Byoungho Ellie Jin
Albert Myers Distinguished Professor
Founder and Executive Director, Fashion and Textile Business Excellence Cooperative (FTBEC)
Textiles Complex 3314
Bio
Research
Dr. Byoungho “Ellie” Jin is a globally recognized scholar whose research focuses on fashion brands’ internationalization, branding, consumer behavior and retailing in emerging markets, and innovative business models. Her scholarly interests have further evolved to include the innovation and competitiveness of small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and the revitalization of the U.S. textile and apparel industry.
Dr. Jin has been awarded numerous competitive grants from prestigious agencies including the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the U.S. Department of Education, and the National Research Foundation of Korea. She has authored over 155 peer-reviewed articles in leading journals spanning multiple disciplines and has received several best paper awards at national and international academic conferences. Her expertise is highlighted in her recent book Global Fashion Business, as well as two co-authored books and four edited volumes within the Global Fashion Brand Management series, for which she serves as co-series editor.
In addition to her research excellence, Dr. Jin is deeply committed to teaching and graduate student mentorship. She has advised more than 80 graduate students, serving as major advisor or committee member. All of her 15 doctoral advisees have gone on to become successful professors or industry leaders in the U.S., Korea, and Taiwan. Her dedication to graduate education was recognized with the Outstanding Graduate Faculty Mentor Award from Oklahoma State University in 2009.
Dr. Jin is also committed to bridging academia and industry. In 2019, she founded the Fashion and Textile Business Excellence Cooperative (FTBEC), a platform that connects industry, academia, and students through projects and collaborative initiatives. As part of FTBEC’s efforts to advance industry engagement, she co-hosted the inaugural AI in the Fashion and Textile Industries conference in 2024—the first industry-focused event of its kind—bringing together professionals, scholars, and students to explore AI-driven innovations in the sector.
Her global engagement includes visiting and working with industry leaders and academic institutions across Europe, Asia and Australia. She has delivered keynote addresses at international academic conferences and has been invited to lectures at numerous universities worldwide.
Her scholarly contributions have been acknowledged through a range of distinguished honors, including the Distinguished Scholar Award (2019) and the Prentice Hall Lecturer Award (2007) from the International Textile and Apparel Association (ITAA). She has also received research excellence awards from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro (2014) and Oklahoma State University (2008), as well as a teaching excellence award from Yonsei University in Seoul, Korea (2001). In 2021, Dr. Jin made history as the first non-U.S.-born president of ITAA. In recognition of her sustained contributions to the field, she was named an ITAA Fellow in 2024.
Prior to joining North Carolina State University, Dr. Jin held faculty positions at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro and Oklahoma State University. She also served as a visiting scholar at the University of Macerata in Italy in 2016.
Organizations
- International Textile and Apparel Association (ITAA) – Former president
- Korean Distribution Association – Member, Board of Director
- The Korea Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Seoul, Korea – Advisory Board Member
Teaching
TTM 731 – Decision Models and Applications in Textile and Apparel Management
TTM 585 – Market Research in Textiles
FTM 382 – Brand Management in Textiles and Apparel
FTM 482 – Global Brand Management in Textiles and Apparel
Education
Post Doctorate International Retailing Michigan State University
A.A.S. Fashion Design Fashion Institute of Technology
Ph.D. Clothing and Textiles Yonsei University
M.S. Clothing and Textiles Yonsei University
B.S. Clothing and Textiles Yonsei University
Area(s) of Expertise
Brand Management and Marketing
Consumer Behavior
Entrepreneurship
Publications
- Consumer religiosity, cosmopolitanism and ethnocentrism in Indonesia , INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF RETAIL & DISTRIBUTION MANAGEMENT (2024)
- Effective video storytelling for small fashion businesses: the mediating role of brand trust , JOURNAL OF FASHION MARKETING AND MANAGEMENT (2024)
- Engaging in Fashion Take-Back Programs: The Role of Loyalty and Perceived Benefits from a Social Exchange Perspective , SUSTAINABILITY (2024)
- Examining the relationship between firm characteristics and Industry 4.0 technology adoption in Vietnam's apparel industry , INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF FASHION DESIGN TECHNOLOGY AND EDUCATION (2024)
- How Critical is Sustainability in Enhancing Sustainable Apparel Purchase Intentions? , Journal of the Korean Society of Clothing and Textiles (2024)
- Why do people customize avatars in the metaverse? Curiosity and SOR model perspective , INTERNET RESEARCH (2024)
- Why do people interact and buy in the Metaverse? Self-Expansion perspectives and the impact of hedonic adaptation , JOURNAL OF BUSINESS RESEARCH (2024)
- Acculturation, religiosity, and willingness to accept Korean products among Muslim consumers: an exploratory study , JOURNAL OF ISLAMIC MARKETING (2023)
- Do contingencies matter between organizational capabilities and SME export performance? , REVIEW OF INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS AND STRATEGY (2023)
- Does beauty encourage sharing? Exploring the role of physical attractiveness and racial similarity in collaborative fashion consumption , JOURNAL OF BUSINESS RESEARCH (2023)
Grants
The fourth industrial revolution (4IR) technologies (e.g., artificial intelligence, robotics, block chain, and virtual reality) and innovative business models (e.g., Uber, Airbnb, and Bowery) fundamentally change the way we do business and farm. Yet, our current preparations for our students do not keep abreast of these massive changes and associated business opportunities. To fill the educational gap, this project proposes various instructional tools and methods that can enhance entrepreneurship competencies of students, faculty and rural communities via 4IR technologies and innovative business models (IBM), together with critical thinking and problem-solving skills. The proposed five objectives are designed with the aim of wider dissemination and sustainable impacts. The outcomes of Objective 1 (instructional modules) and Objective 2 (hands-on service learning projects) will be uploaded to an open educational resource (OER) platform (i.e., Pressbooks) where faculty and students can access with no cost (Objective 3). The OER will be effectively utilized for special topics classes (Objective 4) and faculty workshops (Objective 5). This project effectively addresses the national challenge of the number and diversity of students by educating students enrolled in North Carolina State University and North Carolina Agricultural & Technical State University where 88% of enrolled students are minorities. This study takes an ecosystem approach from farm to final consumers; therefore, the impacts and cooperation through the entire project period and beyond will be multidisciplinary.
-Objective #1: Why are companies adopting traceability and transparency? What are their true motivations behind it? -Objective #2: How can the traceability and transparency be measured? Are there any common measures that companies can rely on? If not, can it be developed? How? Based on what factors? -Objective #3: How important are the traceability and transparency effort to companies������������������ strategic decision to use cotton in their products?
The purpose of this research is to develop market entry plans and global management strategies for South Korean SMEs and start-ups in the consumer goods sector, entering the markets of Malaysia and Indonesia. As the Korean government is promoting the New Southern Policy, the emerging Islamic markets such as Malaysia and Indonesia have become increasingly important. Therefore, this study focuses on (1) researching the successful entry strategy and post-entry growth strategy for Korean consumer goods SMEs and start-ups and (2) understanding Malay and Indonesian consumers������������������ awareness and attitudes toward Korean products. This study establishes ���������������SMEs������������������ and ���������������consumer������������������ as two subfields of research and plans to conduct exploratory, in-depth, and comparative research over the course of three years.