tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-383442206433897442.post737644343121549793..comments2024-03-17T16:53:16.068+09:00Comments on The Sawon: Seven Cultural Issues for Korean Companies operating in the international marketUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger1125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-383442206433897442.post-15931166901264131122014-10-03T20:18:35.544+09:002014-10-03T20:18:35.544+09:00"Perhaps it is the result of being sandwiched..."Perhaps it is the result of being sandwiched between the imperial dynasties of China and Japan. It may have something to do with having a nuclear-armed hermit to the north. Whatever the reason, South Koreans nurture a deep sense of insecurity".<br /><br />Found this quote in the Economist. I think its quite apt in explaining the hesitancy of Korean firms (and the society in general) to integrate foreign talent on a more than superficial (English teaching or company image commodity) level.<br /><br />Interesting, while discussing the subject of seeking employment at a Korean conglomerate in Seoul with my fiancee and her mother, the former pointed out to her mother that it would be hard for me to find a job because there are already plenty of Koreans who can speak English. That kind of illustrates the one-dimensional view held about foreigners and the inability to see the global perspective and/or experience that foreign professionals can continue to Korean organisations (which, as your article points out, need it desperately). Having read up recently on the reviews of foreign employees at Samsung operations overseas, its quite apparent that the input of Koreans in general work practice continues to take precedence over that of foreign employees. In expanding their overseas operations and employing locals, Korean conglomerates do recognise the need to globalise their organisational culture, but I think for them to be successful in this Korean culture (as the background context) is going to have to broaden its perspective of the 'foreign' (i.e. not try to reconcile everything 'not-Korean' into a singular conceptual mass!).Mikenoreply@blogger.com