Thoughts on Korean Business by Don Southerton

Difficult not to be following Brexit (short for British Exit from the EU). Things are still fluid, so my commentary targets the impact on Korea-facing global business and specifically the Korean car sector (and dominated players, Hyundai and Kia). That said, as a cultural historian it’s hard not to mention my initial reaction is a potentially wider pendulum swing toward populist Protectionism-Isolationism after years of “The World is Flat” Globalism and Free Trade Agreements. To begin…. Headlines abound like “the Pound tanked, while the Dollar and the Japanese Yen gain ground,” and “… Brexit a blow to integrated global economy,” the later a Korean headline. From a broader trade perspective, South Korea’s exposure to the U.K. is minimal. Due to this low trade exposure we expect the Brexit to have no major impact on the Korea economy’s projected growth. Korea’s exports to the U.K. amounted to just 1.4 percent of all export shipments. This said, the Brexit’s wider implica...

Heading this week to the 2016 Hyundai Motor America National Dealer Show in Las Vegas. I enjoy attending Dealer Shows (Hyundai’s as well as Kia Motors’). Not only for the immersion in the brand and the preview of new products, but it’s a great time to meet and support my clients. In fact, it was at a Dealer Show that the term “Hyundai Whisperer” first surfaced as I was introduced to a team of executives new to the Brand. Soon after it went ‘viral.’ The term, “Hyundai Whisperer” is now commonly used by many to describe my consultancy. At one level it is an example of how one’s reputation matters…. on another level it shares that dedicating one’s work to a niche matters, too. Personally, I will continue to provide “knowledge of the tribe”, insights and client support worthy of the title—the “Hyundai Whisperer.” Have a Korea-facing situation that needs addressing? Need some insights into Korea-facing challenges? In many cases, we can provide solutions and workarounds. My ...

Changing venues, this week’s Vodcast is being recorded in the Black Hills near  Mt. Rushmore in South Dakota.  So to begin… Family trips West to South Dakota  were part of my childhood. Although I grew up in my father’s hometown of Honesdale in rural Pennsylvania, my mother, a World War II “war bride,” was reared on a South Dakota family homestead. Our mother’s stories  from her childhood painted a rugged but authentic life on the open range. Several classic American 1950s and 1960s cross-county family road trips to visit our South Dakota family confirmed family lore with cattle roundups, calf branding and even rodeo events. Being from the East, I recall vividly my uncles and their children saddled high on their horses, dressed in the trail-weathered ten-gallon hats, leather chaps, boots and spurs. This was indeed a contrast  to my childhood daily life during an era of 1950s and 1960s Westerns—the genre of the Americana TV Wild West and movie s...

Korea“…a society where overtime work is seen as a symbol of diligence.” A frequently surfacing concern  among westerners in my work supporting Korean global subsidiaries is the Korean expatriates assigned to local operations have little or no Life-Work Balance. In particular , expats (commonly referred as Executive Coordinators or Executive Advisors) work long hours often extending into the late evening. Westerners are sympathetic and respect this dedication, but question working such long hours and see the toll it takes their Korean colleagues. Working lengthy hours  has been a trait of the Korean workplace, in fact, it goes hand and hand with Korean students who in their middle and high school years can devote up to 20 hours a day on school-related work.   Frankly although Koreans  endure long days I feel those assigned overseas tack on even more hours… the assignment demanding as well as time differentials requiring correspondence into the eve...

There is synergic energy, commitment, and excitement in the air…. Beginning June  2016   I will introduce an exclusive Korean global business mastery service. Membership will be restricted to a select few… who will have elite access to strategies and insights I’ve developed over decades of research coupled with hands on experience. The paid service is part mentoring and part providing immediate solutions into the challenges into Korean facing workplace and global business for C-level leadership, as well as teams. The main focus is problem solving and support. What it isn’t… It is not a class or training program, while I do teach and bring a high level of expertise. It is not group coaching individuals in a group setting, although there are weekly and monthly sessions. It is not a Mastermind networking group, but we believe in sharing and connecting without soliciting. Sign up for a Free Introductory:  http://unbouncepages.com/bcw-mastery/ For di...