PROTECTION CONVERGENCE

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to address the horizontal fiscal imbalance caused by the financial decentralization of local governments in Korea, and propose a direction for the introduction of the horizontal fiscal equalization system for the protection of financially lagging area. Method: To achieve the purpose of this study, the primary details of the first phase of financial decentralization were confirmed based on the theory of the financially lagging area and the horizontal mediation system. Furthermore, the regional synergistic development fund, which is a similar system currently implemented, and the direction of its introduction, were examined. Results: As a result of the study, first, the fact the regional balanced distribution is very much needed through the protection of financially lagging area and the regional solidarity was confirmed. Second, to introduce the horizontal fiscal equalization system, it is necessary to provide a direction for the introduction of the system which may achieve a basic agreement among the local governments, which are direct stakeholders. Third, the form of the system is introduced as a fund, and an expansionary system’s development plan based on the existing regional synergistic development fund system may be considered. Fourth, it is necessary to use the local consumption tax in terms of adequacy and stability of the financial resources and relaxing the tax revenue imbalance between the local governments in connection with the fiscal decentralization. Fifth, as for the distribution index, it is necessary to use to the farthest extent possible the variables related to population, population characteristics, per capita income, and area, which are among the variables beyond the control of local governments. Sixth, it is necessary for the principal of management to secure a sufficient size for the local government for spending the financial resources. Conclusion: The horizontal fiscal equalization system ought to, first, pursue a comprehensive development of balance for the region, and second, aim to address the gap in financial power between the regions, and third, be introduced in the form of complementing the vertical financial mediation.

Purpose: This study has analyzed the differences between fun, flow, and self-directed learning according to the background variables and the characteristics of senior citizens participating in the Health Qigong program with a view to use them as the basic data for the senior citizens’ health education. Method: Participants in this study were 241 elderly people participating in the Health Qigong program at senior welfare centers, senior centers, and public health centers located in Seoul and Gyeonggi-do, Korea. As an analysis method, MANOVA was conducted to examine the differences in fun, flow, and self-directed learning according to background characteristics such as age, education, training experience, number of training sessions, and residence type, which are background variables of the elderly. Results: As a result of study, the fun variable, flow variable, and the self-directed learning variable demonstrated differences each according to the demographic background variable. In particular, it was evident that the demographic characteristics of age, training experience, and number of training sessions demonstrated the statistically significant differences for fun, flow, and self-directed learning. Conclusion: The results of this study demonstrate the possibility that very active physical activities and related experiences for the senior citizens for health intervention would bring about the self-directed learning through the experiences of fun and flow, which in turn might impact the improvement of the quality of life for the old age. It confirmed that in terms of the operation of the Health Qigong program, it is necessary to accommodate the needs by age, experience, and number of training sessions, and also induce the senior citizens participating in the exercises to participate in the program positively through the development of the Health Qigong program towards that end.

Purpose: This study, the focus group interview was utilized to explore in depth the perceptions and attitude towards the effects of meridian massage and thermotherapy, which are widely used by and at beauty & health multi shops as the pain relief intervention programs. Method: As for the study participants, 16 participants and managers who have used meridian massage and thermotherapy of the beauty health multi shop for 10 years or longer were selected by a nomadic sampling method through an expert meeting. The focus group interview was conducted by dividing the users and participants of meridian massage and thermotherapy into 2 groups. As for the analysis of contents, attempts were made to categorize the data through open coding and axial coding via systematic methods of the qualitative research Results: As a result of conducting the group interview on the perceptions and attitude of the users and managers of the beauty health multi shop on the pain relief programs, 4 areas, 14 themes, and 92 categories were derived as a result of performing the repeated comparative analysis of data, and the common contents among the groups were confirmed in an integrated manner. Conclusion: In this study, the perceptions and attitude of the users and managers concerning the meridian massage and thermotherapy, which are used as pain relief programs at and by beauty & health multi shop, were confirmed by using the focus group interview. Various and factual opinions were ascertained based on the results of this study, and it is well expected that they will be used as the basic data for the non-medical health care service area moving forward.

Purpose: This study was conducted by using a phenomenological approach among the qualitative research methods, which is an inductive narrative method, with a view to examine in greater depth as to what changes are taking place in the women's perception of beauty care after COVID-19. Method: As for the research participants, 8 women who are serving in the beauty and health related industry in Korea were selected via the purposive sampling method. As for the data analysis of the in-depth interview contents, the 4-step phenomenological analytical method proposed by Giorgi was used, and to secure the validity of the study, the 8 evaluation criteria of the phenomenological research proposed by Cresswell for the validity strategy of the qualitative study were applied mutatis mutandis. Furthermore, to secure the reliability of the study, the truth value, applicability, consistency, and neutrality proposed by Guba and Lincoln were applied. Results: Results of the study, 113 semantic units, 20 sub-components, and 6 elements were eventually derived. The contents of the components were identified to be the changes in the perception of information search, changes in the interest of beauty, positive perception of evaluation according to wearing a mask, negative perception of evaluation according to wearing a mask, observation of other people's appearance management and information exchange, and the changes in the interpersonal perception. Conclusion: Based on the results of this study, it was verified that the Korean women's perception of beauty care has changed, and that it is transforming into the beauty behaviors for the rational consumption according to the situation due to the social disaster of the COVID-19. It is expected that such research results will be used as the behavioral scientific data on the changes in the women's beauty care in the future era of infectious diseases.

Purpose: This study sought to examine the effect of core job characteristics, which is a concept related to the protection of medical skincare workers, on the organizational effectiveness with a focus on the mediating effect of self-efficacy. The aim is to help facilitate the development of the beauty service industry by promoting the achievement of organizational goals by securing professional manpower with job performance skills and by elevating the quality of the customer satisfaction services. Method: In this study, 405 copies of the online questionnaires for the medical skincare workers serving at skincare rooms and plastic surgery clinics by utilizing the IBM SPSS Statistics 25 program. To validate the effect of the core job characteristics of medical skincare workers on the organizational effectiveness by mediating self-efficacy, a 3 phased hierarchical multiple regression analysis was performed following the validation procedures of the mediating effect proposed by Baron & Kenny(1986) and the Sobel test was conducted to validate the mediating effect. Results: As a result of carrying out a 3 phased hierarchical multiple regression analysis in this study, in the first phase, among the sub-factors of the core job characteristics, which are the independent variables, job importance, feedback, job diversity, and autonomy, excluding job identity, were found to have sequentially impacted positively on the parameter of self-efficacy. In the second phase, among the sub-factors of the core job characteristics, which are the independent variables, autonomy, feedback, and job importance were found to have sequentially impacted positively on the dependent variable of organizational effectiveness. Lastly, the parameter self-efficacy and the independent variables of autonomy and feedback were found to have a positive effect on the organizational effectiveness. In the result of the Sobel test additionally conducted to validate the mediating effect, it was found that self-efficacy plays a mediating role in the relationship where job importance and feedback are impacting the organizational effectiveness. Conclusion: Based on the result of this study, it was validated that the job importance and feedback of the medical skincare workers increase the self-efficacy, and the increased self-efficacy in turn increases the organizational effectiveness. Hence, if self-efficacy is increased by providing feedback through education and a systematic inspection of their job with supervisors and colleagues for the perception of the importance of job for the members of organization, it will not only bring a positive effect on the performance of the organization, but also protect the employees, thereby promoting the achievement of organizational goals via efficient manpower management.