Who Should Attend ?

Company managers and staff working and dealing with the South Koreans

Benefits of Attendance

The aim of this seminar is to significantly improve the participants’ effectiveness in their professional relationships with the Southy Koreans, enabling them to be operational right from the start.

At the end of this training, participants will have acquired insights and techniques to:

• Be aware of their own cultural baggage
• Fully understand South Korean context and culture
• Analyse possible situations in which misunderstandings may arise and identify ways of communicating
• Reduce stress and misunderstandings
• Decipher and understand Korean decision-making and negotiation processes

Training Approach

Programme Outline

Module 1 : Understanding cultural differences

1. Intercultural awareness : the key to success in international business

• Taking stock of one's own cultural baggage
• The basics of effective intercultural management
• Identifying and going beyond cultural stereotypes

2. Key aspects of Korean culture

• The Land of the Morning Calm
• Taeguk-ki, Aeguk-ka and uri nala: a strong sense of national identity
• A multi-confessional society
• The country's cold war legacy and the challenge of partition
• The economic environment: from the dragon to the big deal

3. The impact of values and behaviour patterns on professional dealings and relationships

• A patriarchal society
• Shamanism and spiritual powers: day-to-day helpers
• The cyclical and eternal view of time
• The role of the ancestors, of the clan and of the community
• The pali-pali mentality: fighting and preserving
• Curiosity and openness vis-a-vis others
• The importance attached to status and diplomas

4. The Korean corporate world

• A hierarchical structure
• A well-supervised separation of responsibilities
• Superstition in the corporate environment
• Giant companies, the state, small businesses and the unions

Module 2 : Succeeding in work with the South Koreans

1. Effective communication with the Koreans

• Communication based on trust
• Kibun and nunchi: a powerful sense of belonging and the meaning of unspoken communication
• The use of English in business and the advantages of learning Korean

2. Adapting your working methods

• What you'll need in order to be seen as credible
• Managing with the goal of achieving harmony
• Encouraging a team and company spirit
• Concerted decision-making 
• The importance of listening and of showing respect

3. Successful meetings and negotiations with the Koreans

• Allowing others to save face
• Paying careful attention to appearances and presentation
• State it, say it and do it
• The significance attached to contractual relationships

4. Final handy tips

• Caution, patience and humility
• Protocol and etiquette
• Social standards, gifts, business cards, dress code, etc
• Sensitive subjects: politics, history, religion
• Humour: a double-edged sword