cross-cultural differences in gender role portrayals in web ads in Korea and the USA on the basis of Hofstede's masculinity dimension. Design/methodology/approach - A quantitative content analysis was employed to obtain a numerically-based summary of different themes and roles portrayed by women and men in 400 web ads. Findings - A greater percentage of Korean ads featured characters in relationship themes, featured women as a main character, and portrayed them in family and recreational roles. To a large extent, the results validate the use of Hofstede's taxonomy, supporting the application of "masculinity" framework into the determination of appropriate advertising appeals-related to gender roles. Practical implications - International advertisers who are planning a global campaign for their gender-related consumer products can benefit by locating the target country's position on Hofstede's masculinity index and using it as a guideline for creating visual images of main characters in the ads. Originality/value - This study adds a new contribution to an international account of web advertising in maintaining a comprehensive understanding of contemporary gender role portrayals. It could benefit international advertisers with both practical and theoretical implications, for no systematic studies have ever touched the gender-role issue with web advertising yet. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose - The objective of this study is to investigate to what extent advertising appeals in Hong Kong and Korea are different, and whether the differences between the two countries can be attributed to the differences in nations' cultural characteristics. Hypotheses are drawn in relation to the two dimensions of Hofstede's framework - uncertainty avoidance and masculinity/femininity. Design/methodology/approach - A sample of 803 prime-time television commercials from the two countries was analyzed using Cheng and Schweitzer's classification of advertising appeals. Findings - The results show that femininity is an important variable for explaining differences in advertising between Hong Kong and Korea. Both Hong Kong and Korean advertising show no difference in values of high uncertainty avoidance, although an appeal of high uncertainty avoidance was used more often in Korean advertising. However, values of low uncertainty avoidance are more prevalent in television commercials in Korea, a country of high uncertainty avoidance, than Hong Kong, a country of low uncertainty avoidance. It is also found that the correlation between product categories and cultural values is society-based. Originality/value - This study reveals that Hofstede's framework does explain cross-cultural differences between Hong Kong and Korea and provides empirical evidences for the impact of value paradoxes on advertising in both countries, suggesting that Hofstede's framework and the value paradoxes provide a possible theory for testing the relationship of the society and its advertising content within a culture as well as across cultures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]