A Study on Cross-Cultural Strategic Management: High Digital Companies in South Korea, China, and Japan = 다문화 전략 경영에 관한 연구: 한중일 첨단 디지털 기업을 중심으로

국문 초록 (Abstract)

경제의 글로벌화로 인해 기업들은 글로벌 시장에서 경쟁하고 있으며, 국제화와 다국적 경영이 필수적인 요소로 자리잡고 있습니다. 특히 중·일·한 다국적 기업들은 한자 문화권과 유교 사상이라는 공통점을 가지고 있지만, 자연환경, 지리적 위치, 역사적 발전 등의 차이로 인해 여전히 문화적 차이를 극복해야 하는 과제에 직면해 있습니다. 이러한 문화적 차이는 경영 관리에서 문화적 충돌로 이어지며, 기업의 발전과 성과에 부정적인 영향을 미치고 있습니다. 이 연구는 중·일·한 첨단 디지털 기업들의 문화 간 전략을 조사하고, 이들 기업의 문화 간 관리 성과를 분석하는 것을 목표로 하고 있습니다. 이를 통해 다국적 기업들이 효과적인 문화 간 전략을 어떻게 수립하고 실행할 수 있는지를 제안하고자 합니다. 이 연구는 혼합 연구 방법을 채택하여 진행되었습니다. 먼저 문헌 조사를 통해 중·일·한 디지털 첨단기술 기업의 문화 간 관리 현황을 파악하고, 사례 연구와 양파 모형을 결합하여 특정 문화 간 전략의 특징을 도출하였습니다. 이어서 심층 인터뷰와 비교 분석을 통해 문화 간 전략에 영향을 미치는 요인과 이를 극복하기 위한 대응 전략을 조사하였으며, 마지막으로 설문조사를 통해 호프스테드의 문화 차원이 관리 성과에 미치는 영향을 실증적으로 검증하였습니다. 연구 결과에 따르면, 중·일·한 첨단 디지털 기업들은 다문화 경영의 개념과 실천 방법을 기업의 경영 이념, 관리 제도, 직원 행동 규범에 통합시키고 있습니다. 그러나 여전히 의사소통 문제, 관리 스타일 차이, 의사결정 방식 차이 등 문화적 갈등에서 비롯된 도전 과제에 직면하고 있는 것으로 나타났습니다. 특히, 호프스테드의 문화 차원 분석에서는 권력 거리(PD), 개인주의/집단주의(Col), 불확실성 회피(UA), 장기 지향(LTO), 자기 방종(SC) 등에서 한국 기업이 상대적으로 높은 점수를 기록하였으며, 일본 기업은 여성적 성향(Fem)이 강한 특징을 보였습니다. 중국 기업은 남성성과 여성성(Fem) 차원에서 여성적 경향이 더 크며, 서양의 영향을 받아 방종 성향이 높은 것으로 나타났습니다. 연구는 다문화 경영에서 발생하는 다양한 문제들을 체계적으로 분석하며, 문화 차이를 극복하고 문화적 다양성을 효과적으로 활용하기 위한 실질적인 방안을 제시하였습니다. 이를 통해 중·일·한 첨단 디지털 기업들은 문화적 충돌을 줄이고, 조직 내 효율성을 높이는 동시에, 지역 경제 발전과 세계 평화 및 안정에 기여할 수 있을 것으로 기대됩니다. 여섯 가지 문화 차원과 다문화 경영 성과 간의 관계는 명확하지 않으며, 추가 연구가 필요합니다. 양파 모형과 호프스테드(Hofstede)의 문화 차원 자체의 한계로 인해, 분석 결과는 대체로 일치하지만 약간의 차이도 존재합니다. 이 연구는 다문화 경영 실증 연구의 부족을 보완하는 동시에, 다문화 경영 이론 연구를 풍부하게 하고, 중·일·한 기업뿐만 아니라 다른 다국적 기업들이 서로 다른 문화 간의 소통과 융합을 촉진할 수 있도록 돕는 중요한 시사점을 제공합니다. 키워드: 한중일; 문화 간 전략 관리; 디지털 첨단기술 기업; 호프스테드의 문화 차원; 양파 모형; 설문조사; 인터뷰

다국어 초록 (Multilingual Abstract)

With the advent of economic globalization, companies are increasingly competing for global markets, making the implementation of international and transnational operations a prevailing trend. However, cultural differences in cross-border operations frequently result in management conflicts, negatively affecting corporate growth and operational performance. Although Chinese, Japanese, and Korean multinational corporations share similarities in their Confucian cultural heritage, challenges remain in cross-cultural communication due to differences in natural environments, geographical locations, historical developments, and contemporary contexts. These cultural disparities and conflicts pose significant challenges to the management practices of these multinational enterprises. This study aims to conduct an in-depth investigation of cross-cultural strategies in digital high-tech companies in China, Japan, and South Korea, exploring the cross- cultural management performance of these companies through Hofstede's cultural dimensions, and providing recommendations on how to implement effective cross- cultural strategies. A mixed-methods research approach was employed, beginning with a systematic literature review to briefly summarize the current state of cross-cultural management in digital high-tech companies in China, Japan, and South Korea. The study further identified certain characteristics of cross-cultural strategies by integrating case studies with the Onion model. In-depth interviews and comparative analyses were conducted to explore the influencing factors of cross-cultural strategies and the countermeasures adopted by these companies. Finally, empirical validation was performed through a questionnaire survey, demonstrating that Hofstede's cultural dimensions have a significant impact on the cross-cultural management performance of digital high-tech companies in China, Japan, and South Korea. Through a series of qualitative and quantitative analyses, the following research findings were obtained: (1) Digital high-tech companies in China, Japan, and South Korea have integrated the concepts, approaches, and practices of cross-cultural management into their management philosophy, management systems, operational behaviors, and employees' personal conduct guidelines. (2) In practice, these companies still face challenges stemming from cultural differences and conflicts, such as communication issues, differences in management styles, and decision-making approaches. (3) Due to the influence of traditional Confucian thought, Chinese, Japanese, and South Korean multinational companies share cultural characteristics of high power distance, collectivism, uncertainty avoidance, masculinity, long-term orientation, and restraint. Compared to the others, China and South Korea are more influenced by Western culture, with China leaning slightly more toward femininity in the masculinity-femininity dimension and exhibiting more indulgence in the self- indulgence vs. restraint dimension. (4) In terms of scores across Hofstede's six cultural dimensions, South Korean companies scored the highest in power distance (PD), followed by Japanese companies, with Chinese companies scoring the lowest. In the collectivism (COL) dimension, South Korean companies again scored the highest, followed by Japanese companies, with Chinese companies scoring the lowest. For masculinity vs. femininity (Fem), Japanese companies scored the highest, followed by South Korean companies, with Chinese companies scoring the lowest, indicating a greater tendency toward femininity in Japanese companies. For uncertainty avoidance (UA), long-term orientation vs. short-term orientation (LTO), and self-indulgence vs. restraint (SC), South Korean companies scored the highest, followed by Chinese companies, with Japanese companies scoring the lowest, suggesting that South Korean companies place greater emphasis on long-term planning, rule establishment, uncertainty avoidance, and allowing employees to pursue life satisfaction. (5) The relationship between Hofstede's six cultural dimensions and cross-cultural management performance was not very evident, indicating the need for further exploration. (6) Due to the inherent limitations of the Onion model and Hofstede's cultural dimensions, their analytical results are largely consistent, but some minor differences do exist. This study addresses the gap in empirical research on cross-cultural management across multiple countries, providing a comparative analysis of how cultural dimensions influence the performance of multinational corporations and enriching the theoretical research on cross-cultural management. Additionally, this research benefits digital high-tech companies in China, Japan, and South Korea, as well as other types of multinational corporations, by facilitating communication and integration among different cultures, resolving cultural conflicts in transnational operations, and effectively leveraging the advantages of cultural diversity. This study not only contributes to the regional economic development of China, Japan, and South Korea but also promotes regional and global peace and stability. Keywords: China, Japan, Korea; Cross-Cultural Strategic Management; Digital High-

목차 (Table of Contents)

• Ⅰ. INTRODUCTION 1
• 1.1 Research Background 1
• 1.2 Definitions of Terms 4
• 1.3 Research literature review 7
• 1.4 Research objectives and research questions 8
• 1.5 Technical Approach 13
• 1.6 Technical lines and thesis structure 15
• II. LITERATURE REVIEW 17
• 2.1Theoretical background 17
• 2.1.1 Grounded Theory 17
• 2.1.2 Onion Model 19
• 2.1.3 Hofstede's model of cultural dimensions 21
• 2.2 Cultural Conflict and Cultural Differences 27
• 2.3 Cross-Cultural Competence and Cross-Cultural Literacy 28
• 2.4 Cross-Cultural Management Systems and Strategies 29
• 2.5 Research Hypotheses on Cross-Cultural Management 32
• Ⅲ. RESEARCH METHODOLOGY 38
• 3.1 Research Paradigm 38
• 3.2 Research Design 38
• 3.3 Systematic Literature Review 39
• 3.4 Questionnaire Survey (Empirical Study) 40
• 3.5 Semi-Structured Interviews. 41
• 3.6 Case Study 42
• Ⅳ. FINDINGS 46
• 4.1 Questionnaire Data Analysis 46
• 4.1.1 Data Preprocessing 46
• 4.1.2 Reliability Analysis 46
• 4.1.3 Descriptive Analysis 48
• 4.1.4 Correlation Analysis 68
• 4.1.5 Linear Regression Analysis 72
• 4.2 Semi-structured Interview Analysis 82
• 4.2.1 Cultural Conflicts 82
• 4.2.2 Analysis of Cultural Differences in Chinese, Japanese, and Korean Digital High-Tech Companies from the Perspective of Hofstede's Cultural Dimensions 85
• 4.2.3 The Impact of Cultural Differences on the Performance of Chinese, Japanese, and Korean Digital High-Tech Companies 95
• 4.2.4 Cross-Cultural Competence of Employees in Chinese, Japanese, and Korean Digital High-Tech Companies 97
• 4.2.5 Cross-Cultural Literacy of Managers in Chinese, Japanese, and Korean Digital High-Tech Companies 98
• 4.2.6 Cross-Cultural System of Chinese, Japanese, and Korean Digital High-Tech Companies 99
• 4.2.7 Cross-Cultural Management Strategies of Chinese, Japanese, and Korean Digital High-Tech Companies 100
• 4.3 Case Study 101
• 4.3.1 The Onion Model of HW Culture 101
• 4.3.2 The Onion Model of SN Culture 104
• 4.3.3 The Onion Model of SX Culture 107
• V. DISCUSSION 110
• 5.1 Factors Affecting Cross-Cultural Management 110
• 5.2 Cross-cultural Management Challenges and Strategies for Digital High-tech Companies in China, Japan, and South Korea 115
• 5.3 Limitations of the Onion Model 117
• 5.4 Limitations of Hofstede's Cultural Dimensions Model 117
• Ⅵ. CONCLUSION 119
• 6.1 Main Findings 119
• 6.2 Theoretical Contributions and Practical Significance 123
• 6.2.1 Theoretical Contributions. 123
• 6.2.2 Practical Significance 123
• 6.3 Recommendations 124
• 6.4 Limitations and Future Research Directions 125
• REFERENCES 129
• APPENDIX 1 LIST OF INTERVIEW QUESTIONS 139
• APPENDIX 2 QUESTIONNAIRE 140
• ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS 143