"A Review of Cultural Awareness Impacts on the Success Rate of International Assignments"

1. A Review of Cultural
Awareness Impacts on the
Success Rate of
International Assignments
PREPARED BY LUIS MUNIZ

2. INTRODUCTION

3. Trends in Globalization
• 80% of midsize - large companies currently
send professionals abroad
• 45% of those plan to increase their
international assignments

4. The Cost of an Overseas
Assignment
• Average foreign position cost 2-3 times as much.
• Costs include:
• Moving/travel expenses.
• Living, education, healthcare, and other allowances.
• Bonuses.

5. The Cost of an Overseas
Assignment
Total cost:
$300,000 - $1,000,000

6. Assignment Failure
• There is a 42% failure rate caused by:
• Leaving the position
• Removal
• ⅓ fail to meet superiors expectations

7. Repatriation
• 25% of repatriated employees leave company within 1 year.
• 2x’s the turnover rate of domestic employees.

8. Reasons for failure

9. Survey
• 93% of those surveyed said that Cross Cultural Training
would have helped.

11. Table of Contents
In Order of Appearance
1. Introduction
2. Why you need to know
about Korean culture.
3. What is Culture?
4. What to do With Your
Knowledge of Korea.
5. Hofstede's’ 5
Dimensions.
6. Power Distance
7. Korea Vs. U.S.A (PDI)
8. Confucianism
9. Confucianism in Action
10. Using Harmony
11. Hierarchy
12. Seniority
13. Greetings
14. Greetings Cont.
15. Dining Etiquette
16. Table Manners Cont.
17. Departing a Dinner
Party
18. Gifts
19. Taking Off Your Shoes
20. Waving

12. SECTION ONE
CULTURE

13. WHY YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT
KOREAN CULTURE
BEFORE YOU WORK IN KOREA
● Koreans think all westerners are Americans.
- They may assume foreigners do not know
customs.
● Show you have understanding of Korean
language and customs.
● It is an Advantage!

14. CULTURE CONSISTS OF
MANY THINGS
● A patterned way of thinking, feeling, and
reacting
● It is acquired and transmitted mainly by
symbols
●A culture’s core is made of peoples ideas and
their values

15. What to do with your knowledge
of Korean culture
● Avoid culture clashes.
● Know how to work well with Koreans.
● Stand out as a good fit for the Korean
workplace.

16. Comparing cultures
(Hofstede)
● Hofstede proposed the Five Dimensions of
Measurements of National Culture

17. POWER DISTANCE
DEFINITION: The extent to which the less
powerful members of institutions and
organizations accept that power is
distributed unequally.

18. Power Distance in
Korea VS. U.S.A.
● South Korea's PDI score= 60.
- Hofstede rates South Korea as 27th of 50 highest
PDI
• Believed boss should be ‘Benevolent Autocrat”
● U.S.A. PDI = 40
- Power more broadly distributed

19. Confucianism
● Core Values:
-Harmony
- Hierarchy
-Seniority
● Harmony is when everyone behaves properly.
● Members are responsible for maintaining a
comfortable state of mind and the community.

20. CONFUCIANISM IN ACTION
● Harmony
- Koreans seek consensus.
- Different opinions are not usually expressed
in public.
- Often will say NO in an indirect way.

21. Using Harmony
● Best practice is to express difference of
opinion with higher up’s in private.
- Opinions written down and given in letter
form.
● Find support for what to do when being told
no.

22. Hierarchy
● Steep pyramid of hierarchy.
-Highly centralized.
● Respect for seniority.
-Both age and position.
● A Korean distinction.
- Simultaneous equality and hierarchal
inequality.
● Seniors responsible for juniors.

23. Seniority
● Related to the family hierarchy.
● Comes with responsibility.

24. SECTION TWO
ETIQUETTES

25. GREETINGS
● Bows are the traditional greeting.
- Lower status person bows to higher status
person.
- Initiator says “manoseo pangapsumnida”
which means “Pleased to meet you”.

26. Greetings Continued..
● Handshakes:
- To show respect, hold right forearm with
your left hand.
- Do NOT shake with a hard squeeze.
- Women usually only give a slight nod.
● NEVER wave towards a senior person.

27. Dining Etiquette
Table Manners
● Seating:
-Wait to be seated. (Strict protocol)
- The seat facing the door is a place of
honor.
→ TIP: It is polite to protest slightly.

28. Table Manners Continued...
● The eldest is served first.
→ TIP: Wait for the most senior person to
begin eating.
● Do NOT pierce your food with chopsticks.
● Do NOT pick up food with your hands.
● Do finish everything on your plate.
● When finished eating, place chopsticks on
table.

29. Departing a Dinner Party
● It is insulting to bid farewell indoors.
- Walk guests to their gate or car.

30. Gifts
● Gifts are used to promote and maintain
relationships.
- Choose carefully.
● Allow host to present gift first.
● Receive gifts with both hands.
● Do NOT open wrapped gifts in front of giver.
● Always take a gift to your host when invited.
- Ex: Fruit, flowers, alcohol, rice, candy,
cookies.
● Use bright colored wrapping paper.
- No NOT use green white or black paper.

31. Dress
● Business attire is conservative.
- Men wear dark colored suits with white
shirts.
Tip: Men do not wear jewelry other than
wedding ring and watch.
-
-Women wear subdued colors.

32. GENERAL TIPS
AND ADVICE

33. Remember to Take Your Shoes Off!

34. Take Time to Show Gratitude
● A thank you note goes a long way!

35. Practice Your Bow
● Both legs together, and arms straight at your
side.
● The more junior bows more before the more
senior.
● Do not lock eyes.

36. Practice Your Korean
● Find occasions to use Korean phrases.
● Phrases to know
- “Annyong-haseyo” which means “Hello.”
- “An-Nyeong-hi-gye-se-yo” which means
“Good bye.”
- “Kam-sa-hab-ni-da” which means
“Thank-you!”

37. Be Careful How You Wave
● Beckoning someone can be different than in
the U.S.A.
● Place youtube video here
● Never wave towards a more senior person!

38. Watch Out for Red Ink!
● Don’t write a person’s name in red ink!

39. Count Your Gifts Wisely
● The number four is unlucky!

40. Be Careful When Handling
Business Cards
● The exchange of cards is highly ritualized.
- Treat cards as you would treat the giver.
Steps for card exchange:
1. Receive cards with both hands.
2. Inspect cards carefully before placing into
card holder.
3. Do not write on business cards in someone's
presence.
4. Present your card with both hands.
-TIP: Translate one side into Korean and
present that side.

41. Language
● Official language Korean:
- Hangeul is the written form.
- Hangeul is easy to learn to read.
● They are taught English in high school.

42. Important Holidays
● Seollal (Lunar New Year ) Feb. 18- 20:
- More important than January 1st.
- Most business are closed.
- Koreans take several days off work to visit
family / hometowns.
● Chuseok Sept. 26-28:
- Called the Korean Thanksgiving.
- Harvest celebration.
- People visit ancestral homes.

43. The Korean War
A Touchy Subject…
● Be mindful when talking about the war.
● South Koreans do NOT see America as their
savior.
● Avoid assumptions.

44. Conclusion
● Learning about culture has helped prepare you
for South Korea.
● More resources at:
-Hofstedecenter.org
-Kwinessential.org
-Visitkorea.or.kr