Mueun Bae

Supply chain integration in developing countries for foreign retailers in Korea: Wal-Mart experience

Wal-Mart entered into the Korean market in 1997 after regulations governing foreign retailers were completely lifted. Since Wal-Mart began its retailing operations in Korea, it made every effort to incorporate the principles of supply chain integration in Korea. Currently, many supply chain integration attempts made in Korea have made some contributions to the development of the Korean distribution system, even though the results are not completely satisfactory. Two reasons might be cited. First, there is no noticeable competitive supply chain infrastructure in Korea to support the principles of supply chain integration. Highly competitive and aggressive supply chain strategies that Wal-Mart has been accustomed to using in the United States are directly in conflict with the existing distribution channels in Korea. Second, a relationship building process among supply chain partners (internal as well as external) has been painfully slow at best and in many instances non-existent. However, there is an opportunity in Korea for many foreign retailers to reduce the supply chain cost if it is properly implemented. This paper closely examines some of the reasons why the supply chain integration process for foreign retailers in Korea has been slow, and the attempts to provide possible solutions.

A Cross-National Comparison of the Determinants of Customer Satisfaction with Online Stores

Abstract Customer experiences with shopping have been found to vary across different national cultures. However, few empirical studies have examined the differences in the relationship of customer satisfaction in online shopping with its determinants across national cultures. This study employs Hofstedes cultural values to examine the relative influence of the determinants of customer satisfaction in online shopping across the US and South Korea. The results indicate that the levels of relationship of customer satisfaction with its determinants were influenced by national cultures. For example, time saved was found to be a more important factor for customer satisfaction for US customers, compared to Korean customers. Website aesthetic quality, risk, and customer support were found to be more critical factors for Korean customer satisfaction. The results of the study will be useful in understanding the role of culture in customer satisfaction and help provide guidelines for developing online stores with a global reach.

Leadership and power relationships based on culture and gender

Leadership and power are often used to influence people’s behavior. However, little is known about the degree and directional relationship between these two constructs and gender. Equally unknown is the degree of impact that culture and gender together may have on such a relationship. This paper attempts to establish an empirical relationship between these two constructs and culture along with gender. Baba and Ace’s modified instruments on leadership and Hinkin and Schriesheim’s instrument on five sources of power were used in surveying 486 students from four business schools in Korea and the USA to derive functional relationships between leadership and power. Results suggest there is a statistically significant relationship between power and leadership and that gender has an impact on that relationship. However, this study does not support the contention that gender plays an important role in cross‐cultural environments; instead, it plays an important role only when considered within a specific culture.

Using Analytical Hierarchy Process AHP to Identify the Relative Importance of the Features Needed for Web-Based Systems Development

Most of new information systems development is now being undertaken with Web-based architectures. The objective of this study is to identify and assess the relative importance of the required features for methodologies used to develop Web-based information systems. Critical success factors CSFs for the development of Web-based applications were identified from the literature and organized into a hierarchy consisting of their dimensions and sub-dimensions. The relative importance of the dimensions was assessed through an analytical hierarchy process AHP method based on data obtained in Korea from IT professionals. Information properties and risk control were found to be the two main dimensions. Within information properties dimension, integrity of information was found to be the most important sub-dimension. The relative importance of the features was also found to vary for the three industry sectors investigated.