Korean Engineering Research Articles

Survey method for field measurement of rubber ball impact sound in reinforced concrete apartment houses in Korea – Based on the Korean measurement method

The rubber ball impact sound has been standardized by ISO 10140 series and ISO 16283-2 for laboratory and field measurements, respectively. The ISO 10052 standard specifies a survey method for the impact sound measurement using a tapping machine and a rubber ball. This study proposed measurement position for the survey method which is highly correlated with result based on the Korean Standards (KS) and the building regulation of South Korea for engineering method. The rubber ball impact sounds were measured in 79 reinforced concrete apartment houses, which have a centre point and four perimeter points for both exciting and receiving sounds. The proposed survey method was validated for only a specific type of apartment building layout and construction in the South Korean environment. The excitation and receiving points in the perimeter having the most similar characteristics to the results obtained using the Korean engineering methods were first selected. By combining the selected perimeter point and centre point for both the excitation and receiving sounds, the characteristics of each combination were compared with the results obtained using the Korean engineering method. When one excitation point or receiving point in the perimeter was added to the centre point for the proposed survey method, the difference between the measurement result using the engineering and proposed survey method decreased. The standard deviation of the difference between the SNQs of the proposed survey method and the Korean engineering method for measuring the rubber ball impact sound was smaller than 2 dB.

How Home Country’s Development Can Work against Its Best and Brightest: The Case of Korean Electronics Industry

In economic development, high-skilled migration has been at the forefront of scholarly discourse. Despite the interest, what is still missing in the discussion is the impact that home-country institutions play when foreign-educated elites return to home country. To fill this gap, we employ a case-study method to analyze the careers of South Korean engineering PhDs who studied at U.S. universities. The conventional wisdom in economic development literature is that a home-country’s development reaching a level to attract back overseas talent would count as an unequivocal success. However, what we found is that the benefit of job-creation by home-country institutions is uneven across the population, and may possibly have a surprisingly unintentional detrimental effect in the case of top talents. A concrete lesson here is that creating institutions that encourage the maximum knowledge output from the nation’s the best and the brightest is extremely difficult. This research aims to serve as a cautionary tale to the policymakers, academics and managers in the APEC region, as many nations are attempting to replicate Korea’s success in knowledge sectors.

Assessing the Effects of Higher-Education Factors on the Job Satisfaction of Engineering Graduates in Korea

This paper investigates the relationship between the influential factors related to higher education and job satisfaction of engineering graduates in Korea. The education factors considered in this study can be categorized into three groups: those related to personal information, satisfaction with higher-education quality, and participation in career development programs. The Graduates Occupational Mobility Survey data collected in 2016 and provided by the Korea Employment Information Service were used to evaluate the job satisfaction of Korean engineering graduates, which was in turn analyzed using the hierarchical multiple regression approach. The verification of the statistical analysis results indicates the importance of school location and high satisfaction with overall school quality in determining the job satisfaction of engineering graduates in Korea. It also reveals that internship is more efficient in enhancing job satisfaction than relatively short-term programs such as interviews, resume coaching, and job camps.

Career adaptability of South Korean engineering students

PurposeThe purpose of this study is to examine the role of mastery goal orientation, support for career development, career decision-making self-efficacy and engineering interest in career adaptability for engineering students.Design/methodology/approachData were collected from 307 Korean engineering students from two universities. Structural equation modeling was used to analyze data and examine the relationships among the variables.FindingsThe results indicated that the level of mastery of goal orientation and support for career development significantly affected career decision-making self-efficacy. Engineering students’ career decision-making self-efficacy also positively influenced their engineering interests and career adaptability. Finally, the students’ engineering interest positively affected their career adaptability.Originality/valueThis study demonstrated that important factors for career planning and development need to be successively considered during the career choice process by linking it to career decision-making self-efficacy, engineering interest and career adaptability (career choice action), in consecutive order.

International students’ intercultural sensitivity in their academic socialisation to a non-English-speaking higher education: a Korean case study

ABSTRACT As global competition has intensified in Higher Education (HE) over the past decade, HE institutions of many non-English-speaking societies have strategically concentrated on internationalisation and increased the international population of their campuses. This case study investigated non-native English-speaking international students’ academic socialisation in a Korean engineering university devoted to internationalisation. A mixed method was adopted to analyse the questionnaire responses of 141 international students, along with qualitative interviews with ten of the respondents. The factors significant in their academic socialisation included their affective reactions to local cultures (intercultural sensitivity), in-class English-mediated interaction, and the need for the local language and social interaction. While their negative view of classroom interaction in the context of English-medium instruction was frequently associated with the use of the local language in class, their sensitivity to the local culture was found to exert a greater influence on their academic socialisation than the factor of the local language used by their local peers in a classroom. Notably, the negative correlation between attentiveness to the local culture and the need for social interaction illuminated the participants’ limited understanding of the local norms of interaction, such as politeness. The findings highlight a balanced approach towards locality and internationality which promotes intercultural interactions in both class and systemised language and culture education programs.

A Study on the Improvement of Human Resource Management and the Legal System in Engineering Industry

엔지니어링 산업은 전문인력을 관리함에 있어 기술등급이라는 수단을 활용하고 있다. 국가기술자격과 경력 및 학력을 요소로 하는 기술등급체계는 기술자격 중심의 운영, 경력의 반영의 한계, 전문성에 대한 평가결여로 인한 시장수요와의 괴리, 노임단가의 왜곡 등의 문제점을 내포하고 있다. 이러한 인력관리의 불안정성은 전문적이고 창의적인 기술인력을 기반으로 하는 엔지니어링 산업 발전에 저해요소로 작용한다. 특히 최근의 기술 환경의 변화로 엔지니어링 산업의 가치와 발전이 주목되고 있는 상황에서 한국의 엔지니어링 산업이 글로벌 시장에서 경쟁력을 확보하기 위하여 산업 인력 제도의 개선이 시급하다 할 수 있다. 현행 엔지니어링 산업법제는 국가기술자격을 중심으로 전문인력을 등급화하고 있으며, 등급체계를 구분함에 있어 현장경험이나 실무경력 보다는 기술자격증의 유무, 경력기간, 학위 등의 요소로만 구성되어 있다. 이러한 등급체계의 평가기준으로 기술인력들이 산업현장의 실무지식이나 전문성보다는 자격증을 취득하는 데에 집중하고 있다. 자격 위주의 등급제도는 개별 인력의 전문성보다는 자격증 유무에 따라 인력을 평가하는 비합리성을 유발하고, 기업은 사업수행능력보다 기술사 자격증 소지자를 영입하는 데 비용을 소모하는 비효율의 원인이 되고 있다. 자격제도는 특정 업무를 수행할 수 있는 능력을 대표하는 기능을 수행하는 것으로, 산업인력에 대한 평가는 해당 업무의 적격성과 전문성, 개별 기술인력이 보유하고 있는 경력과 학력, 기타 실질적 업무수행 능력 등 종합적으로 이루어져야 한다. 본 논문에서는 현행 엔지니어링 산업인력제도의 한계점을 지적하고, 엔지니어링 산업 발전을 위해 필요한 인력관리 제도의 개선사항을 제시하도록 한다.The engineering industry is using a grade system to manage human resources. The grading system, which is based on the national technical qualification, experience and academic background, poses problems such as the operation driven by technical qualification, Incompatibility with market demand due to lack of evaluation of experience and professionalism, and distortion of the unit price. This instability in human resource management acts as a drag on the development of the engineering industry based on professional and creative skills. With the recent changes in the technological environment, the value and development of the engineering industry is drawing attention; Therefore, the improvement of the human resource management system is urgently needed for the Korean engineering industry to secure competitiveness in the global market. The current engineering industry legislation classifies professional workers with the national technical qualifications. In the classification of the grade system, it consist of elements such as the existence of technical qualifications, experience period, and degree rather than field experience or practical experience. Because of the evaluation criteria of this grade system, technical workers are focusing on obtaining qualifications rather than building practical knowledge or expertise in the industrial field. The grade system based on qualifications leads to the irrationality of evaluating the workforce according to the presence or absence of qualifications rather than the expertise. On the other hand, enterprises are becoming the main cause of inefficiency by recruiting technical qualification holders rather than their ability to carry out projects. The qualification system performs the function representing the ability to perform a specific task. The evaluation of the human resources should be comprehensive, including qualifications, experience and educational background of individual, and practical task performance capabilities. In this paper, we examines main limitations of the current human resources system in the engineering industry, and suggests improvement of the human resources management system required for the developments of the engineering industry.

Influential Factors of Career Adaptability for College Students in Engineering

This study applied social cognitive career theory to investigate the structural relationships between mastery goal orientation, support for career development, career decision-making self-efficacy, engineering interest, and career adaptability for engineering students. Data were collected from 307 Korean engineering students from two universities, and structural equation modeling was used to examine the relationships between the variables. The results indicated that the level of mastery goal orientation and support for career development significantly affected career decision-making self-efficacy. Engineering students’ career decision-making self- efficacy also positively influenced their engineering interest and career adaptability. Finally, the students’ engineering interest positively affected their career adaptability. Based on these findings, we suggest future research directions and discuss implications to improve engineering students’ career adaptability.

The making of homophilic networks in international research collaborations: A global perspective from Chilean and Korean engineering

As globalization has expedited mobility of faculty across nations, faculty hiring is taking place at an international level. Institutions and governments often perceive hiring faculty who were trained in different countries as a strategy for reaching the status of world-class universities. The major assumption behind this hiring strategy is that faculty who are educated in prestigious universities in foreign countries will bring cutting edge knowledge and networks that will lead to future research collaborations. Yet, a dearth of research empirically investigated the assumption that institutions that train future foreign faculty and those that hire faculty with foreign degrees will have greater presence in the international networks of research collaboration. Filling this hole, this study examines this assumption from an international perspective, using the case of industrial engineering departments at selective research universities in Chile and Korea. Based on the unique data that document faculty hiring (degree attainment institutions) and research collaboration (co-authorship), and institutional prestige (global ranking positions), we analyzed the relationship between faculty hiring network and research collaboration network, as well as their association with institutional prestige. The results provide strong evidence of the positive relationships between doctoral training and future research collaboration, and the strong presence of institutions with global prestige. These relationships result in homophilic networks that suggest a concern about a reduced diversity in theoretical perspective and research methods within the disciplinary field.

Steel‐making Plant Engineering Guide Development Based on Systems Engineering Standards: Feasibility Study and Concept Design

AbstractEngineering industry is considered as a key industry which will drive the future of Korea. However, Korean engineering companies have recently made a huge loss and the lack of engineering capability is pointed out as a main cause of this situation. Unlike Korean engineering companies, world leading engineering companies have their own systems Engineering Standards/Guides ensuring successful fulfillments of the feasibility study, concept design and basic design processes.An Engineering standard for an organization is an essential means to shorten the time for engineering design, to maintain the engineering quality and to secure the engineering efficiency in the development of the complex system. One of the main reasons of Korean Engineering companies' lack of engineering capability is the absence of the Engineering standard.In the paper, we have developed a steel‐making plant Engineering standard based on a systems engineering standard. We used both ISO/IEC/IEEE 15288 and NASA SE Handbook as main reference standards. First, we have introduced a lifecycle definition and a product breakdown structure of a general steel‐making plant. Then we have introduced detailed engineering processes of feasibility study and concept design phase. Finally we have introduced exit criteria for outputs of feasibility study and concept design phase to assess the degree of achievement.

Korean engineering students’ perceptions of English-medium instruction (EMI) and L1 use in EMI classes

ABSTRACTEngineering schools have spearheaded the implementation of English-medium instruction (EMI) in Korean higher education. Three major engineering universities were chosen for this study with its goals to examine engineering students’ perceptions of EMI and L1 use in EMI classes and to make suggestions for the directions that Korean engineering schools should take in relation to EMI. A questionnaire survey was conducted among the undergraduate students of the three universities. Five hundred twenty-four students participated in the survey, and the results show that more students felt insufficient about their English ability than sufficient and that the majority of the students preferred Korean-medium instruction over EMI and did not find EMI beneficial for their English ability. Nevertheless, most of the survey participants believed that EMI should be maintained but with changes in the schools’ mandatory policies. In addition, the students without distinction as to school were supportive of L1 use in EMI classes: approximately 90% of the respondents from each school believed that L1 should be used to facilitate their learning.

Input-Output Analysis on the Korean Engineering Industry Supporting Manufacturing Business

Lee, Sang Hyun.September, 2015.Input-output analysis on the Korean engineering industry supporting manufacturing business,Articles,[Sejong]Korea Institute for Industrial Economics & Trade,11

국내 건축사사무소의 기술특허와 디자인특허에 대한 기초연구

The purpose of this study was to analyze the patent and design patent cases invented by Korean architectural and engineering (A&E) firms searching for current trend of applicants and building technology. Korean A&E offices registered about 2,700 patents between 2003 and 2013, placing 65% ratio in the Section E, Fixed Constructions. Registration numbers of building patents have been increased rapidly between 2005 and 2007 affected by Pre Qualification and construction industry. Patent registration has been ranked from the first Finishing works E04F, Foundations E02D, General building constructions E04B, Doors & windows E06B, Installation of electronic cables H02G and to last Forms E04G. Korean A&E offices have researched and developed patents focusing on Stairs, Forms for general and special, Arrangements for doors & windows, and Fences. To the contrary of technical patents, design patent and building layout for particular purposes E04H have little grown because of regulation and information.

Review of Creativity Development Research Approaches in the Korean Engineering Education

Review of Creativity Development Research Approaches in the Korean Engineering Education

Central Asian Students’ Adjustment Experiences at a “Globalized” Korean University

This study investigated the academic and cultural experiences of undergraduate Central Asian students at a university in Ulsan, South Korea. The study was designed to examine the experiences of Central Asian students both in their adjustment to academic work, and to the cultural environment created by the internationalization policy of the university. Using ethnographic methods that included participant observation, an open-ended questionnaire, and interviews, we examined the policies for internationalization of higher education, and we described how the stakeholders are responding to the policies with their own adjustment strategies. The stakeholders featured in this study are students from the Central Asian republics enrolled at a Korean engineering university. We conclude with suggestions on the ways that institutions of higher education can better serve international students’ integration into their new community.

A theoretical framework for integrating creativity development into curriculum: the case of a Korean engineering school

Existing approaches to developing creativity rely on the sporadic teaching of creative thinking techniques or the engagement of learners in a creativity-promoting environment. Such methods cannot develop students’ creativity as fully as a multilateral approach that integrates creativity throughout a curriculum. The purpose of this study was to formulate a theoretical framework for a curriculum that fosters creativity. Based on the analysis of documents from accreditation organizations and engineering programs, the researchers synthesized the essential abilities and knowledge of creative engineers and formulated an initial theoretical framework for an engineering curriculum designed to integrate creativity development. To validate this initial framework, in-depth faculty interviews were conducted. The results pointed to an optimal curriculum containing four course groups centered on design, domain knowledge, interdisciplinary knowledge, and creative leadership. In addition, the findings revealed an optimal structure and sequence for the courses by grade level. The discussion includes implications of the resulting framework, along with contextual and institutional issues and recommendations for future study.

Complementary Effects of Marketing Network and Structure holes on Supplier’s Perceived New Product Development Performance of Buyer: Moderating Effect of Technological Uncertainty

Marketing networks are critical competitiveness in terms of firm’s resource acquisition ability; however, their impact on new product development performance remains uncertain, especially under technological uncertainty. This study examines how complementary effects of marketing networks, network embededness and structural holes, influence new product development performance under conditions reflecting technological uncertainty. The empirical test was conducted with a Korean engineering firm’s major first-tier suppliers in the context of internal network entities, manufacturer- supplier-subsupplier relationships. Construct measures were based on existing measures and previous research. The survey results indicate that only network embeddedness influences major first-tier suppliers’ perception of buyer’s new product development performance. To ensure empirical support for marketing network effects on new product development performance, cultural aspect such as collectivism, which reflects unique Korean business to business marketing relationships, should be considered for future research.

Seeking an Effective Program to Improve Communication Skills of Non-English-Speaking Graduate Engineering Students: The Case of a Korean Engineering School

Research problem: Many Asian universities have begun reforms to enhance educational competitiveness in our globalizing economy. This study aims to ascertain the status of English communication education and English-medium instruction at a Korean engineering school and to offer workable suggestions for English communication training for Korean graduate engineering students. Research questions: Should English communication education be offered at the graduate level in Korean engineering schools? How could English communication education be improved for Korean graduate engineering students? Literature review: Studies of English communication education for graduate engineering students indicate that English as a Foreign Language (EFL) students have English needs to publish internationally and English needs for English-medium instruction classes and for after graduation. Furthermore, individual assistance and e-learning programs might strengthen English communication education and academic writing for EFL graduate engineering students. Methodology: An evaluation study was conducted at an institution that has been leading the wave of English as the language of instruction. We collected data from documents as well as through surveys of faculty and students in graduate engineering programs. Results and discussion: The study was conducted at the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology. The results showed that students' English fluency is critical for the success of using English as a medium of instruction. To facilitate this fluency, universities need to establish an English communication center that provides a comprehensive, systematic approach to English language training. Faculty also need the services of such centers. It is also advised that a thesis writing course be customized according to students' actual writing and communication abilities and enhanced with collaboration between engineering faculty and English education faculty.

Social Cognitive Predictors of Academic Interests and Goals in South Korean Engineering Students

The purpose of this study was to investigate the applicability of social cognitive career theory (SCCT) in a cross-cultural setting by examining the relationships between the social cognitive variables of South Korean engineering students and their engineering interests and major choice goals across university type and gender. Participants ( N = 660) completed measures of academic self-efficacy, coping self-efficacy, outcome expectations, engineering interests, contextual supports and barriers, and major choice goals. The results of the study revealed that the SCCT interest and major choice model offered an adequate overall fit to the full sample. The findings also indicated that the SCCT interest and choice model provided an acceptable fit to the data across university type and gender. The implications of the findings on practice for counseling South Korean engineering college students are discussed.

American and South Korean Engineering Students’ Communication Motives and Their Student–Instructor Communication Satisfaction

The purpose of this study was twofold. The first purpose was to compare American and South Korean engineering students’ motives (i.e., relational, functional, excuse-making, participatory, and sycophantic) for communicating with their instructors and their student–instructor communication satisfaction. The second purpose was to examine the extent to which both American and South Korean engineering students’ motives for communicating with their instructors are related to their student–instructor communication satisfaction. Undergraduate students (N = 168) recruited from public universities in the United States and South Korea participated in this study. The results of a multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA), an independent sample t-tests, a series of zero-order Pearson correlational analyses, and Fisher z-tests revealed significant cultural differences and that the relationship between students’ communication motives and their student–instructor communication satisfaction largely are consistent between the two cultures.

건설엔지니어링 기술자 표준 경력관리 효율화 방안 연구

2011년 5월 "엔지니어링산업진흥법"이 전면 개정됨에 따라 국내 엔지니어링 산업활동 주체들의 경력관리에 대한 필요성이 부각되면서, 경력관리제도에 대한 보다 객관적이고 효율적인 제도의 도입을 위해 법적인 근거 마련과 함께 경력관리제도의 운영요령이 필요하게 되었다. 이에 본 연구는 엔지니어링 경력관리 기관의 세부기준 검토, 자료수집 및 분석, 실무자 및 업계관계자들의 의견수렴 등을 통해 향후 엔지니어링 경력관리 제도 및 범위 안을 도출하는 것을 목적으로 한다. 기초자료조사, 엔지니링 산업 제도 현황, 기술자경력인증관련 4대 협회의 벤치마킹, 엔지니어링산업 진흥법령체계 의견검토, 엔지니어링기술의 업무범위 및 주업무 그리고, 엔지니어링기술자 경력인정방법 이슈 검토를 통하여 엔지니어링기술자경력관리 운영관련 세부지침 마련, 엔지니어링기술자경력관리 업무처리규정 작성 및 기술자 범위 정의 및 명확화, 전문분야별 기술인력의 자격종목 및 전공학과 인정범위 등에 관한 결과물을 도출하였다. 이를 통하여 엔지니어링기술자경력관리 업무처리규정은 한국엔지니어링협회에 제언되어 활용되고 있으며, 기술자 범위 정의 및 명확화 및 전문분야별 기술인력의 자격종목 및 전공학과 인정범위는 엔지니어링산업 진흥법령 이외에 "지식경제부 고시 2011-76호 엔지니어링기술자 경력관리기준" 에 부분 반영되었다. This study illustrates the results of a background policy research conducted to provide supports for the 'Korean Engineering Industry Enhancement Law' promulgated by the Korean Ministry of Knowledge Economy. The main issue covered in this study is an effective way of managing standardized career development program for construction engineers. This study attempted to provide detailed criteria and guidelines for the public career development program for construction engineers by effectively collecting and analyzing relative. In doing so, various opinions from a wide range of stakeholders and related parties were gathered. In addition, an in-depth benchmarking investigation was performed with four main associations who have been operating their own career development management program for construction engineers. Some of the findings from this study have played a positive role specifying the details of the recently promulgated law such as 'Notice by Ministry of Knowledge Economy 2011-76: guidelines for managing construction engineer career'. This study was an empirical and practical research effort helping the government to set up an effective construction law system.