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Recently, convergence has been presented as one of the technical innovations in many industrial sectors and diffusion has been discussed as providing the main influence on convergence. The present study used the VOSviewer to analyze convergence trends and the current state of joint research, complemented by quantitative analysis using information from scientific papers published in 2015 obtained through the Scopus database. The results of this study illustrate that convergence of research occurring in Korea is evident in a variety of sectors, e.g. chemistry, material science, mechanics and the electrical and electronics sectors. We discovered that a sector performing research characterized by convergence also was actively involved in joint research. We also discovered that institutions conducting many studies were doing so as partners within joint research with other institutions. There are two important applications: The present study identified important information that can be used to monitor convergence and diffusion appears to provide the most influence on convergence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The low‐carbon transition involves achieving the coordinated development between economic development and carbon reduction. This paper utilises an integrated decomposition and econometric framework to reveal the influence mechanism and convergence evolution of carbon emission intensity (CEI) across 29 OECD countries in the period 1992–2018. The country‐level low‐carbon transition efforts are then investigated. The results imply that: (1) The reduction in CEI is primarily attributed to the changes in economic development and energy intensity. The carbon emission coefficient effect also negatively influences CEI. The impact of energy consumption per capita, however, is negligible. (2) According to econometric analysis, energy intensity, energy mix, carbon emissions per capita and energy use per capita have positive impacts on CEI. Specially, GDP per capita shows an inverted U‐shaped curve relationship with CEI. (3) There is evidence of convergence in CEI across developed countries. Energy intensity plays a crucial role in accelerating the CEI convergence process, implying a half‐life of 3 years. (4) Fifteen European countries have made strong low‐carbon transition efforts among all countries. Denmark has made the largest efforts, South Korea the least. This study provides important implications for low‐carbon economy transition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper, through the use of Joycean narrative inquiry, offers a qualitative narrative analysis of two types of language input the South Korean community was exposed to when the doors opened to a large number of western teachers in 1993 (i.e., General American and Received Pronunciation). Specifically, this paper provides examples of lexical choice and quotes from two groups of teachers at this time (i.e., American and British). This analysis is accomplished through a reflective narrative drawn from the style found in a story in Joyce's The Dubliners (i.e., The Dead), where groups are personified into characters, and the events of one day are presented as representative of each groups' people and their language use. Using this technique, this paper reports that the representative of each group held fast to his/her individual varieties to preserve identity. This paper also found that each representative used acts of convergence to reduce social distance. Noting that narrative inquiry is an emerging, recognized, and widely used area in the field but that the use of Joycean narrative inquiry is underrepresented, this reflection provides both a historical perspective and a starting point for future examinations of non-native speaker (NNS) communities' present use of English. Specifically, investigations into what influences such historical examples have had on present language use. Regarding the lack of research using this instrument, this paper is also offered as a starting point for the use of Joycean narrative inquiry as a research instrument in TESOL and its related fields. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper examines the tourism markets' convergence hypothesis across South Korea's major source markets. In doing so, we use monthly data of visitor arrivals over the period July 1995 to June 2019 and adopt a novel quantile unit root tests that allows for multiple structural breaks via a Fourier expansion series. Our results indicate that seven countries out of 10 show firm convergence tendencies at most of the quantiles, and two countries have weak but significant converging trends at some quantiles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

At present, we live in prosperity contrary to the past times. As income increases, people enjoy wealth, but more people tend to pursue their own inner happiness: travel. People go to other places or visit foreign countries for business or journey. This study aims to identify the best tour route for foreign tourists in South Korea. Based on the review analysis results, this paper also aims to put forward techniques and methodologies required in practical affairs when developing a travel site or a travel application. On this note, it collected tourists' reviews at the Tripadvisor official website and conducted text mining technique as well as network analysis using R and Tagxedo, which is a big data analytic tool. The analysis results displayed that there were differences in travel preference, and especially, individual travelers had difficulty traveling by public transportation and selecting travel destinations. Therefore, customized travel routes were suggested for convenient use among travelers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper explores the impact of unification on North and South Korea under the hypothetical scenario that German‐type reunification occurs in the Korean peninsula. Simulation results using a global dynamic general equilibrium model show that with comprehensive market‐oriented reform and opening, the North Korean economy could capitalize on its growth potentials. Unification can reduce the growth rate in South Korea for a certain period following the unification shock due to the transfer of resources out of the South into the North and an increase in risk on the Korea peninsula. Due to the relative sizes in population and per capita gross domestic product of the two Koreas, unification can be more disruptive on North and South Korea, compared to the experience of Germany. The critical factors determining the economic effects of unification are the nature of wage‐adjustment, the size of resource transfers from the South to North, and exchange rate policy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper raises a fundamental question with regard to the trajectory of capitalism in Korea, whether Korea is still "fast-following" developed countries and on-track to converge with their economic systems, or continues to forge a unique development path different from that of the mature capitalist economies. In an explorative effort to answer this question, this paper compares the key outcome variables of the Korean economy with those of other economies by taking the variety of capitalism (VoC) perspective. Existing evidence may point to the possibility of Korean capitalism converging with a U.S.- and U.K.-style liberal market economy (the so-called "Anglo–Saxon" economy) in terms of slow-down of growth, rising unemployment, and higher income inequality, despite the differences in several underlying institutions, such as the national innovation systems and corporate governance and ownership. The driving forces for convergence seem to be the ongoing trend of financialization and the rise of shareholder capitalism, which is perceived to be the cause of low investment and high inequality. This paper is one of the first calls to consider a switch from the existing "catch-up and post catch-up" framework to the new "catch-up and convergence" framework when assessing the past, present, and future capitalism in South Korea. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Under the development of digital convergence, more and more mergers and acquisitions are taking place across media industries. In the past few years, most studies on horizontal mergers and acquisitions examine the concentration ratios or on vertical cases concerning entry barriers that block new entrants. Few research papers have discussed the impact of cross-media merger and acquisition and how to calculate the index. Thus, this paper introduces the experiences of index construction and application from the U.S., Germany, and South Korea, in order to provide a better analysis and concentration measurement index across different media for Taiwan. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hallyu's creative content, in the form of dramas, music, and movies, has not only expanded and popularized Korean beauty (or K-beauty) products, but has also helped sell Korean fashion and aesthetics throughout the world. This study examines the various success factors behind K-beauty's competitiveness-particularly by emphasizing the interactive roles of creative content, cosmetic firms, and make-up artists working through their vlogs based on social media and the resultant convergence effects-which has propelled the rapid growth of the K-beauty industry. On top of the cosmetic firms that utilize diverse and effective strategies to penetrate the global market, professional and semi-professional make-up artists have helped spread K-beauty beyond product sales. They offer make-up lessons on social media, which has become enormously successful in spreading Korean-style cosmetics. In this paper, the cooperation between popular beauty vloggers and firms is explained through the new role of social media. This study explains how the convergence of firms and vloggers has connected and established a business ecosystem that generates synergy through the four co-operations of co-existence, co-learning, co-creation, and co-evolution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Developments in the area of globalization, labour markets and human resource management (HRM) are topical and have high profiles. Yet they are often underpinned by several older and implicit views. This paper examines five propositions in this respect. We discuss globalization, often taken as driving such developments, and the role of supportive and limiting factors to its influence. We use the case of South Korea, as the main direction of change here is seen as from 'traditional' employment security and seniority-based systems of employee resourcing and rewarding, towards 'newer' flexible and performance-based ones. This seems, on the surface, a case of practice transfer in a somewhat inhospitable climate. We examine and evaluate the restraints, direction and extent of such changes, and arguments that HRM systems are being transformed by such developments. We find that the situation is more constrained and ambiguous. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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This paper addresses the issue of catching and convergence at the level of firms, and investigates whether Korean firms tend to converge toward mature firms represented by the US firms in terms of their behavior and performance as well as firm-level innovations systems. It conducts regression analyses of several behavior and performance variables, using the data of the Korean and US firms during the 1990s, the 2000s, and 2010s. It finds some evidence of convergence, such that Korean firms become more profitability- rather than growth-oriented, borrowing and investing less, and thus being less indebted. However, they have not changed much in terms of their behavior toward firm values and dividend tendencies. Further analyses, using the patent-derived, innovation system variables, also confirm some aspects of convergence, compared with the early results, for which self-citations become significant and positive for firm values; furthermore, the variable of cycle time of technology is no longer significant for profitability, which is consistent with the results from the US firms. Meanwhile, changes in corporate governance associated with the rise of foreign shareholder are also shown to have resulted in higher profitability but insignificant change in firm values. An emerging conclusion is an ongoing but partially completed process of convergence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Due to globalization, more foreign-owned small businesses have been joining the South Korean economy. In order to better support the growth, this study's purpose is to identify foreign entrepreneur demographics and company information as well as entrepreneurial motivations and perceived success factors. To fulfill these goals, a survey of 98 immigrant entrepreneurs from 31 countries doing business within the local Korean market was conducted. The results show that most foreign-owned small businesses are service-oriented and primarily started for intrinsic reasons. It was also identified that the perceived business success determinants that the government can most directly affect are skills-based, rather than infrastructure or financially oriented. Furthermore, top issues include unreliable employees, language barrier and too much competition. The findings of this study are particularly relevant to both academics and policy makers alike because almost no prior foreign entrepreneur-focused research has been conducted in Korea. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

South Korea is arguably the premier development success story of the last half century. Rapid growth coincided with extensive state interventions in the economy, and considerable controversy exists as to how much this performance should be credited to the country's state-led development strategy and to what extent the lessons from that experience might be portable or applied elsewhere. The salience of this issue has grown as South Korea has become a more important provider of development assistance and advice. Now the country faces challenges in maintaining its superior economic performance, notably interrelated problems revolving around the country's demographics, long-term fiscal position, and lagging productivity in the services sector domestically, and a taxing environment externally. Finally, the country confronts scenarios involving potential instability, collapse, and/or absorption of its neighbor, North Korea. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Many aspects of Japanese and Korean national health insurance systems were modelled after the German system of social insurance where non-competitive sickness funds were based on a corporatist principle. Far from converging or remaining on a corporatist path, however, each country has followed a distinctive reform trajectory in an era of globalisation: Germany choosing to grant freedom of choice between different sickness funds, Japan maintaining a multiplicity of insurance societies, and Korea merging all health insurance societies into one. This article examines the reform process underpinning health insurance funds in these three countries where significant similarities as well as differences exist. It then argues that looking into the unique institutional opportunities of the time explains how and why these governments have adopted these paths to achieve dual objectives of cost containment and social solidarity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

More than 80 percent of US growth between 1950 and 1993 can be attributed to transition dynamics (increases in R&D intensity and educational attainment), with less than 20 percent of growth deriving from population growth. Similarly, growth accounting shows that 80 percent of economic growth in Korea can be attributed to transition dynamics. However, the specific factors that have moved Korea far from its steady state are significantly different from the factors that have done so for the USA. In addition to the growth rates of the two countries, we also analyzed the (steady-state) level of output per worker to determine where the Korean economy is headed relative to the USA. In 1960, Korea was characterized as poor (0.111) relative to its own steady state (0.765), and incomes were at 11.1 percent of those in the USA. Since then, however, Korea has been growing more rapidly than the USA. In our analysis, we also consider the extreme case where total factor productivity levels converge completely. Interestingly, in this case, the USA and Korea exhibit unconditional convergence similar to what is generally observed in the OECD. As the economy approaches the steady-state income level, however, the growth rate of output per capita will decline. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There has been much discussion regarding the possible decline and weakening of national systems of human resource management (HRM). Yet, culture and institutions are often cited as the major stumbling blocks to this outcome. Such constraints may dissipate in the analysis, particularly if 'regional clusters' are considered where geographic and cultural closeness and 'openness' to similar economic pressures exist. In such cases, it might be postulated that convergence in HRM will occur. We argue that China, Japan and South Korea represent such a cluster. This article examines these countries, to see if a degree of convergence is taking place and if it is towards an identifiable 'Asian' model of HRM. A model of change is presented that distinguishes between levels of occurrence and acceptance. Details of the development and practice of HRM in each country are then set out. The article ends with a discussion and implications section and a brief conclusion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The rapid advance of remote sensing technology during the last few decades provides a new opportunity for measuring detectable estuarine spatial change. Although estuarine surface area and convergence are important hydraulic parameters often used to predict long-term estuarine evolution, the majority of automated analyses of channel plan view dynamics have been specifically written for riverine systems and have limited applicability to most of the estuaries in the world. This study presents MorphEst, a MATLAB-based collection of analysis tools that automatically measure estuarine planform geometry. MorphEst uses channel masks to extract estuarine length, convergence length, estuarine shape, and areal gain and loss of estuarine surface area due to natural or human factors. Comparisons indicated that MorphEst estimates closely matched with independent measurements of estuarine surface area (r = 0.99) and channel width (r = 0.92) of 39 estuaries along the South Korean coast. Overall, this toolbox will help to improve the ability to solve research questions commonly associated with estuarine evolution as it introduces a tool to automatically measure planform geometric features from remotely sensed imagery. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]