The SME-suitable industry designation scheme aims to foster the growth of Korea's SMEs by restricting the entry or expansion of large enterprises. However, without a full understanding of specific business areas, the restrictive measures can undermine SMEs' profit as well as consumer welfare....

China's rural consumer market has exhibited extraordinary growth. Over the past decade, the consumption growth rate and average propensity to consume of rural residents have surpassed those of their urban counterparts, with the former's consumption patterns becoming increasingly similar to the...

The rise of the market for private-label brands (PB) has elevated the profits of corporate retailers but has not significantly affected, or in some cases reduced, those of subcontracting manufacturers. This is not only due to the significant cannibalization effect on national brands (NB) caused...

In their transaction with retailers, suppliers tend to earn less as the share of purchases under special contract grows. This is due not only to the high sales fees (commission) and frequent unfair practices but also, more fundamentally, to the blatant imbalance in bargaining power. When...

Korea's franchise market is wavering. Amid the heavy concentration of food service businesses and the high number of inexperienced franchisors, franchisees have had little opportunity to grow. Moreover, the terms and conditions of franchise agreements have become a source of contention due to...