Blog Entry – Culture: South Korea, A Collectivist Society in Confucianism

The world today continues to move forward quickly and energetically, towards a more efficient and interconnected state. In this global stride, leaders from organizations of every corner of the world continue to seek new opportunities in business, relationships and other interactions. In these efforts, we recognize that success is contingent on our efficiency in understanding one another; whether these understandings are of people in our own culture, or on foreigners we may have potential relations with. No matter the location, gender, race, ethnicity or other boundary may lie between two individuals, we recognize that we are social creatures and rely on each other to reach new plateaus in science, achievement and success. However, in communicating with one another, there may exist conflict in understanding or cultural gaffe with those unfamiliar to us. The Pennsylvania State University (n.d) on Leadership in a Global Context compares ethnocentrism to that of a self-inflicted debilitation, that significantly hinders our ability in advancing potential leadership opportunities; all around the globe. According to the Pennsylvania State University (n.d), the solution is simple– to gain a global perspective. However, in this solution we realize that it is not so simple and recognize that every culture practices different overarching beliefs and practices, some that may be seemingly similar, but in reality are entirely different. On the dimension of individualism versus collectivism, we see that these two entirely different perspectives reveal oppositely derived social norms. We will take a closer look at one example; South Korea, a collectivist society that scores an 18 on Individualism and 100 on Long Term Orientation (Hofstede, n.d). Afterwards, we will examine the history of South Korea and its deeply rooted practice of Confucianism.

South Korea according to Hoftsede (n.d) possesses an extraordinarily low Individualism score of just 18; by comparison, the United States reveals a score of a whopping 91. These numbers indicate “the degree of interdependence a society maintains among its members”; a low number indicates a more collectivist society in comparison to a higher number that indicates a more individualistic society (Hofstede, n.d). But what exactly does it mean to be a more individualistic or a more collective society? We’ll take a brief look at the properties that define these characteristics. To be individualistic means to have limited interest in others outside of yourself and direct family, whereas collectivist societies are people who are committed to units that are in groups and inherently take care of one another (Hofstede, n.d). South Korea, as a collectivist country reveals a society that places enormous value on interdependence; Koreans develop a sense of identity through relationships of their social connections (Ahn, 2011).

The core of South Korean culture revolves around the close involvement and inclusion of others. By interacting in a group and participating in group activities as opposed to individual activities, their interdependence is constantly reinforced and strengthened. The interesting thing however, is the modernization of collectivist thought and behavior that persists in the work environment, including large organizations and groups (Ahn, 2011). According to Lee (2012) it is found that Korean people feel they “owe” loyalty to parents, authority figures, organizational leaders, elders as well as the organization they work for. In part, demonstrating this loyalty is equivalent to demonstrating “Inhwa” or “harmony” which is a key principle that revolves around South Korean business culture (Lee, 2012). As such, anything that disrupts this harmony is equivalent to losing face and bringing dishonor to the organization or group. However, this concept of “Inhwa” does not translate to any specific concept in any other countries in its whole meaning. “Inhwa” is a conflicting concept for out-groups to understand, for instance in the United States, people do not consider conflicts with others’ opinions as disturbing harmony; instead, brainstorming (Lee, 2012). The mere suggestion of unwarranted body language, eye contact or gesture is considered highly offensive and disrupt the flow of the group. Although, the concept of “Inhwa” has evolved through modernism, its root and basic principles date all the way back to the time of Confucianism.

Confucianism and its principles highly influence the personal lives and business relations of the people of Korea. Confucianism is an ancient Chinese way of thought that dates back to 500 BC, where Confucius taught 5 moral disciplines to his students:

1. Justice and righteousness should mark the relations between sovereign and subject;
2. There should be proper rapport between father and son;
3. Separation of function between husband and wife;
4. The younger should give precedence to the elder;
5. Faith and trust should reign over relationships between friends (Lee, 2012).

These five principles have taken sovereign over many East Asian countries, namely China and Korea and has persisted since its first realization. Under close inspection, these 5 moral disciplines are still practiced to date in South Korean society and serves as the basis of basic responsibility and accountability. The collective discipline shapes the Korean societal outlook on status, contacts, relationships and is contingent on factors such as age, gender, education, family background, wealth, occupation and political ideology (Lee, 2012). The most important factor however is the aspect of respect and social contacts; a blend of Confucius disciplines. In the social context, Korean people are required to place an incredible emphasis on the group they belong to; the individuals of interest are expected to always consider the benefits and interests for the whole group they belong to and demonstrate group loyalty. As a matter of fact, individuals of a group are expected to always be prepared to make self-sacrifice and be responsible in representing their group at all times.

It is apparent that the South Korean culture is a complicated, yet relatively straightforward one that leaves minimal guesswork in expected behavior. It is also apparent that despite how straightforward a culture may be, it is still paramount to demonstrate cultural competency as to avoid any unnecessary social gaffes. In order to succeed in interpersonal relationships and potential business endeavors in South Korea, one must keep in mind their social practices in collectivism and their root in the principles of Confucianism. It is apparent that cultural diversity, subtleties and nuances are not revealed simply by classifying a country as one that practices a particular dimension of Cultural Diversity; one must study more than a tourist guidebook to avoid potential cultural gaffes.

Jonathan Yuh

Ahn, D. D. (2011). Individualism and Collectivism in a Korean Population. Claremont Colleges: Scholarship @ Claremont.
Retrieved from http://scholarship.claremont.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1110&context=scripps_theses

Hofstede, G. (n.d). What about South Korea? Geert Hofstede. 
Retrieved from https://geert-hofstede.com/south-korea.html

Lee, C. Y. (2012, October 2). Korean Culture and Its Influence on Business Practice in South Korea. The Journal of International Management Studies, Volume 7, Number 2.
Retrieved from http://www.jimsjournal.org/21%20Choong%20Y.%20Lee.pdf

Pennsylvania State University. (n.d). Lesson 02: Ethnocentrism: Values. Introduction to Leadership in a Global Context.
Retrieved from https://psu.instructure.com/courses/1802572/modules/items/21179054