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This study investigated ownership/governance structure, financial behavior and performance of Korean conglomerates. Since the restriction on conglomerates` equity in subsidiaries was lifted, total equity of conglomerates and shareholdings of member firms have increased sharply. As a result, shareholdings of the founder and his family have reduced and they could control the entire group only with less than 10% equity. On the other hand, cross debt guarantee has been phased out thanks to the consistent government policy. This study also found that the more unrelated diversification, the lower profitability. Conglomerates but SK and Samsung were inefficient portfolios in that return on equity ranged from 1.7% to 4.7% which was much lower than opportunity costs of capital. Current ratios of 5 largest conglomerates were around 90%, which were also much lower than around 130% of major countries. Financial expenses to sales were around 6% which was 3 to 6 times of those of competitors, and thus a main cause reducing the competitive power of Korean firms. While return on total capital was 1.3% for SK, it ranged from -0.4% to 0.1% for other conglomerates, which was much lower than 3.5% for Japanese firms and 4.2% for Taiwanese firms. Accordingly, changes in goal of firm management and management paradigm of conglomerates are required. In particular, managerial power should be shifted from founders to boards of directors who represent shareholders. Various monitoring systems need also be introduced. And, profitability rather than expansion should be emphasized.

This study is to provide basic data to establish strategy for a new product successfully and to develop and manage it, by studying the factors of new product development activities and performance and, among the factors and performance, what factors have important effects by the characteristics of new product development structure and correlation between the factors of new product development activities and performance. The results of this study are as follows. First, in characteristics of new product development structure, a company pursuing a joint research strategy as a technology acquirement strategy, a balance strategy as a technology innovation strategy, complex and diversification strategies as a new product development strategy proved to have a high degree of drive and performance in new product development activities. Second, in the factors and performance of new product development activities, the performance of new product development can be increased by the degree of drive of most of activity factors. This will help a staff in charge of new product development to understand the correlation between the factors of new product development activities and performance recognized as important in the process of decision making and plan establishing of new product development by other companies.

We evaluate an economic effect for the investment of measurement standards by way of the analytic method of econometrics. Main subject is following. 1) propose the basic concept of economic role for measurement standards by descriptive analysis 2) show the economic effect of whole industry for investment of measuring instrument by Input - Output Table Analysis 3) analyze an impact of the productivity improvement for investment of measurement standards using survey data

This study has attempted to improve productivity of logistics for Korean firms. The objective of the study is to analyze the present situation about logistics management and to note critical success factors for logistics activities. The results show that the importance of the top management support, the present level of the logistics activity factors such as transport network, on-line inventory management, distribution channel, palleting, barcoding, auto-packing and on-line order processing are high level. Additionally, distribution center, auto-packing and on-line order processing in both foods and electronics industries are the different and significant factors. Several important research and practical implications are explored.

One of the most pressing challenges facing firms in today`s environment is the transformation to a new paradigm for manufacturing. As customer`s needs are changing rapidly and variously, time-based competence is recognized an important strategy for manufacturing to take a more proactive stance. Fast-response ability to environmental change is emerging as competitive advantage. This empirical research examines whether manufacturing strategy and degree of manufacturing strategy proactiveness have influence an manufacturing performance. The following is the findings of this research. First, there is a significant difference on manufacturing performance among manufacturing strategy types. Especially, time-based strategy is superior to any strategy group with respect to financial and nonfinancial performance. Second, the proactive group is superior to the defense group on nonfinancila performance. but the defense group is superior to the proactive group on financial performance. Third, CEO`s involvement on manufacturing activity has influence on the manufacturing performance. but CEO`S involvement has significant effects on time performance negatively.

This paper proposes a model that evaluates the efficiencies of the individual banks in Korea. The model is formulated based on DEA(Data Envelope Analysis). The input and output factors of the model are determined after scrutinizing the relevant studies of the past. The annual data from 1996 to 1998 are used for the analysis. The reason that the observation period is selected such is that to examine the changes in efficiencies of the banks before and after The 1st Restructuring of Financial Institutions that took place in early 1998. The results are expected to provide constructive information and directions for the management reformation of the individual banks, and to provide strategic clues for the restructuring of the bank industry in Korea.

Exist marketing concept is challenged by various internal and external forces. To cure maladaptation and to upgrade marketing productivity, we can infer 4 types of strategies. First, supplier`s input will leads to better results by establishing customer oriented database and relationship marketing system. Second, buyer`s input can be realized by lowering his cost, time and effort. Perhaps introducing modern EC systems will be good. Third, buyer`s output should focus to the perceived value of customer. So, monitoring changes of value systems is needed. Finally, supplier`s output will be realized by upgrading buyer`s output. It can be better sales, market share and customer loyalty.

The purpose of this study analyze and measure X-inefficiency of small manufacturing industry by using the DEA(Data Envelopment Analysis) model. DEA model is non-financial approach method to measure relative efficiency by input factors and output. Generally, DEA model have used to measure efficiency of services and public sectors. But this study measure efficiency of the small manufacturing industry. This study use a sample of 1 industry from 1995 to 1997. Results of this study can be summarized as follows. First, relative efficiency is measured 71.25%. Second, test of ANOVA is measured insignificantly inefficiency. Third, financial characteristics of DEA efficiency is measured significantly the net worth turnover, net sales growth rate and total capital operating income rate in 1%. This result is expected to provide the empirical evidence useful to enhancing the competitiveness of manufacturing firms in korea.

This study tries to analyse in depth the sources of competitive advantage when a firm is engaged in a foreign construction market. The main purpose of this study is to test empirically both the determinants of competitive advantage and its effects on the foreign construction performance. The empirical findings are as follows: First, several variables seem to have a statististically significant influence on the rate of return in the case of Korean overseas construction. The sources of competitive advantage in Korean overseas construction firms affecting the rate of return seem to include technology, marketing ability of raw materials. Second, several variables seem to have a statistically significant influence on the total satisfaction in the case of Korean overseas construction. The sources of competitive advantage in Korean overseas construction firms affecting the total satisfaction seem to include technology, marketing ability, local competition situation, finance and information ability, economic situation. However, this study has several limitations. First, this study cannot be tested by objective statistical data. Second, this study cannot divulge the competitive advantage that seems to appear differently according to time and region. Finally, this thesis cannot be comparative study between Korean companies and other countries` companies.

This thesis investigates whether and how level of resource explain variation in the persistence of a firm`s competitive advantages. In oiler to test our hypotheses, we developed an instrument to measure three attributes of resource ; firm`s competency, causal ambiguity and isolating mechanism, and collected data within domestic industry. We found that the competency, causal ambiguity of resource prolongs performance advantages through isolating mechanism and knew that the isolating mechanism is associated with sustain advantages. This study contributes to the strategic management literature by providing evidence on the validity of a core, but largely untested proposition of resource-based theory : that inimitable resources, rather than market entry harries, often explain the persistence of superior financial performance. Our findings both support and qualify the resource-based logic. In addition we begin to resolve a tension that exists between resource-based theory and research on foreign direct investment. Finally, resource-base theory highlights isolating mechanism an particularly attractive source of competitive advantage. Yet isolating mechanism is rarely measured and related to a firm`s performance advantage. This study presents a method of measuring isolating mechanism that is directly linked to the performance outcome a firm seeks to compete on.