Whoole Foods in South Korea Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Whoole Foods in South Korea - Research Paper Example Based on the research, five dimensions universal to all cultures around the world were established. These include: Power-Distance; collectivism-individualism; femininity vs. masculinity; and uncertainty avoidance and long-term vs. short-term orientation (Yoo, Donthu and Lenartowicz 194). Collectivism vs. individualism: South Korea and the United States exhibit these two extreme cultural dimensions. While the U.S. culture is more of individualism, South Korea is more of collectivism. South Koreans are more contented with groups. This demonstrates that the country is a collectivist society unlike the U.S, which is highly individualistic. Being a collectivist society, South Korea can be referred to as a high-context culture according to the framework of Edward T. Hall (Rubio-Sanchez 14). Power distance: South Korea is a high power distance society. It is a hierarchical society in which the society is stratified into hierarchical order with everyone has his or her position in the organiz ation or the society. Subordinate staff in organizations usually relies on their bosses for instructions on what to do. Masculinity / Femininity: South Korea tends to be a feminine society in which the main focus is on working in order to survive. South Koreans value equality in the workplace and managers embrace consensus. Solutions to conflicts are usually arrived at through compromise and negotiation. In South Korea, a successful manager is one who is supportive and includes his or her subordinates in decision-making. Focus is usually on people’s welfare rather than status. Incentives like free time and flexibility are highly appreciated in feminine cultures. Uncertainty Avoidance: This cultural dimension concerns predictions about the future. Countries with high uncertainty avoidance tend to have rigid perception about other behaviors and ideas that are opposed to their own. South Korea has a high uncertainty avoidance culture. The society is characterized with low risk t aking ability. The society is characterized by emotional needs for rules and people have innate drive to work hard and keep busy. Punctuality and precision form fundamental norms of organizations. Individuals are highly motivated by some sense of job security. Long-term vs. Short-term orientation: South Korea has one of the highest scores in long-term orientation of the society. Long-term orientation is connected with the teachings of Confucius, which focuses of a virtuous society that focuses on the future rather than the short-term benefits (Yim 38). South Koreans are directed by good moral codes and virtues. Organizations in south Korea focus on constant growth of their share of the market and have higher proportion of own capital unlike companies from the United States and other short-term oriented societies, which focus on short-term gains or profit. South Koreans prefer to engage in business with people whom they have connections with. The U.S has been present in the country f or a long time and this might help in establishing the Whole food business. Cultural and language barrier is one of the things that would hinder successful establishment of the company in South Korea. In order to overcome this, it is appropriate to use managers and local employees with knowledge on both English and Korean language. Successful business negotiation will demand the knowledge about the country’s business etiquettes. Developing business contacts and bringing cards printed in both English and Korean language will ensure successful negotiation. Observing business etiquettes remain crucial for winning a deal and one must observe that South Koreans negotiate on a collective