There exist traditional traits and historical traits behind one national organizational culture.
This study in this regard is an effort to find out the best Korean management style by comparing the Korean organizational culture and Japanese organizat...
There exist traditional traits and historical traits behind one national organizational culture.
This study in this regard is an effort to find out the best Korean management style by comparing the Korean organizational culture and Japanese organizational culture derived from central traits of two defferent traditional cultures.
of course, there are many varieties of organizational cultures in one nation not only by the scale and type of business but by the top managers managerial attitude and philosophy. But on the whole these defferences in organizational cultures in one nation become converged one centriepetal point which is called one national organization culture.
The methodology of this study is a literature research through the collection and analysis of various books, journals and statistical materials that have been published in Korea, Japan, America and other countries.
There are five important traits of Korean organizational culture mainly derived from Korean traditional culture. They are 1) an unegual inheritance in extreme favor to the first born son 2) closed system to outsiders that are not related by blood 3) age seniority in the distribution of dear items 4) paternal execution of authority and "wha” (harmony and benevolence) 5) the obedience and loyalty of family members. These traits are respectively reflected in Korean business in 1) business succession 2) power structure in the company 3) personnel policy 4) superior’s leadership and 5) follower’s subordination.
But Korean business in its management style and employees attitude is slowly deviating from the central traits of traditional culture. The western management style with high emphasis on rationality was the initial direction. Straight forward imitation of western management style, unfortunately, brought about many side effects.
Currently the Korean business is laid an two counterpoising powers of: 1) growth vs stability 2) rationality vs stability 3) rationality vs affection and 4) organization vs individual. These counterpoising powers are sometimes contradicting and sometimes complementary. In other words, the Korean business in its transitional stage is at a loss of its clear direction.
And there are six important traits of Japanese organizational culture mainly derived from Japanese traditional culture. They are 1) life time employment 2) non- specialized career path 3) collective organizational constitution 4) slow promotion and personnel evaluation 5) collective behavior of organizational constituents 6 ) dispersion of responsibility due to collective decision making.
Japanese managerial system enjoys a high value from foreign countries because of its lifetime employment system and strong orientation to the collective values, wholistic concern for people, especially collective sense of responsibility and the harmonious relationship between labor and capital .
But there are many problems with which the Japanese enterprise enter-prise are now facing. For example, it is necessary to extend the retirement age limit, to set the evaluation and promotion system not by the years but by the ability, and to train the many more specialists focussing on a single specialty.
The differences between the two organizational cultures are mainly derived from Korean traditional family system and Japanese traditional collective system. In Korea, they cherish the family related blood most, but in Japan they cherish the collective value most.
So comparing the differences and similarities between the two different organizational cultures, We find that there are similarities in micro levels of employee’s viewpoint but the higher the macro levels the greater the differences are.
And both two countries are now laid slowly deviating from the central traits of traditional culture.
Finally as a limitation of this study I find that:
First, although there appear fundamental differences in organizational cultures between the countries based on the traditional cultures and values, such a dimension could not soley explain the managerial differences between the countries. There also operates the principle of economy and efficiency.
Second, it is desirable to stady comparative management based on the contingency theory. For example situational variables such as technology, type of industry, scale of business and market conditions should be considered in comparative management study.
Third, the longitudinal study is especilly required for Comparative management study.
And finally, The methodological development of comparative management is a pressing need.