Transcript Korean Business Etiquette

Shamanism
and tribes
based on
family clans
Rise of
Nationalism
due to the
Oppression
and
Humiliation
Buddhism
and
Confucianism
Influence of
Chinese
social and
political
system
Life-style
based on
extreme
Confucianism
Authoritarian
Military
Regime &
Rapid
economic
growth
Authoritarianism
• Emphasizing a superior-subordinate relationship
between parents and children, the old and the young,
and upper and lower social classes and ranks.
Collectivism
•A strong inclination to look at and react to everything
in terms of “familyism,” with the inability to
distinguish between what is private and public
Conservatism
•A continuing belief in the value of traditional ways and
a tendency to be traditional in behavior
Exclusivism
•A strong tendency to form exclusive groups or
factions centered on personal relations such as family,
school, birthplace and community.
Secularism
•A strong emphasis on worldly accomplishments, on
working harder than anyone else, on producing more
and building things bigger than anyone else.
 The business environment is intensely
competitive, since Korea is a very small
country with a large population.
 Many Koreans have the mindset that
the end often justifies the means.
 The majority of Koreans love titles and
the pomp and pageantry that is
associated with high rank.
 Titles are a major power symbol, and it
is necessary to treat those with titles
with extraordinary respect.
 It is more preferable to address
individuals with the specific title, rather
than Mr. or Mrs. Kim.
 Different etiquette appropriate for each
level exist.
 Business executives take special care not
to lower their own status or raise the
level of someone below them.
ex) People in the upper class prefer to
avoid direct contact with those who are
two or more grades below them.
 People raised in the Confucian sphere
of Asia have a natural propensity to form
factions, on the basis of blood ties, social
class, age, birthplace, school ties and
common goals
 Factional influence may be critical in
business, depending on its size and
weight.
 A newly arrived Westerner may hire
someone for a managerial position
simply because he speaks English or has
relevant technical knowledge, without
considering his educational background
or the other things that determine his
social position in Korean society.
 The unaware foreigner may hire people
who have a higher social status to work
under this manager
 Absolute obedience to the cultural and
political rules
Superiors include parents, senior members
of the family, elders in general, government
authorities and various spirits and gods.
 Many Koreans today get their self-esteem
from their education, skills, experience and
overall ability to succeed in a dynamic
society.
 Result of the Confucian principles of rigid organization and
discipline that prevailed for generations
 During 1960s to the 1990s, the Korean government itself
was controlled by ex-generals.
 Korean men are required to spend two years in military
service.
 The military training system is very thorough and tough,
with strict discipline that later carries into civilian life.
 Korean companies and government agencies manage their
manpower like military organizations, plot their strategies
and tactics with the precision and purpose, and demand
the same kind of loyalty, commitment and sacrifices that
are typical of the military in do-or-die situations.
 Pypyong (비평) means criticism.
Superiors could humiliate and criticize
inferiors, but it is uncommon for an
inferior to criticize a superior.
 It perpetuates the inferior-superior
hierarchical form of Korean society
 Koreans are sensitive to any behavior
that shamed them or put them in a bad
light.
 Such insulting situation can only be
wiped clean by poksu, (복수) or revenge
(in the form of social retorsion such as
wangdah (왕따) ie, bullying (physical or
cyber-), taken from Japan’s murahachibu
social punishment concept)
When entering (and ending) a group
meeting, the senior member of a party
typically enters first, followed by the next
highest ranking person, and so on.
 Social networking (pre- and post-Facebook
era) is ever-sought: lunch, dinners, singing;
even weddings and funerals
 When greeting business contingents,
Koreans line up in the order of their rank.
 Name cards help distinguish between the vast
number of people in Korea who have the same
last name – mostly Lee, Kim or Park
 It helps to establish the social status of each
individual and subsequently the level of
language and other etiquette
 The formal way to present a name card is with
both hands or with a right hand and a slight
bow, giving your name at the same time.
 Name cards should be bilingual (I.e., English on
one side, with Korean on the other side)
The use of first names is not common
among Korean businesspeople and
adults in general. Sometimes, using
initials followed by one’s last name can
be appropriate (i.e., JH Kim)
 When speaking in English, Western
prefixes Mr., Mrs. or Miss are used (in
Korean, -씨 or –선생님 can sometimes be
used following a person’s last name, on
a case-by-case basis).
 Giving gifts in the form of tribute, primarily
for protection was a traditional custom
 During the long Choson era (1392-1910)
and Korea’s economic build-up period
(1960 onwards), the gift-giving custom was
abused by government officials in the form
of bribery.
 Gift-giving remains as a key role in
creating and sustaining relationships
 However, one must be careful to not get
caught up in any favor-giving action that
might be construed as bribery.
 Different kinds or degree of bows exist,
depending on the age and rank or
circumstances.
- The higher the individual, the more
shallow his or her bow
 A modest bow with a handshake may
be combined.
 Korean businesspeople indicate respect
for visitors to their offices by standing up.
 It is regarded as impolite for lowerranking employees to remain seated
while their superior stands.
 Businesspeople regularly visit key
contacts to greet them formally as a way
of sustaining their network of connection.
 Examples: End-of-year (yeun-mahl) visits
are aimed at expressing appreciation to
clients, customers and suppliers for their
business during the year, and to request
that they continue the relationship
during the coming year.
 Koreans regard the written form of
contracts merely as the symbol of their
relationship.
 When a Korean executive signs a contract,
he (or she) is not necessarily obligating his
own corporations to uphold the provisions
of the contract
 Once a contract is signed, it is important
for the foreign company to maintain an
ongoing dialogue to stay updated on their
thinking and make adjustments necessary.
 Since Korean national mindset and etiquette
became homogenized to an extraordinary
degree, much of the communication can be
nonverbal—anticipating the actions and reading
the body language of others.
 Nunchi (눈치) is about reading one’s mind
through cultural telepathy.
 Without detailed and explicit explanations, one
may need to divine the intentions of Koreans
through nunchi.
 Being skilled at nunchi is one of the most
important business and social assets a person
can have
 In order to be successful in Korea,
developing and nurturing “social
networks” (ihnmehk/인맥) is
indispensable.
 The person with a so-called ‘wide leg’
(넓은 다리) is especially valued in Korea.
 “Social networks” are based under
blood ties, school ties, work ties and etc.,
consequently providing favorable
position while doing business.
 Business drinking is an integral part of developing and
maintaining interpersonal relationships between
coworkers, suppliers and customers
 Host members typically become aggressive, insisting to
empty the glass every time they approach you (ie, “oneshot drinking”).
 When the glass is being refilled, it is polite to hold it
with one hand, supporting that hand with the other hand.
(sometimes looking away if a senior/elder person is
present)
 While drinking, it is also not unusual to sing at norae
bang (Korean singing rooms/노래방).
 No matter how badly one might perform, not being
able to join in is a serious handicap. So practice, practice,
practice (preferably including one simple Korean song)!!
 Due to the influence of rapid economic
growth and modernization, Koreans are
often used to work quickly and precisely
for highest efficiency and productivity.
 Doing things ‘pali pali’ (asap/빨이빨이!)
is common.
AND WELCOME TO THE HARVARDEWHA SUMMER INTERN PROGRAM IN
KOREA ^*^