The purpose of this study is to analyze Chinese consumers’ preferences for seafood distribution channels using conjoint analysis. The survey for this study was conducted on 600 Chinese consumers in their 20s to 60s. The conjoint analysis showed that consumers prioritize the type of distribution channel(offline, online, omni-channel) when choosing seafood distribution channels, and that they also value delivery time and price attributes. This can be seen as a result of Chinese consumers focusing on extrinsic cues such as the spatial location of purchase, price, and the delivery time required to receive the final purchased product rather than focusing on specific factors when choosing a place to purchase seafood. In the future, it is expected that the Chinese seafood distribution channel will be dominated by platforms that provide a complex experience, short delivery times, and low prices to be chosen by consumers. Now, seafood distribution channels are expected to continue to develop into complex distribution channels that can provide consumers with new experiences and high satisfaction by complexly implementing new functions.
This study examines the relationship between short-run variation in vessel activity and coastal air quality in a major coastal city. Hourly monitor-level air-quality readings in Busan, South Korea are linked to a port-exposure index that aggregates hourly vessel tonnage at piers using inverse-distance weights. Panel regressions with fixed effects suggest a positive relationship between port exposure and PM10 and PM2.5. A back-of-the-envelope calculation implies that a 1,000-unit increase in the exposure index corresponds to about 0.18% higher PM10 and 0.33% higher PM2.5. The estimates provide an exposure-concentration mapping that may serve as a basis for further study into port-related environmental impacts in coastal cities.
Nutrient loads in inland rivers can propagate downstream to estuaries and near-coastal waters, where water-quality conditions may affect fisheries and aquaculture. This study examines the effect of a nutrient load control program on total phosphorus in South Korea. Using a difference-in-differences approach with fixed effect models, the study constructs monitoring stations in the Nakdong, Geum, and Yeongsan rivers as the treatment group and monitoring stations in the Han River as the control group. The study leverages total phosphorus (TP) control as the policy intervention. Using monitor-by-time data from the national Total Maximum Daily Load network from 2007 to 2012, the study found that TP levels decreased by approximately 3.6% after the policy intervention. The study further examines flexible and honest DIDs and finds limited but suggestive evidence of this improvement. The findings provide suggestive evidence of load-based regulation in reducing TP and provide policy-relevant evidence on upstream nutrient control that may inform broader downstream water-quality management in connected river-estuary systems.
This study aims to classify groups of Korean seafood export companies according to their performance levels after obtaining international certifications and to compare and analyze the characteristics of each group. A survey was conducted targeting seafood export companies that possess international certifications. Cluster analysis was performed using 25 performance-related variables associated with international certification outcomes. Subsequently, analysis of variance, independent sample t-tests, and cross-tabulation analyses were conducted to examine differences between the groups. The results identified two clusters based on the level of international certification performance: a high-performance group and a low-performance group. The high-performance group showed higher levels of satisfaction across both financial and non-financial performance outcomes after acquiring international certifications. In particular, significant differences between the two groups were observed in customer-related performance as well as quality and process performance. This group also tended to perceive the importance of certification acquisition factors more strongly and demonstrated greater sensitivity to market requirements, such as overseas buyer demands. In contrast, the low-performance group reported relatively lower satisfaction with certification outcomes and showed higher sensitivity to certification acquisition costs. In terms of firm characteristics, the high-performance group consisted of firms that were relatively recently established and had obtained international certifications more recently, and they were more likely to have dedicated trade departments. Meanwhile, the low-performance group included a higher proportion of firms with larger numbers of employees and greater sales volumes. These findings suggest that the performance outcomes of international certifications are not determined solely by firm size or years of operation but are closely related to firms’ perceptions of certification, their strategic responses, and the organizational capacity to manage and utilize certifications effectively. This study contributes to the literature by empirically demonstrating that heterogeneous groups exist among firms holding international certifications in terms of performance outcomes.