korean business etiquette- company dinner (video)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wdAIQQVw5tM

How do South Korean conduct business-video

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZQ4m7sStfeU

Non verbal communication Video

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cFQFp05Twww

Conducting Business

Business Card

• When having a meeting, the Korean is essential to bring business card along with them.
•  The business cards are presented to the counterpart after having a small bows/handshake & it is vital for initiating introduction.
•  Korean’s prefer to know more about the person they dealing with so it is important to emphasize your title so that the right rank, authority & status are established. 
• When giving/receiving the card, the card should be presented/accepted by using both hands. 
• After receiving the card, it is closely studied with respect & considerate. All business card received are placed on table during meeting. 
• If there are more than 1 card, they should be placed vertical line on the table so all the cards are visible. After meeting all card are placed in pocket.

Gifts

• Gift-giving are part of the business culture which is also a common practice within the Korean business setting & not considered bribery. 
• Normally gifts are given at the first business meeting & often used to build relationship which also considered as an ‘ icebreaker’. 
• Always allow host to present his gift first & accept the gift with both hands to avoid loss of face. 
• Gifts which have similar value should be exchanged & gifts of greater value should be given to the senior person respectively. 

Meetings

• Appointments are required between the most suitable time which is normally 10am-12pm/2pm-4pm  & should be made a few weeks in advance. 
• Punctuality is essential as it is a sign of respect.
•  Some Korean executive would arrive a few minutes late due to their extremely busy & pressured schedule.
•  If counterparts realize they would be late, it is best to call ahead to say so.

Legal and Ethics

There are many similarities between Korean and American legal system. For instance, Constitution of Korea which was established in 1948 was, in some part, influenced by the American legal system. Korean Constitution was amended several times through political upheavals. This is one of the reasons  students and lawyers nowadays are going to US to study.

The preceding discussion of Korean business ethics is full of negative examples and warnings that Koreans can be hard people to work with. Nevertheless, a lot of foreign companies working in Korea have been extraordinarily successful. In general, the business environment in Korea is good. Of the newly industrialized countries of the Far East, Korea has the cheapest wages, well-educated work force and a burning national desire to progress. A well-prepared foreign business with open-minded personnel and high-demand products or services is likely to succeed in Korea.

Non Verbal Communication

Nonverbal communication is important in the traditional Korean culture. 

• Eye contact between people of different gender, age, and social status are lack in Korean.  
• Eye contact while speaking may only be reserved for people who they familiar with. 
• Small talk may be viewed as pointless, but meaningful conversation highly valued.  
• Facial expressions are not commonly used to convey emotion informal  settings.  
• Smiling / joking is traditionally only acceptable at certain times & smiling at inappropriate times may be interpreted as a lack of serious & respect. In the U.S., Koreans working in business / formal situations may adhere to these guidelines, but in general Koreans and Korean-Americans are more socially relaxed. 
• Koreans mostly appreciated Eye contact & smiling as gestures of welcoming and friendship.  Especially in the healthcare setting, it would be comfortable for a practitioner to engage in eye contact, small talk, and smiling with Korean patients. 
• Overly familiar touch may not be well accepted by some Koreans.  
• Touching strangers in crowds is seen as necessary, but physical expression of affection may not frequently demonstrated, even between family members.  
• Traditionally, affectionate touch should be begun by the elder person and reciprocated by the younger person.  
• Touching during the provision of health care is acceptable because it is required, but therapeutic touch may not expected.
•  As with nonverbal communication among Koreans and Korean Americans, these more traditional views on familiar touch may not be demonstrated in the modern, more socially relaxed context that most Koreans in this country observe. 

1)Slurping and burping at the table are seen as compliments and that you are satisfied with your meal


2)Spitting and blowing snot in public are also acceptable gestures as these behaviors are seen as cleaning yourself.


 3) Two peace signs symbolize happiness and enjoyment

1) When Korean businessmen meet the opposite party, they would shake hands with them after a bow. They would ensure to support their right forearm with the left hand in order to show respect.

2) Before departing, the Korean businessmen also bow to show satisfactory. Posture is important, even while bowing. Bowing occurs from the waist, and not the neck. One bows by bending forward their upper body from the waist, standing straight with knees closed.

3) During meeting,  Koreans always pass or receive documents with their right hand or both hands. The right hand has to be supported by the left.
 

4) Koreans avoid saying no as saying no seems impolite, even it requires saying yes while meaning no. While conducting business, if there was a situation they need to say no but cannot, they are likely to suddenly become vague and appear very uncomfortable to have been  put in such an embarrassing position. They usually respond with 'it's very difficult' or 'i'll try to do it'.

 
5) During a business dinner, Koreans always wait to be seated after elders and people of importance as well as wait to pick up spoon to begin eating.Besides, they do not like to talk too much during dinner. 
6) When Koreans are conducting business, they avoid touching of any kind and avoid direct eye contact as the Koreans see it as a challenge. 
7) While meeting up with a customer, Korean businessman would show a limp hand, meaning to direct the customer to come over here (their position). 
8)  If the customer of a Korean businessman is requesting or demanding something the business do not offer, the businessman would crossed arm and making an X with his hands meaning no or they do not have it here.9) In formal situations, the Korean businessman would requires clearly defined personal space.





10)  Korean businessmen would not exaggerate their emotion through facial expression as too much smiling is always related with shallowness of the person.

  

Social Customs

Business Cards

• Exchange of business card play a main role in a meeting.
• In Korea, the way you treat to the business card equals to the way you treat to the person.
• Titles are very important to every business card by using professional title or Mr., Mrs., or Miss, followed by the surname. (Korean names begin with a family name followed by a given name.)

Meetings

• Punctuality is highly valued for Korean and must arriving on time for a meeting.
• Korean counterparts will expect to arrive earlier than Korean business executive.
• Hierarchy is very important in Korean culture, the most senior person always be the first to the enter the meetings room and guiding conversation..
• Silence are considered acceptable when somebody is presenting, avoid interrupting if possible.

Body Language

• In Korea, must bow when meeting with an elder.
• A junior should avoid eye contact with a senior business people because it considered as impolite or as a challenge.

Dress

• Formal dress for men and women in Korean during business.
• For men: conservative, dark colouured suits with white shirts and conservative ties.
• For women:  conservative business suits or dresses and blouses are appropriate.
• Jeans are not recommended.

Power distance

This dimension explores the extent to which the less powerful members of organisations and institutions accept and expect that power is distributed unequally. At last, it scored 60.

Individualism

South Korea scored 18 in the individualism dimension. This is a very low score and indicative of a collectivist culture. A collectivist culture places greater value on the achievements of the group as opposed to the achievements of the individuals within a group. Speaking one’s mind and confrontation are considered both rude and undesirable in such a culture.

Masculinity

For masculinity, this dimension indicates the degree to which ‘masculine’ values such as competitiveness and the acquisition of wealth are valued over 'feminine' values like relationship building and quality of life. South Korea’s score of 39 is indicative of a relatively ‘feminine’ culture. This reflects the emphasis that people place on cooperation and non-confrontational behaviour.

Uncertainty avoidance

 In such a culture, an employee may fail to use his or her

own discretion in the event of an ethical dilemma (e.g. a conflict of interest) or where there is no explicit ‘rule’ to direct their action.

 Long term orientation

This dimension indicates a society’s time perspective. South Korea’s score of 71 is indicative of a culture that is long term oriented i.e. emphasises perseverance, thriftiness and ordering relationships by status and observing this order.

Cultural Context

Korean is one of the homogenous society in the world. They have their own language, culture, clothing, food,  that different with their neighbouring countries. They are proud with their traditional culture and their modern economic success . Thus, they are following  2 type of context: high context and low context .Its a choice to the culture's tendency to use high context messages over low context messages in routine communication.

High Context

• In a high context culture, many things are left unsaid, letting the culture explain. Words and word choice become very important in higher context communication, since a few words can communicate a complex message very effectively to an in-group (but less effectively outside that group).

Low Context

•  In a lower context culture, the communicator needs to be much more explicit and the value of a single word is less important.

Cultural Context

Power distance
This dimension explores the extent to which the less powerful members of organisations and institutions accept and expect that power is distributed unequally. At last, it scored 60.

Individualism
South Korea scored 18 in the individualism dimension. This is a very low score and indicative of a collectivist culture. A collectivist culture places greater value on the achievements of the group as opposed to the achievements of the individuals within a group. Speaking one’s mind and confrontation are considered both rude and undesirable in such a culture.

Masculinity
For masculinity, this dimension indicates the degree to which ‘masculine’ values such as competitiveness and the acquisition of wealth are valued over 'feminine' values like relationship building and quality of life. South Korea’s score of 39 is indicative of a relatively ‘feminine’ culture. This reflects the emphasis that
people place on cooperation and non-confrontational behaviour.

Uncertainty avoidance
In such a culture, an employee may fail to use his or her
own discretion in the event of an ethical dilemma (e.g. a conflict of interest) or where there is no explicit ‘rule’ to direct their action.

Long term orientation
This dimension indicates a society’s time perspective. South Korea’s score of 71 is indicative of a culture that is long term oriented i.e. emphasises perseverance, thriftiness and ordering relationships by status and observing this order.

cultural context ,,

Language is such a complex system within a community, but if we believe language alone to be our primary means of communicating with others.

In order for a language and culture to be high-context, the contextual background must be known and shared by the people speaking to each other. As a result, a highly homogeneous culture (perhaps more ethnically uniform) is more likely to be ‘high-context’ than one that is heterogeneous.Therefore, they are rely less on message but face to face! The largest purpose of them is to BUILD THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN ONE AND ANOTHER.

In the contrast ,the low context is more on message! Between, they are less on ways to convey meaning. The purpose of them is to exchange information effectively.


The table above shown

Cultural dimension South Korea

Power distance                60 High

Individualism                    18 Low

Masculinity                       39 Medium

Uncertainty avoidance      85 High

Long-term orientation       71 High