On Asia
Articles in this section cover the nuances of the Korean culture. We aim to provide fundamental knowledge essential to understanding the variety of business cultures in Asia.
|
|
 by Dr. Horace H. Underwood
Professor Emeritus, Yonsei University
The problem of "in and out" is only a small part of a larger pattern: Korea is fundamentally not an egalitarian culture, not one that values equality of treatment, but one that makes distinctions between people, one that is hierarchical. Well, you knew that Korean culture was hierarchical. But do you know what that really implies? I mean, it's arranged vertically! |
|
|
by Dr. Horace H. Underwood Professor Emeritus, Yonsei University Two of the most common first impressions that foreigners have of Koreans are that they are incredibly polite and that they are incredibly rude. In fact, the courtesy and kindness of Koreans is legendary and attested to by thousands of people who are fortunate enough to have a Korean friend. Overwhelming meals, unexpected gifts, constant and almost embarrassing attention to your personal whims: all of this and more have been yours if you have been invited out. This is not a modern invention; traditionally, one of the names of Korea was the "Eastern Land of Courtesy." The obligations of a host are paramount; the obligation of the guest is to lap it up. |
|
|
By Dr. Horace H. Underwood Professor Emeritus, Yonsei University In Korea as in the West, honesty and loyalty are both virtues. In the West, in general, honesty is the higher virtue. In a Confucian society like Korea, loyalty is the higher virtue. Who is to choose? The difference is deeply rooted in Korean culture and has deep implications for Korean society and for those working with Koreans. |
|
|
by Dr. Horace H. Underwood Professor Emeritus, Yonsei University Lots of Korean children are adopted overseas each year. This has become a big issue in Korea lately, as some Koreans consider it embarrassing to their nation. I, on the other hand (partly because I have two adopted children who used to be Korean) consider it one of the finest things that Koreans do, allowing their children to be adopted by people who really want them. The fact is that Koreans do not adopt children very much, and many Koreans cannot understand that my wife and I really love our adopted children. |
|
|
By, Steven B. McKinney McKinney Consulting Inc. You have just taken on a 3-year assignment from HQ to relocate to Asia. A turning point in you career with a new organization, new language, new people, new culture and new ideas. What are you going to do? You need an ethos, or directive to guide you on your exploration of the orient and your conquest. Is there a magic formula for success that you should follow? |
|
|
|
Knowledgebase 
