Building teamwork and cross-cultural understanding is paramount to success. Misunderstandings and stress created by the differences in culture impact productivity and smooth business operations. Cross-cultural education is recognized as the chief solution to cultural challenges in the workplace.
Bridging Culture Worldwide (BCW) provides a wide range of Korea-focused training, coaching, and consulting services beginning with Korea 101.
What is Korea 101?
Korea 101 is a timely overview approach to Korean culture, modern history, norms and business culture. The goal of the program is to foster a better understanding of Korea and its business culture.
What are topics covered?
Business and social etiquette
History and economy of Korea
Culture (music, art and cuisine)
U.S./Korean relations including North Korea
The Korean workplace, management structure, and decision-making
Popular culture
New trends
Cross-cultural insights
Tell me more
For the first time we are offering Korea 101 in an on-demand online learning format. The intent of each of the five lesson sessions is to build upon the current experiences, while providing new knowledge and insights.
Korea 101 has been offered in corporate Live and Webinar sessions both in the United States and internationally for more than a decade. Thousands of participants have benefited from training and the insights it shares.
The program is conducted by noted author, strategist and lecturer, Don Southerton CEO and President of Bridging Culture Worldwide. Don works closely with many of Korea’s top Groups such as Hyundai Motor and is an experienced specialist in bridging cultures between Korean and non-Koreans. His firm, Bridging Culture Worldwide, is a Golden, Colorado, Irvine, California, and Seoul, South Korea, which offers programs and consulting to help management and employees appreciate and understand Korean culture and business relations.
Noted Korea expert Don Southerton
Don has authored numerous publications with topics centering on culture, new urbanism, entrepreneurialism and early U.S.-Korean business ventures. Southerton also extensively lectures and writes and comments on modern Korean business culture and its impact on global organizations. He is a frequent contributor to the media (WSJ, Forbes, CNN Fortune, Bloomberg, Automotive News, Korea Times, Korea Herald, Yonhap, Korea Magazine, eFM tbs Koreascape and FSR) on Korea facing business and culture.
Outcomes include:
A strong understanding of Korean cross-cultural differences and their relevance to Korean workplace culture.
Reduce tensions and frustrations rooted in cross-cultural issues.
Better morale and team spirit.
Support for interacting with Korean teams assigned to local operations.
The Cost for the 5 web-based on-demand learning sessions in $495.00.
To learn more, CLICK.
Everything Korea – Korean Foreign Investment, Tennessee and Car Tires!
In the week’s episode I recommend some books, as well as discuss Korean Foreign Investment, Tennessee and car tires.
A common question I get from Korean executives is “what books are you reading Don?” Two books stand out from my current bookshelf. [Both titles are listed in the video].
Before I share why these two books are on my reading list, I need to step back the past several months. Prior to my March trip to Seoul, I picked up a new iPhone 6 (and yes, I plan to get an iWatch Sport soon). Anyway, while in Korea and to take advance of the high speed Internet I planned to do the software update. Mid download, the phone locked up.
Luckily I was heading back to the US the next day, and would be in-flight for much of the next day, so I “survived” without phone, text and constant email updates. In the meantime, I was re-reading Tim Ferriss’ 4 Hour Workweek, and although cognitive to my addiction of constantly checking email, I finally came to recognize the time chewing up keeping an eye on emails, most all non-urgent, was impacting the quality of my work and life. In particular, my creative thought stream was disrupted with a mix of updates, alerts and promotions. I wouldn’t even mention how many times I would check emails during the night.
So what’s the relevancy, well, after now implementing some rather cool email filter processes, and earmarking times to follow up on emails, I have carved out noticeable blocks of time I am now devote to additional reading and research…. And I’ve found “Those who read, have something to share.”
Moving to my next topic, I’m in NYC at the Korea Society next week. I’d happy to say the presentation will be recorded, available on YouTube and I’ll be posting the links.
BTW I have some time still available while in New York, so let me know if you have some thoughts who I should meet with while in the City.
One more thing-
In late May I will be in Tennessee as part of a panel discussing local foreign investment. Specifically I was asked to discuss Korean foreign investment in regard to Hankook Tire’s new $800 million car tire plant. Frankly, I’ve supported Hyundai and then Kia Motors’ manufacturing plants in Alabama and Georgia as well as teams from their other plants globally. I have also worked with Hyosung, which in their diverse product lines manufactures tire cords—the key component in tires.
I’ve been followed news of the Hankook plant since last fall, and hope to learn more about their plans for the US plant as well as help the local government and community support the new plant.
In turn it’s these experiences that provide the insights I share with you and others—all of us benefitted from this work across and supporting the many legs of Korean business: Manufacturing, Sales and Marketing, research and design.
So until next time…
Quotes
“Those who Read, have something to share.”
Hankook Tire
http://
4 Hour Workweek (updated)
http://www.amazon.com/
A Curious Mind
http://www.amazon.com/
Questions? Go to questions@koreabcw.com