earticle

영어

The small business mutual benefit program, called ‘Noranwoosan gongjae’, has been being operated by Korea Federation of SMEs to support micro companies against various social risks in Korea since 2007. Under the program, policy-holders pay periodical installments and get back them with interest compounded when they die or close their business in lump-sum or in the form of pension. Recently recognition about the program is being raised as the number of the policy-holders is increasing rapidly. Also the role of the program as a social safety net is becoming the focus of attention about the program. However, no research on what kind of social risk micro companies face or what kind of social safety net they really need has never been made. In addition to that, empirical exploration into the reason why the program’s affiliation is increasing recently has never been made either. Based upon this awareness, this research begins with the construct of social risks for micro companies. Using the delphi-method, 7 kinds of social risks were constructed and survey based on the constructs was conducted for micro company owners. Through the survey various questions about individual traits, business characteristics, current business and financial status, judgement on business status, preparation for future social risk, reason for using Noranwoosangongjae, etc were embraced. The total of 395 responses were collected and empirical analysis using the data was made to investigate into the driving factors of increasing affiliation of ‘Noranwoosangongjae’. From the analysis, some limitation underlying the program was identified. Above all, the result suggests that as the more micro company owners are exposed to social risks, the less they are likely to get affiliated into the program, meaning that the affiliation into the program is being driven by other factors than social risks they face. It was found that more than half of the responders answered that they chose the program because of the benefit from income tax deduction. It also suggests some direction for the enhancement of the program that the benefit from the program should be raised to cover up the risk micro company owners face and the flexibility to use the program should also be heightened to prolong the maintenance of insurance contracts. Other than these many suggestions for various system improvement could be derived from the analysis as well.

한국어

국내에서는 2007년부터 소기업ㆍ소상공인을 대상으로 하여 이들이 정기적으로 공제 부금을 납입하도록 한 뒤, 이들이 폐업 또는 사망 시 그 동안 납입한 부금과 그에 부리된 이자를 공제금으로 지급하는 노란우산공제 제도가 운영되고 있다. 그런데 최근 가입자 수가 크게 증가하면서, 동 제도가 영세 소상공인을 위한 사회안전망으로서 중요한 역할을 하고 있다는 인식이 확산되고 있다. 하지만 그 동안 소상공인이 영업 과정에서 경험하게 되는 사회적 위험은 어떠한 것인 지, 그리고 그러한 위험과 관련해 정작 필요로 하는 사회안전망은 어떠한 것인지에 대한 연구는 제대로 이루어진 바가 없다. 아울러 노란우산공제제도 가입자 수가 늘고 있지만, 과연 이러한 현상이 노란우산공제가 가진 사회안전망으로서의 기능 때문인지 아니면 다른 어떠한 요인 때문인지에 대한 연구 역시 이루어진 바가 없다. 본 연구는 이러한 문제의식에 입각해 소상공인에 대한 사회적 위험의 개념을 구성하고, 동 개념이 반영된 (노란우산공제 가입자가 포함된) 설문조사 데이터를 구축한 뒤 실증분석을 실시함으로써 소상공인이 인식하는 사회적 위험이라는 포괄적 맥락 속에서 노란우산공제가 과연 어떠한 사회안전망적 기능을 수행하고 있는지를 살펴보 고자 하였다. 실제로 이러한 분석 결과로부터 현재 노란우산공제제도가 가진 사회안전 망으로서의 기능적 한계점을 확인할 수 있었으며, 이로부터 향후 동 제도가 어떠한 방향으로 개선되어야 하는지에 대한 실천적인 시사점을 도출할 수 있었다.