Comparison of Usa and Korean Working Environment

comparison of the US and Korean working environment

Hierarchy

In the USA the office environment is informal, and they do not have an apparent hierarchy between managers and subordinates. Employees being treated as equals and their independent views are welcomed. American companies have much flatter management structures compare to Asian countries, with workers at all levels having access to those at the top. American work culture involves a lot of meetings. These meetings need not deal with big decisions, but are more like discussions, and are centered on analyzing, planning and reviewing of a project, opinions and ideas are shared, and objections are made. (Path2usa)

But looking at Korean management, are typified by an authoritarian management style with centralized managerial power and structure, and a formal procedure of approval by top levels of management (Glover & Wilkinson, 2007; Yang, 2006, 2014).

 Korean managers do prefer formality according to hierarchy in communication (Yoon & Chae, 2012) and such procedure emphasizes dependency on and close control by superiors. Employees are rotated through the different functions depending on the company’s needs, as Korean corporate human resource development (HRD) emphasizes organizational improvement over individual development (Kim & Cervero, 2007; Kim, Kwon, & Pyun, 2008). In addition, the voices of learners and other stakeholders in training programs are silenced in and during the HRD decision-making process (Kim et al., 2008). Employees are expected to follow pre-determined rules and procedures according to hierarchy and seniority, and the company prefers generalists who could perform different kinds of roles providing internal flexibility (Miles, 2008; Yoon & Chae, 2012).

 While in the U.S., it is culturally acceptable, even admirable to show enthusiasm. When arguing for a point in a meeting, for example, it is quite appropriate to express your opinions enthusiastically (Andy Molinsky). The mutually reinforcing hierarchy and seniority-based HRM in an organization become clearly defined as general rules and procedures in Korean management. Such authoritarian nature of decision-making makes it easier for Korean companies to move quickly and decisively (Hemmert, 2012).

Relationship

Family-oriented management styles have been widely used by Korean firms to develop long-term psychological relationships between employees and management. Companies provide a sense of solidarity among employees so that they feel like members of a family by organizing celebrations and weekends away for employees and by building trust and understanding between themselves and their workforce (Miles, 2008). Team gatherings are scheduled regularly in the form of social events or dinners after work, enabling managers to create an environment of group cohesion like family, through high contact and on-going socialization processes, and through face-to-face interactions with and among subordinates. These events are extremely important for developing relationships and Korean companies emphasize mutual dependence between unequal parties, such as supervisors and subordinates (Yang, 2014).