Study on human resource management in Korea'schaebolenterprise: a case study of Samsung Electronics

Perceived managerial and leadership effectiveness in a Korean context: An indigenous qualitative study

“…In this Confucian cultural context, a Korean private organization has a unique cultural context. For example, chae-bol, a large authoritarian and hierarchical Korean conglomerate (Chang, 2012), is composed of 40 to 60 legally independent companies, controlled by the parent company which is owned by the original founder or the founder"s family members (Choi & Patterson, 2007). Since Korea was historically controlled by an imperial system and a bureaucratic government structure, the authority of a leader (e.g., king, father, and teacher) could not be challenged, and followers needed to be protected by the moral guidance of Confucian values within the established social hierarchy.…”

“…Within this relationship, individuals expect the leaders of their country, family, and classroom to take care of them. Therefore, in a Korean corporate cultural context paternalistic leadership styles based on Confucianism have been widely implemented (Chang, 2012). Organizations and leaders require strong discipline and authority while employees expect fatherly benevolence (Farh & Cheng, 2000).…”

“…In particular, they should embrace a mix of opposite but complementary national and corporate cultures. For example, the traditional authoritarian, hierarchical, and harmonious Korean cultural norms, where job security was exchanged for loyalty and trust (Chang, 2012), have been challenged since the financial crisis of 1997. Individual performance has become important criteria for appraisals and promotions, and organizational structures have become more flat due to fewer position levels and decision-making processes and increased empowerment (Chang, 2012).…”

Management Innovations in Corporate Education in Asia and North America: A Study of Apple and Samsung

“…After the 1997 financial crisis, Korean chaebol started to consider introducing western management practices into their existing models. At Samsung, the Group Strategic Planning Office, previous to 2007 known as Headquarters Executive Staff, implemented changes seeking to increase efficiency in the office [5]. For example, in the past a project needed 21 separate chops, or personal stamps of approval, before it could be implemented.…”

“…The 1997 financial crisis in Asia drove Korea into debt to the point that it needed a bailout from the International Monetary Fund. This forced chaebol (Korean conglomerates) like Samsung to reconsider the traditional Korean management style in favor of Western elements [5]. Similarly, the 1989 recession and the 2008-2009 housing bubble crash caused American firms to see their usual strategy with fresh eyes and to look for a better way in Eastern management practices [2].…”