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Purpose – This study aims to fill the void of previous research in organizational innovation. The understanding of the factors that affect intra-firm diffusion of innovations, which include the proactive management support and participation comprehensiveness from the adopting firm, as well as the provider’s support of innovation utilization has been advanced. In addition, the extent to which the consequent intra-firm diffusion affects both the adopter’s and provider’s benefits has been explored based on their relationship. Design/methodology/approach – A mail questionnaire on the organizational purchase and utilization of customer relationship management (CRM)-type database systems was developed for collecting data. A random sample of 480 firms from the Hong Kong Chambers of Commerce Directory was obtained. From the initial phone calls, 343 firms currently using a CRM-type database system were identified, and the questionnaires were mailed to the managers of these firms. In total, 163 responses were finally returned with usable data, for a response rate of 47.5 per cent. Findings – The current study focuses on the causes and the effects associated with successful diffusion and utilization of innovation within a firm. Using data from business-to-business markets, the results find that the two parties involved benefit when both proactively participate in the intra-firm diffusion process; that is, benefits are created for the adopter via improvement in efficiency; and for the provider via establishment of a long-term relationship and switching costs. Research limitations/implications – First, any moderating impact of the adopting firm’s technological capabilities was not analyzed. Second, the research results were obtained from a sample of software product innovations (especially database management system). Even though it could be assumed that these results can also be applicable to other types of innovations (e.g. process innovations), empirical tests of our framework based on different innovation typologies are still warranted. Practical implications – First, for an innovation-adopting firm, we have shown that a wide use of purchased innovations among the organizational members is at least as important as the adoption of new innovations. Second, we have included the participation comprehensiveness of adoption decision, arguing that the organizational decision-making process is also crucial to stimulating intra-firm diffusion. Finally, and more importantly, our study calls attention to the provider’s role in expediting intra-firm diffusion. Originality/value – First, we have suggested an analytic framework for intra-firm diffusion of an innovation and also provided its empirical support. Particularly, the current study has focused on the subsequent effects of intra-firm diffusion on both the adopter’s and the provider’s benefits. Second, we have examined further impact of the comprehensive participation of adoption decision on spreading innovation information, which subsequently stimulates the innovation’s intra-firm diffusion.

PurposeThis study aims to examine the strategic implications and managerial outcomes of the concurrent use of cooperation and competition in vertical channel relationships.Design/methodology/approachThis study employs a structured questionnaire to gather data regarding vertical channel relationships in China.FindingsWhereas the academic literature has emphasized cooperation between channel members because of the interdependence between them, in reality, retailers may accept competition as just another part of doing business with suppliers.Research limitations/implicationsThe outcome variables used may not be comprehensive. In particular, the authors choose the flexibility of channel resources to stand for private benefits and joint benefits to represent common benefits, and though these variables certainly represent the intended benefits of the ambidextrous strategy, it remains to be seen whether other benefits may emerge for the exchange parties in vertical relationships.Practical implicationsUsing an ambidextrous strategy does not damage relationship quality, though it certainly does not enhance it. This view is based on the notion that an ambidextrous strategy at least does not harm either common or private benefits. Therefore, exchange parties using the ambidextrous strategy should not experience a relationship that is worse than that which results when they use cooperation or competition alone. The results of the current study indicate that this view reflects reality more accurately.Originality/valueThe value of the current study centers on the application of a conceptual framework regarding ambidextrous strategy to vertical channel relationships in a developing economy.

With the changes in the economic and social environment of companies, the dimensions of corporate responsibility have been greatly expanded. Now, firms should operate not only for their own profit but also for social welfare. Recently CSR (Corporate Social Responsibility) has been studied as an important construct in academia and highlighted as a pressing item on the practical corporate agenda (Covin, 2001; Sen and Bhattacharya, 2001). As consumers have been lately more interested in CSR, CSR activities are recognized as a sort of investment for higher company values, so that strategic CSR activities become more critical (Dean, 2003). In order to conduct CSR activities more effectively, it is necessary to examine ways to persuade consumers to pay attention to CSR activities. That is, this study examines the factors that affect consumer perception of CSR activities. Most previous studies consider only dimensions of perceived fit with a corporation's core business and there is little empirical rese...

There is increasing evidence to suggest that organizations often fail to fully capitalize on the purchased business technologies due to their failure to utilize the new procurement throughout their corporate system. To this end, this study sets out to identify the factors that play a tangible role in facilitating the utilization of procured business technologies. In this context, we not only examine the direct effects of technology and organizational culture on utilization, but also assess the moderating effects of user environments and supplier service orientation on these direct relationships. More importantly, we focus on the impact of utilization in creating the relationship-based benefits for both the technology user and supplier. Using data on purchase and use of customer relationship management (CRM) system, we empirically validate that the user firm's corporate culture, perceived technology attributes, environmental turbulence, and the supplying firm's service orientation are critical in increasing the utilization level of business technologies, which in turn helps to create/sustain relationship-based advantages for both parties.

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to understand the impact of the antecedents of the exchange domain (use of coercive influence, ideational favor exchange, calculative resource‐dependence, and decision uncertainty) on relationship building. The paper examines the link between the two mediating dynamics of embedded trust and relationship‐specific customization and loyalty by developing a model of vulnerability‐based commitment.Design/methodology/approachThe links between the model elements are tested using data from a survey of clients in the Hong Kong insurance service. Structural equation analysis is used to test research hypotheses and to examine the extent to which vulnerability‐based commitment leads to the development of loyalty.FindingsThe degree of embedded trust between parties is enhanced by the use of coercive influence, favor, and resource‐dependence. Embedded trust has a negative relationship with decision uncertainty. The antecedents of coercive influence, favor, and resource‐dependence have positive impacts on relationship‐specific customization. Vulnerability‐based commitment is positively affected both by trust and customization whilst commitment has a positive impact on loyalty.Practical implicationsA vulnerability‐based commitment model is developed as an analytical and managerial tool for understanding the benefits and hidden vulnerabilities of client loyalty and for implementing effective service strategies.Originality/valueBy understanding the implications of the benefits/costs in commitment vulnerabilities, the findings can help in the design of a loyalty quality system. A new measurement tool is provided to enable researchers to perform more vigorous scale development of commitment.

The practice of introducing new technologies into the corporate environment has become a well-accepted principle for sustaining or advancing competitive advantages. The current study focuses on the environmental and managerial factors associated with the successful utilization of new technologies. To this end, the suggested framework examines the efforts put forth by the two parties involved (the firm buying and the firm supplying the new technology). We use 112 matched data collected from the suppliers and buyers of the customer relationship management (CRM) system in business-to-business markets. We find that the perceived turbulence of business environments stimulates adaptive efforts from both the supplying and buying firms, which may lead to a high level of utilization of new technologies for the buying firm.

PurposeTo investigate shoppers' decision‐making behaviour under conditions of expected and unexpected in‐store price discounts, using mental accounting theory as the analytical framework.Design/methodology/approachIn an experiment manipulating expected and unexpected discounts on electronic organisers and portable audio players, data collected by questionnaire from 240 first‐year business administration students at a Korean university were used to test two hypotheses predicting the ways in which the savings would be used.FindingsRecipients of unexpected discounts tend to spend the savings in store. If a choice of two products is available, the savings are more likely to be applied to the discounted one than the other. Shoppers commit more actively to planned purchases when price discounts are known in advance. The key factor in purchasing behaviour with respect to discounts is the existence or otherwise of predictions. Shoppers' decision‐making in these conditions is, therefore, context and frame dependent.Research limitations/implicationsThe experimental subjects were not representative of the general shopping population, and Korea is a distinctive culture. The findings should be interpreted with caution, but are indicative within limits. Aspects of the topic not investigated by the experiment are identified, and future research directions suggested.Practical implicationsUnadvertised discount available at the point of sale offer several potential benefits to retailers, including reduced costs and increased patronage. Pricing strategists need to understand the theoretical basis of customers' behaviour in response to discount offers, for effective planning.Originality/valueAdds to the body of knowledge relating to crucial aspect of pricing strategy, and has potential applicability beyond retailing.

The objective of the present study is to advance the understanding of the role of the strategic orientation of the firm for successful new product development (NPD), in the context of Chinese manufacturing firms. Through field research accompanied by a review of the related literature, this study identifies customer orientation and technology orientation as crucial strategic components that are important to successful new product development. This research proposes a conceptual model of strategic orientations, in which firm-internal (organizational support) and -external (environmental turbulence) factors are expected to influence strategic orientations, which, in turn, impact NPD performance. The model is tested using data collected from a large-scale survey of 232 manufacturing firms in China. The results largely support the hypotheses derived from the conceptual model. First, organizational support and environmental turbulence have a positive influence on the implementation of strategic orientations. Second, the two strategic orientations show a different pattern of performance implications.

Among the many factors that encourage return patronage of incumbent technologies, one that has received scholarly attention in other contexts is switching costs. The existing literature, however, has yet to provide a detailed explication of the underlying processes involved to link switching costs and technology patronage. Furthermore, no examination has been conducted of the degree to which the factor plays a role in the success or failure of corporate technology advancement strategies designed to encourage technology patronage. In this context, we propose a systematic framework to explore the nature of the links between technology advancement strategies and consumer technology patronage via switching costs. Based on consumer survey data from South Korea, we find empirical support for the link between technology advancement strategies and consumers' technology commitment and patronage. Specifically, switching costs are found to be positively associated with technology commitment and patronage. Further, compatibility strategy is associated with the costs involved in switching away from incumbent technology because of an abundant or varied supply of complementary goods. The results also show that preannouncement is a key communication strategy to achieve favorable expectations and to retain the commitment and patronage of current technology users.

Recently, a brand-new phenomenon of competing multistability in plasma diode systems has been observed by our group [S. J. Hahn and K. H. Pae, Phys. Plasmas 10, 314 (2003)]. By employing one-dimensional particle-in-cell simulations with proper control of the inherent numerical noise, the noise-driven multistability and dynamical transitions between regular and multistable solutions have been investigated. Throughout this work, it is verified that the competing multistability is, in principle, a noise-driven dynamical switch between attractors and occurs due to noise fluctuations inside a system near the fractal basin boundaries.

High-energy ion generation from the interaction of an ultraintense subpicosecond laser pulse with an overdense plasma slab combined with an underdense preplasma has been studied by using fully electromagnetic and relativistic particle-in-cell simulations. It was observed that the forward ion acceleration from the front and rear surfaces can be enhanced with a proper preplasma profile. The energy distribution functions of the accelerated ions, and Doppler shift of the reflected laser pulse are investigated with the variation of laser intensity, pulse duration, and preplasma profiles.

This research focuses on the diffusion patterns of the adjacent generations of technology and its relation to the time that elapses between them (intergeneration time). The authors analyze 45 new technologies in 15 industries and find that the adoption curves systematically vary across generations from 2 years for dynamic random-access memory (DRAM) chips to more than 30 years for steelmaking. The longer the intergeneration time, the slower the adoption of the subsequent technology. Even though once the adoption begins imitation is greater for subsequent technologies, the slow initial innovation rate, driven by resistance to upgrading, retards adoption. The authors also demonstrate that predictions based on intergeneration time plus average patterns are more accurate than data-based predictions early in life cycles when such predictions are most crucial. Improved early predictions can provide advantages in terms of both making go versus no-go decisions and planning marketing and production.

Companies often introduce organizational innovations into their corporate environment with the aim of improving their operational efficiencies. While this practice has become a well-accepted percept among both practitioners and academics over the years for its intuitive appeal, there is an increasing evidence to suggest that companies often fail to fully capitalize on the adopted innovation throughout their organizations. To this end, this study sets out to identify the factors that play a tangible role in facilitating the intraorganizational diffusion of innovations. In this context, we not only examine the roles of buying center dynamics and environments in the intraorganizational diffusion process but also assess the impact on the innovation-adopting firm through the high level of intraorganizational diffusion.

The time-dependent spatio-temporal structures in positive-bias plasma diodes are investigated by employing a one-dimensional particle simulation. Nonlinear evolution of a large-amplitude self-oscillation and transitions to chaos are analyzed by using the time-varying potential profiles and their power spectra. The three standard routes to chaos (period doubling, intermittency, and quasiperiodicity) are observed and the first observation of the attractor-competing phenomena is also reported.

The significant body of published work in global advertising literature focuses on the standardization and localization of the advertising campaign from a marketing strategy perspective without much concern regarding consumers’ response. In this research, this gap is addressed by gauging consumer perceptions of localized and standardized advertisements in Hong Kong. Consumers generally prefer locally produced to foreign‐sourced commercials, irrespective of brand origin; and they exhibit more favorable attitudes toward foreign‐sourced, standardized commercials in situations involving greater brand familiarity and when execution style is transformational. Therefore, well‐known brands with transformational appeals are more likely to succeed when transferred to Hong Kong, while localized advertising messages will be more effective when brand familiarity is low.

The emerging Chinese markets of Asia are increasingly affluent, and success in these countries is a priority for multinationals. Yet the global advertising literature focuses on standardisation and customisation from a strategy perspective, without much consideration of consumers' perceptions toward advertising. This study aims to investigate consumer perceptions of customised and standardised TV advertisements in the China market. Results indicate a significant difference between attitudes toward localised and foreign-sourced commercials for the same brand. Chinese consumers generally prefer foreign-sourced, standardised commercials to their localised counterparts. Furthermore, standardised commercials are more likely to gain acceptance in the case of durable products. The moderating roles of brand familiarity and execution style on the advertising standardisation have also been observed. Consumers exhibit more favourable attitudes toward foreign-sourced, standardised commercials than their localised cou...

Examines the antecedents and consequences of close business relationships (guanxi) in China. We hypothesize that decision‐making uncertainty and perceived similarity positively affect guanxi, whereas opportunism negatively affects guanxi. We also hypothesize that guanxi positively affects business performance, mediated by relationship quality and interdependence. An empirical study of Hong Kong and mainland China business relationships generally supports the model. The managerial implications are discussed.

Bacterial leaf spot disease (Xanthomonas campestris pv. vesicatoria; Xcv) causes severe damage to chilli (Capsicum annuum L.) and has been a major yield constraint. An introduced chilli accession 3-25-27 derived from Florida XVR 3-25 has a dominant gene, Bs2, which confers resistance to Xcv races 1, 2 and 3. To identify RAPD markers linked to Bs2, bulked segregant analysis (BSA) and random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) analysis were performed. Isogenic DNA pools were made from 10 resistant and 10 susceptible plants in a BC 1 F 1 population derived from crosses between 3-25-27 and Early California Wonder. Two RAPD markers, OPD05 and OPF10, were identified from a total of 460 10-basepair primers. From the linkage analysis it was found that two markers were located on either side of the Bs2 gene. OPD05 was located 5.3 cM away from Bs2 gene and OPF10 was located 4.9 cM from the Bs2 on the opposite side to OPD05. For practical use, identified RAPD markers were converted to sequence characterized amplified regions (SCARs). Primer sequences with various lengths were designed and examined for their ability to detect a resistance marker. SCF10, originating from the RAPD marker OPF10, was amplified using a 24-basepair primer set, and it showed polymorphism between resistant and susceptible individuals. The initial SCARs developed from OPD05, however, showed monomorphism between resistant and susceptible plants. After trials with various primer combinations, it was possible to develop a polymorphic SCD05 marker. These markers enable the identification of the Bs2 gene on segregating progenies for marker-assisted selection.

The competing multistability in a plasma diode system has been demonstrated numerically. This system exhibits the time-dependent, competing behavior between multistable coexisting attractors for the same set of parameters with an extreme sensitivity to the initial conditions. By employing the one-dimensional particle-in-cell simulations, the multistability and the competition between multiple attractors have been investigated in the space of well-defined relevant parameters of a plasma diode system.

Laser‐driven plasma accelerators are gaining much attention by the advanced accelerator community due to the potential these accelerators hold in miniaturizing future high‐energy and medium‐energy machines. In the laser wakefield accelerator (LWFA), the ponderomotive force of an ultrashort high intensity laser pulse excites a longitudinal plasma wave or bubble. Due to huge charge separation, electric fields created in the plasma bubble can be several orders of magnitude higher than those available in conventional microwave and RF‐based accelerator facilities which are limited (up to ∼100 MV/m) by material breakdown. Therefore, if an electron bunch is injected into the bubble in phase with its field, it will gain relativistic energies within an extremely short distance. Here, in the LWFA we show the generation of high‐quality and high‐energy electron beams up to the GeV‐class within a few millimeters of gas‐jet plasmas irradiated by tens of terawatt ultrashort laser pulses. Thus we realize approximately four orders of magnitude acceleration gradients higher than available by conventional technology. As a practical application of the stable high‐energy electron beam generation, we are planning on injecting the electron beams into a few‐meters long conventional undulator in order to realize compact X‐ray synchrotron (immediate) and FEL (future) light sources. Stable laser‐driven electron beam and radiation devices will surely open a new era in science, medicine and technology and will benefit a larger number of users in those fields.

The purpose of this study is to examine and extend the technology acceptance model (TAM) to the emotional factor of a customer such as ‘perceived enjoyment’ in hi-technology product adoption. The addition of perceived enjoyment to the traditional TAM with only perceived usefulness and perceived ease-of-use will explain better the use of general hi-technology products that most of us come in contact daily. The model is tested using data of 600 cellular phone users in Korea. This study emphasises that the addition of perceived enjoyment to the traditional TAM with only perceived usefulness and perceived ease-of-use will explain better the use of general hi-technology products that most of us come in contact daily. The result shows that the role of perceived enjoyment is critical to the intention to use a hi-technology product.

A proton energy spectrometer system is composed of a time-of-flight spectrometer (TOFS) and a Thomson parabola spectrometer (TPS), and is used to characterize laser-accelerated protons. The TOFS detects protons with a plastic scintillator, and the TPS with a CR-39 or imaging plate (IP). The two spectrometers can operate simultaneously and give separate time-of-flight (TOF) and Thomson parabola (TP) data. We propose a method to calibrate the TOFS and IP by comparing the TOF data and the TP data taken with CR-39 and IP. The absolute response of the TOFS as a function of proton energy is calculated from the proton number distribution measured with CR-39. The sensitivity of IP to protons is obtained from the proton number distribution estimated with the calibrated TOFS. This method, based on the comparison of the simultaneously measured data, gives more reliable results when using laser-accelerated protons as a calibration source. The calibrated spectrometer system can be used to measure absolutely calibrated energy spectra for the optimization of laser-accelerated protons.

By using particle-in-cell simulations, a new method for energetic collimated proton generation via intense short pulse laser-thin foil interactions is presented. To enhance the electron heating efficiency, a small hole is bored at the center of a thin foil target. The small hole combines target heating mechanisms effectively, which results in a high proton maximum energy. While an ultraintense, ultrashort laser pulse propagates through a small hole (diameter

Using three different laser systems, we demonstrate a convenient and simple plasma based diagnostic of the contrast of high-power short-pulse lasers. The technique is based on measuring the specular reflectivity from a solid target. The reflectivity remains high even at relativistic intensities above 10(19) W/cm(2) in the case of a high-contrast prepulse-free laser. On the contrary, the specular reflectivity drops with increasing intensities in the case of systems with insufficient contrast due to beam breakup and increased absorption caused by preplasma.

The diffusion of Ge in Ge-rich layer (GRL) and the factors affecting on it during the oxidation of strained Si1−xGex layers were examined. Strained Si1−xGex layers, having different initial Ge concentrations (x=0.15 and 0.3), were oxidized at 800 and 900°C in a dry O2 ambient for different oxidation times. The diffusion of Ge into the underlying Si1−xGex layer having an initial constant composition and the resulting transformation to GRL were both enhanced with an increase in oxidation temperature. After complete transformation to GRL, GeO2 started to become incorporated into the resulting oxide layer. The formation of GeO2 was initiated by the Ge saturation of the GRL layer with Ge and by the differences in diffusivity of Ge atoms in Si1−xGex and Si substrate. The relaxation occurred when the Ge concentration in the GRL reached a critical value and was not affected by either oxidation time or temperature.

Background: As the prevalence of nontuberculous mycobacteriosis has been increasing rapidly, there has been recent advance in diagnostic methods and drug therapies for disease. Although the incidence of pulmonary disease caused by nontuberculous mycobacteria(NTM) has been increasing in Korea since 1990, detailed clinical description about the disease were very few. In this study we described the clinical manifestations, radiologic findings, and therapeutic outcomes of nontuberculous mycobacterial pulmonary disease. Methods: Medical records and radiologic findings were retrospectively reviewed in 27 patients who were fulfilled the diagnostic criteria of ATS guideline for NTM pulmonary disease between January of 1990 and August of 1998 in Seoul National University Hospital(SNUH). Results: Of the 27 patients, 15 were male. The mean age was 51.5 yr(11.9). Twenty patients(74.1%) had preexisting pulmonary diseases. Among them, 19 patients had previous pulmonary tuberculosis. Sixteen patients(59.2%) had cavitary lesions and the majority showed slow progression over 1 yr during follow up period on radiography. Susceptibility test to standard antituberculous drugs showed 100% resistance to INH, 72.2% to RMP, 81.5% to EMB, 92.6% to PZA. The average resistance rate to 2nd-line antituberculous drugs was 66.1%. Among twenty-one patients(77.8%) who received drug therapy over 6 months, 11 subjects were improved and 10 subjects were aggravated. Of six subjects(22.2%) without therapy, 5 patients were aggravated. Presence of cavity and less than 3 sensitive drugs in the regimen were indicators for adverse outcome. Conclusion : The nontuberculous mycobacterial pulmonary diseases in our hospital developed predominantly in older patients with preexistent pulmonary disease. The results of antituberculous drug therapy has been frustrating and disappointing. To improve treatment response, different susceptibility tests and drug regimens for different species of NTM should be performed. Also, diagnostic and therapeutic guidelines of Korea should be made in the recent future.

High‐power laser contrast is challenging to measure, especially in the real target irradiation conditions. We present a convenient and relatively simple contrast diagnostic technique based on the measurement of target specular reflectivity at full laser power. The reflectivity remains high even at intensities above 1019 W/cm2 in the case of a high‐contrast prepulse‐free laser. On the contrary, the specular reflectivity drops in the case of lower contrast, due to the beam break‐up and increased absorption caused by the preformed plasma. The technique was demonstrated using three different laser systems with several contrast conditions: Astra (CLF, RAL), TiS laser at APRI, GIST, and J‐KAREN (APRC, JAEA).