Learning to Think Korean: A Guide to Living and Working in Korea (The Interact Series)

perhaps More Than Any Other East Asian Country, Korea Adheres To The Traditional Collectivist And Confucian Traits Of Harmony, Hierarchy, Status And Proper Behavior. In Learning To Think Korean: A Guide To Living And Working In Korea, Robert Kohls Demystifies Korean Culture For People Who Encounter It In Business And In Everyday Life. The Book Explores Korean Modes Of Thinking And Behaviors In Juxtaposition To American Society. Learning To Think Korean Discusses The Cultural Patterns And Practices Of The Workplace And Goes Beyond Business Interaction As The Book Explores Korea's Culture Of Private Life, Providing Notes On Proper Etiquette In Non-business Settings And Korean History And Social Customs. Understanding The Complex Tapestry Of Influences, Tradition And Deep Cultural Values Inherent In Korean Society Is Essential To Effective And Mutually Rewarding Intercultural Communication. Bob Kohls' Book, Learning To Think Korean, Is Ostensibly Written For The American Businessman Who Plans To Go To Korea And Engage In A Business Relationship With Corporations There. My Reading Of The Book Leads Me To Suggest That It Is A Good 'read' For Anyone Who Would Try To Understand The Disjuncture Between Our Expectations Of Our Korean Neighbors And Their Behavior, Whether In Korea Or In The United States. This Goes For The American Teacher With Korean Students In The Classroom And For The Members Of Other Minority Populations In Los Angeles And Elsewhere Who Find It Difficult To Understand Their Korean Neighbors. The Book Should Also Be Read By Koreans In The United States Who Don't Quite Understand Why Others, Not Of Their Culture, Are Upset With Them Or Why Other Americans Look Askance At Their Behavior. The Book Is A Very Useful Contribution To Cross Cultural Understanding Between Korea And The United States. —george F. Drake, Kwv, Coordinator Korean War Children's Memorial Bellingham. Robert Kohls' Book Is Impressive In Its Depth Of Understanding Of The Ways [in] Which Cultural Differences Affect Behavior, The Ways In Which We Really Are Not All Alike Underneath. —horace H. Underwood, Executive Director Korean-american Educational Commission, Seoul Contents foreword: My Love Affair With Korea acknowledgments 1 Some Facts About Korea 2 Critical Incidents 3 Influences Of Asian Religious And Ethical Systems 4 Korean Values- Then And Now 5 Barriers To Thinking Korean 6 Korea: People-oriented And Group-centered 7 Status And Behavior 8 Relationships: Ingroups And Outgroups 9 Paths To Success, Korean Style 10 Negotiating With Koreans 11 Managing A Korean Office 12 Personnel Issues 13 Challenges Facing Korea afterword appendix A: Korean Chronology appendix B: Traditional Symbols appendix C: Traditional Social Customs appendix D: Aspects Of Korean Culture Worth Exploring appendix E: Aspects Of American Culture Worth Explaining To Koreans bibliography about The Author The definitive guide to understanding Korea - from home to work and those cultural destinations in between.Kohls shares a feast of Korean culture: a ricebowl of history and tradition complemented by an array of spicy tidbits that capture the reader's attention like a mouthful of kimchi. Based on personal experience, he provides critical incidents that explore the more puzzling aspects of Korean culture. Kohls explores Korean values - traditional values, value changes over the past forty years and projected values for the early decades of the twenty-first century. He is equally insightful when it comes to discussing the cultural patterns and practices of the workplace. He takes on management style, personal issues, networking and "pull" negotiating style, persistence, key Korean business relations and more.To a greater extent than most other Asian countries, Korea adheres to the traditional collectivist and Confucian traits of harmony, hierarchy, ingroups/outgroups, status, and proper behavior. According to Kohls, these traits plus the more Westernized values of the younger generations and the veneer of modern urban savvy surface in surprising combinations in personal and workplace relationships - often where they are least expected. The definitive guide to understanding Korea - from home to work and those cultural destinations in between. Kohls shares a feast of Korean culture: a ricebowl of history and tradition complemented by an array of spicy tidbits that capture the reader's attention like a mouthful of kimchi. Based on personal experience, he provides critical incidents that explore the more puzzling aspects of Korean culture. Kohls explores Korean values - traditional values, value changes over the past forty years and projected values for the early decades of the twenty-first century. He is equally insightful when it comes to discussing the cultural patterns and practices of the workplace. He takes on management style, personal issues, networking and'pull'negotiating style, persistence, key Korean business relations and more. To a greater extent than most other Asian countries, Korea adheres to the traditional collectivist and Confucian traits of harmony, hierarchy, ingroups/outgroups, status, and proper behavior. According to Kohls, these traits plus the more Westernized values of the younger generations and the veneer of modern urban savvy surface in surprising combinations in personal and workplace relationships - often where they are least expected. Table of Contents......Page 8 Foreword: My Love Affair with Korea......Page 10 Acknowledgments......Page 16 Chap 1 - Some Facts about Korea......Page 20 Chap 2 - Critical Incidents......Page 26 Chap 3.- Influence of Asian Religious and Ethical Systems......Page 48 Chap 4.- Korean Values—Then and Now......Page 64 Chap 5. -Barriers to Thinking Korean......Page 92 Chap 6. - Korea: People-Oriented and Group-Centered......Page 100 Chap 7 - Status and Behavior......Page 120 Chap 8 - Relationships: Ingroups and Outgroups......Page 142 Chap 9 - Paths to Success, Korean Style......Page 158 Chap 10 - Negotiating with Koreans......Page 170 Chap 11 - Managing a Korean Office......Page 180 Chap 12. Personnel Issues......Page 198 Chap 13. Challenges Facing Korea......Page 212 Afterword......Page 222 Appendix A: Korean Chronology......Page 226 Appendix B: Traditional Symbols......Page 228 Appendix C: Traditional Social Customs......Page 236 Appendix D: Aspects of Korean Culture Worth Exploring......Page 248 Appendix E: Aspects of American Culture Worth Explaining to Koreans......Page 252 Bibliography......Page 256 About the Author......Page 270 Kohls shares a feast of Korean culture: a ricebowl of history and tradition complimented by an array of spicy tidbits that capture the reader's attention like a mouthful of kimchi. Based on personal experience, he provides critical incidents that explore the more puzzling aspects of Korean culture. Kohls explores Korean values - traditional values, value changes over the past forty years and projected values for the early decades of the twenty-first century. He is equally insightful when it comes to discussing the cultural patterns and practices of the workplace. He takes on management style, personal issues, networking and "pull" negotiating style, persistence, key Korean business relations and more. To a greater extent than most other Asisan countries, Korea adheres to the traditional collectivist and Confucian traits of harmony, hierarchy, ingroups/outgroups, status, and proper behavior. According to Kohls, these traits plus the more Westernized values of the younger generations and the veneer of modern urban savvy surface in surprising combinations in personal and workplace relationships - often where they are least expected. Provides critical incidents based on personal experience and explores Korean values - traditional values, value changes since the early 1960s and projected values for the early part of the 21st century. The book also discusses the cultural patterns and practices of the workplace