Abstract:The purpose of this paper is to study consumer acceptance of the Home Energy Management System, which is the next generation electronic management system that the Korean government plans to implement in households. The Home Energy Management System is a critical device in maximizing the efficiency of electric energy consumption for each household by using a smart grid. Because it can visualize real-time price information on the electricity, households can easily monitor and control the amount of electricity consumption. With this feature, the Home Energy Management System can contribute to consumers' total energy savings. This is a major reason why the Korean government wishes to implement it nationwide. Since the Home Energy Management System is a product that applies new technology that has not yet been directly encountered by consumers, there may be a difference in the level of public perception of the Home Energy Management System. Therefore, the impact of consumers' awareness of the Home Energy Management System on their intention to use is important. To do this, the Technology Acceptance Model is utilized in this study. Traditional research on the Technology Acceptance Model includes awareness of usefulness and ease of use as well as intention to use. In contrast, in this research, an extended Technology Acceptance Model with four additional factors-economic benefit, social contribution, environmental responsibility, and innovativeness-that may affect the consumer's awareness of usefulness and ease of use, is proposed. To collect the data, the survey was conducted with 287 respondents. As a result, the proposed model proved to be suitable in explaining the intention to use with a 70.3% explanation power. It is found that economic benefit (0.231) and innovativeness (0.259) impact on usefulness of the Home Energy Management System. Moreover, usefulness (0.551) has a bigger effect on intention to use than ease of use (0.338) does. Based on this, it is desirable for the Korean government to pursue a public relations strategy that emphasizes the economic benefits, social contributions, and environmental responsibility that will be gained when introducing the Home Energy Management System. It is effective to focus on consumers who are inclined to accept innovation. In addition, more effective results can be obtained by referring to the usefulness of the Home Energy Management System rather than referring to ease of use.

Despite the increase of government spending on R&D in South Korea, there have been limits in enhancing the challenging trait and creativity of research outcomes. A new approach to the current mode of R&D is considered necessary to tackle this problem. In 2015, South Korea operated fifteen programs, namely "High-risk Highreturn R&D," from seven government ministries. The purpose of this study is to examine the actual conditions for adoption and to further promote early establishment and wide implementation of the new "High-risk High-return policy" in National R&D, and to suggest ways to improve it. In this study, we have approached the case with a life-cycle perspective of planmanagement-evaluation of R&D by carrying out a survey and unstandardized interviews with key staff from R&D management agencies. Based on the results of the analysis, we suggest improvements in three aspects: 1) flexible system operation, 2) government ministries' autonomy and accountability, 3) effective incentives. Finally, we discuss possible improvements, future directions, and the limits of this study.

Public R and D management agencies have been taking on key roles in the national R and D ecosystem. The purpose of this study is to suggest ways to improve the operational efficiency of public R and D management agencies based on analysis of their current status. We approached this study from a life-cycle perspective as it applies to the plan-management evaluation of R and D. Data-collection sources included documents, surveys, and interviews with staff members in agencies responsible for national R and D management. Based on the analysis results, we present suggestions for improvement in three areas: (a) unification of R and D planning and evaluation of individual ministries; (b) establishment of a panministerial management system for public R and D management agencies; (c) improvement and development of public R and D agencies’ expertise and management services. Finally, we discuss possible improvements and the limits of this study.

Abstract:The purpose of this study is to suggest efficiency improvement using the analysis of the efficiency of the royalty system for government-funded research institutes (GRIs) belonging to the National Research Council of Science & Technology (NST). Twenty three GRIs' royalty incomes and expenses (2013)(2014)(2015) were analyzed using the data envelopment analysis (DEA) model. First, Research Model 1 was used to find out if the obligated expense category's distribution ratio were efficient. Five Charnes, Cooper and Rhodes (CCR) model organizations and 14 Banker, Charnes and Cooper (BCC) model organizations demonstrated 100% efficiency. With the exception of the obligated expense category, Research Model 2 was used. Seventeen CCR model organizations and 18 BCC model organizations demonstrated 100% efficiency. GRIs were divided into efficient and inefficient organizations using each model, and potential improvements and benchmarking decision-making units (DMUs) were found for inefficient organizations. Second, multiple regression analysis in Research Model 2 was used to analyze the cause of the efficiency to find factors that influenced the transfer of technology and license improvement. Third, there were efficiency differences among research organizations as a result of the efficiency analysis considering the research organization type with respect to the constant returns to scale (CRS) efficiency of Research Models 1 and 2. Thus, different policies should be applied to improve the efficiency. Finally, the possible improvements, future directions and limits of this study are discussed.

Despite the increase in government spending on R&D in South Korea (hereafter Korea), there have been limits in enhancing the impact and commercialisation of research outcomes. A new approach to the current mode of R&D is considered necessary to tackle this problem. In 2014, Korea implemented a new competition policy on national R&D by designating six R&D programmes from four different government departments as Competition-type R&D. The purpose of this study is to examine the actual conditions for adoption and to further promote early establishment and wide implementation of the new competition policy on national R&D, and identify the ways for improvement. In this study, we have approached the case with a life-cycle perspective of plan-management-evaluation of R&D. Multiple sources of data collection included documents, surveys and unstandardised interviews with the staff members in the government sector organisations and agencies responsible for the national R&D management. Based on the results of the analysis, we bring suggestions on three areas of improvement: (a) materialising suitable projects to enrol in the R&D competition programme; (b) suggesting competition models for each stage of R&D life cycle; and (c) establishing the institutional basis upon which the policy may be widely adopted. Finally, we discuss possible improvements and the limits of this study.