Jaemin Jung

Cross-Cultural Differences in Perceived Risk of Online Shopping

ABSTRACT This study investigates the perceived risk that has been considered as influencing the consumer purchase decision process during online shopping. For the purpose of this study, perceived risk is defined as the potential for loss in pursuing a desired outcome from online shopping. Specifically, this research investigates the differences in perceived risk between online shoppers and non-online shoppers, as well as online shoppers’ perceived risk relating to two culturally different countries (i.e., Korea and the United States). The results indicate that the perceived risk is higher for non- (or less-experienced-) online shoppers than for frequent online shoppers, and that both Korean and US Internet users have a similar aggregated degree of perceived risk toward online shopping, though there are significant relative differences in specific risk items (i.e., social, financial, time, and psychological risk), which reflect the existence of the cultural differences in response to the specific risk factors.

Factors affecting e-book reader awareness, interest, and intention to use:

This study attempts to identify the predictors of e-book reader diffusion with regard to consumer awareness, interest, and intention to use. Specifically, it assesses the relative influence of demographics, media usage/ownership, and personal traits/perception variables in the technology-adoption process. A national consumer survey conducted in South Korea, a leading country in the proliferation of e-book use, found that e-book reader awareness, interest, and adoption intention correlated positively with age, education, income, perceived need for print media, digital media ownership, personal innovativeness, and the perceived attributes of e-book readers. Regarding the relative effects of variable blocks, the most influential factors in predicting e-book reader awareness, e-book reader interest, and intention to use were demographics, personal innovativeness, and the perceived attributes of e-book readers, respectively.

What causes users to switch from a local to a global social network site? The cultural, social, economic, and motivational factors of Facebook's globalization

This study investigates what causes local users to switch or not to switch from a domestic to a global social network site (SNS), Facebook. In the prediction model using cultural, social, economic factors, and motives for using SNS, we found in S. Korean users that, along with entertainment motives, the expected benefit of a new global SNS was a positive predictor of transition to Facebook. The western cultural values of a global SNS and the sunk costs of using a local SNS were negative predictors of the intention to use Facebook as the main platform of online social networking. Given that global SNSs force anti-localization policies related to privacy protocols and relationship styles, the results highlight the fact that cultural values are a critical factor for resisting globalization of SNSs.

Causes of newspaper firm employee burnout in Korea and its impact on organizational commitment and turnover intention

This study assesses the degree of burnout among newspaper firm employees in Korea and investigates the causes and consequences of this phenomenon. A survey of reporters and non-reporting staff members from the 10 national daily newspaper firms in South Korea indicates that employees suffer from burnout. In particular, respondents claimed to have experienced a higher level of exhaustion than cynicism and a diminished sense of professional efficacy. Overload, a non-autonomous, non-supportive work environment, and dissatisfaction with the work itself, level of pay, co-workers, supervisors and promotion opportunities were also contributing factors. As a result of burnout, employees reported diminished commitment to the organization and increased turnover intention.

A cross‐cultural study of the world wide web and public relations

Purpose – The purpose of this study was to compare major corporations’ web sites both in the USA and in South Korea to identify the differences in features posted on their home pages and to examine the relationship between the features and the theoretical public relations model.Design/methodology/approach – Content analysis of two countries’ 30 corporate web sites based on Grunigs public relations model.Findings – The two countries’ corporations predominantly practised press agentry and a public information model from the perspective of a public relations theoretical model. In general, US corporations post more promotional and informative information related to products or services than South Korean corporations.Research limitations/implications – Future studies of the world wide web should be extended to public relations practitioners, who are making and maintaining the web sites.Practical implications – It appears that many corporate home pages, in both countries, have not made use of the powerful tool...

Acquisitions or Joint Ventures: Foreign Market Entry Strategy of U.S. Advertising Agencies

This article examines the preferred foreign entry mode and region of U.S.-based advertising agencies by analyzing all cross-border acquisitions and joint ventures completed from 1981 to 2001. In addition, based on the transaction cost theory, the impact of host country risk and cultural distance on the choice of entry mode was tested with a binomial logistic regression model. Although the frequency of acquisitions was approximately three times greater than that of joint ventures, U.S. agencies primarily set up joint ventures in the Asian countries. Two hypotheses depicting the environmental factors revealed significant results; that is, U.S. agencies preferred joint ventures to acquisitions when the host country is culturally more distant from the United States and politically, financially, or economically riskier. The results are of interest in understanding not only advertising agencies specifically but also useful in considering foreign entry strategy by all media companies.

Mobile communication for human needs: A comparison of smartphone use between the US and Korea

This study deals with two studies that develop and compare a measure and model of hierarchical needs of smartphone use from US and Korean users. The first study examines the dimensionality of measure by conducting an exploratory factor analysis on 398 US and 331 Korean college students. Results identified five constructs of the smartphone basic needs (SBN) scale from the two samples: physiological, safety, belongingness, self-esteem, and self-actualization. The second study examines the relationships between the SBN and use behavior, which leads to life satisfaction. The relationship of the constructs was theoretically synthesized and tested. Results indicate that both samples believe that the smartphone fulfills the needs of safety and self-actualization that predict smartphone use and life satisfaction. Theoretical and cross-cultural implications are discussed.

From Access to Utilization: Factors Affecting Smartphone Application Use and Its Impacts on Social and Human Capital Acquisition in South Korea

This study examines the mobile divide from the perspective of perception of information and knowledge inequity due to smartphone usage, exploring factors that may influence the use of smartphone applications and assessing discrepancies in social and human capital due to usage differences. A survey of smartphone users revealed that gender, age, personal innovativeness, and consumption skills were significant predictors of the frequent use for applications. Simply having more smartphone applications does not contribute to increases social or human capital; it is usage of these apps that makes a difference.

The Bigger, the Better? Measuring the Financial Health of Media Firms

Abstract This study examined the degrees of product diversification of media conglomerates since the Telecommunications Act of 1996 and tested the impact of product diversification of the firms on their financial health. The strategy of related product diversification enables firms to gain market power and synergy effect, then improves financial performance. Based on that assumption, for a sample of 26 media firms from 1996 to 2002, this study conducted a regression analysis to test the hypotheses. The results showed two contradictory curvilinear models. First, revenue, EBITDA and sales growth rates revealed a U‐shaped relationship with diversification. That is, performance decreased as firms shifted from concentrated business strategies to related diversification, but performance increased as firms changed from related diversification to unrelated diversification. On the other hand, financial efficiency variables measuring management effectiveness or profitability (ROS, ROA and ROE) and stock market evaluation (earnings per share) showed an inverted U‐shape relationship. Thus, the unrelated diversification led to a decrease in financial efficiency.

Measuring usage concentration of smartphone applications: Selective repertoire in a marketplace of choices

Using the tracking data of 1,645 smartphone users from Nielsen KoreanClick’s panel, this study examines the degree of concentration in smartphone application use in South Korea. The findings from this study are consistent with what we have learned from previous research of usage concentration and selective repertoire in a multichannel and multimedia environment. Overall, the levels of concentration in app usage are high, particularly in the communication and social media categories. Empirical evidence also suggests the existence of network externality in mobile app communication.