Business Etiquette in South Korea - Term Paper Example

?Running Head: BUSINESS ETIQUETTE IN SOUTH KOREA Business Etiquette in South Korea South Korea is a country in East Asia. It is a developing country and many new businesses are planned for implementation in the near future. The business etiquette in South Korea gains much importance in such scenario. Foreign companies require detailed understanding in this regard. With this as the background, this paper vividly discusses the business etiquette and various issues related to it in the South Korean business environment. The paper also analyses such issues and makes recommendations as to the suitability business environment in South Korea from societal and cultural perspective. Introduction: South Korea is a country in the eastern Asia. The official languages of the country are Korean and English. Majority of South Koreans have no affiliation to religion. Its society is male dominated. (Gorrill, 2006, pp. 1-2) This study investigates the business etiquette in South Korea in order to help out new business plans in the country. Language: The authorized languages of South Korea are Korean and English. English is widely taught in junior high school and high school. Different dialect of the Korean language is spoken in different areas. But these dialects are similar enough- such that speakers / listeners have no trouble in comprehending them. The standard language is spoken in Seoul and central areas. Before visiting the country, it will be ideal to send company brochures, marketing material, business proposals written in both Korean and English to those concerned. (Gorrill, 2006, pp. 1-2) Religion: No affiliation: 46%; Christian: 26%, Buddhist: 26%, Confucianist: 1%, others: 1% (South Korea - Language, Culture, Customs and Etiquette, n.d.)  Status of women in the Business Environment: Although the family law has been revised and head of the family system has been abolished in South Korea in the year 2005, gender inequality is still prevalent in South Korean society. Kinship dominates the business environment in South Korea rather than performance. Business, Economic and political leadership positions are hardly held by women. The women’s movement in South Korea has gained impetus over the past decade, but it remains to be seen whether this has any major influence in uplifting the status of women in the business environment. (Nam, 2010, pp. 84-86) Business Dress: Dark business suits with white shirts should be worn by the men. They should avoid jewelry except the watch and wedding ring. Women should wear restrained colors and dress conventionally (South Korea - Language, Culture, Customs and Etiquette, n.d.) Casual Dress: Any attire that is worn in major cities of the world is worn in South Korea. Jeans, skirt and T-shirts mostly constitute casual dress. Wearing sunglass is offensive. If it is worn, it should be removed while talking to others or entering a building. Hanbok is a traditional dress worn by both genders in South Korea on traditional festivals and social events. (Korean Dress, 2007) Working Hours: South Korea has one of the highest annual working hours on an average in the world. Although there is a legislation of maximum 40hrs workweek, maximum 5 days workweek and maximum 12 hours per day, the practice has not changed much. Working till late is usual. (Working in South Korea, 2009) Vacations: 15 days of paid vacation is available to full time workers who have been with the company for more than 80% of the calendar year. (Working in South Korea, 2009) Business Card Etiquette: South Koreans like to know the person before entering in a business deal. Therefore, in the initial meeting, exchange of business card is important. It is advisable to get the reverse side of the business card translated in Korean language. It is usual to provide and receive business card with both hands. It should be read with reverence and deliberation before keeping it on the table. (Gorrill, 2006, p. 3) Punctuality & Attitude towards time: South Koreans are considered to be punctual. They expect people to arrive on time as a show of respect. Thus, it is advisable to give a call beforehand in case of possible delays. However, Korean business executives may arrive a little late. This is because of their extremely busy schedule. One should not take offence about it. In South Korea, one may have to wait for an appointment. (Martin & Chaney, 2006, pp. 48-49) Appointments are generally made a few weeks in advance. The ideal time for a business meeting in South Korea is between 10:00 am and 12:00 pm or between 2:00 pm and 4:00 pm. (Gorrill, 2006, p. 2) Tipping: Tipping is not a necessity in South Korea. It is neither expected. But people appreciate on being asked to keep the change. However, a 10% service charge is charged at hotels (South Korean Customs, n.d.) Gift giving: Gift giving is prevalent in South Korean business practice. The timing of presenting a business gift is important in South Korea. Gift is usually given at the beginning of business negotiations to obtain favors and build contact. It is usual practice to give and accept gifts with both hands. The host should be allowed to give his gift first. Gifts of like value should be exchanged and gifts of higher value should be given to the more elder / high ranking person. At first, the gift is likely to be refused. Then it is accepted. This is considered good manner. The clock is considered to be an appropriate gift because South Koreans relate it to good luck. (Martin & Chaney, 2006, pp. 48-49) The number 4 is considered unlucky by the South Koreans. Hence, they should never be given a gift consisting of 4 items or its multiples. Gifts should be covered in red or yellow colored papers as these are considered as royal colors. Gifts should not be covered in black, green or white papers. (Gorrill, 2006, p. 4) Greetings: The South Koreans normally shake hands with their foreign colleagues followed by a bow. It is customary to support the right forearm with the left hand at the time of handshaking. This is done as a show of respect. A bow is sufficient at the time of departure. (Gorrill, 2006, p. 3) Addressing a South Korean by his / her name is considered impolite. The proper way of addressing involves the use of Mr, Mrs or Miss (as applicable) followed by the family name. (Gorrill, 2006, p. 4) Touching: Touching involves physical contact and it is disliked by the South Koreans. It can be considered as encroachment of personal space. While dealing with members of the opposite sex, one needs to be cautious to avoid too much personal contact. Usually a handshake is sufficient. But close friends of the same sex sharing strong bonding are often seen in personal contact with each other. Kissing and public display of fondness are offensive in South Korea (South Korean Customs, n.d.) Personal Body Space: South Koreans do not prefer too much physical contact- especially among members of the opposite sex. Public display of love is considered offensive. A handshake usually suffices at the time of meet (South Korean Customs, n.d.) Body Language: Eye contact should be maintained while communicating with South Korean counterparts. This is seen as an indication of honesty. Eye contact may be avoided while communicating with some authority figure as a show of respect. (Gorrill, 2006, p. 4) Gestures (not to use): Too much hand gesture and facial expression should be avoided. Talking or laughing aloud is considered ill-mannered. Show of impatience is avoidable. It is expected to be known that decision making process in South Korea takes time. Gestures indicating humility and modesty are welcome as these traits are considered valuable by the South Koreans. Promoting past business achievements should be avoided. (Gorrill, 2006, pp. 3-4) Negotiations: It is important to develop relationship, harmony and hospitality to do negotiations. A business gift can help in this aspect. It is usually offered at the start of business negotiations. A letter of reference or introduction by a known person is necessary for getting appointments and for developing relationship. A significant amount of time needs to be spent in order to develop and cultivate personal contacts. The first meeting should be meant for this purpose. This is critical for better negotiations. South Koreans are direct in their communication and put across emotions freely. They laugh on being embarrassed. (Martin & Chaney, 2006, pp. 48-49) Topics of conversation to use and to avoid: Respect for the elderly and the senior is desirable in South Korea. Any conversation undermining this is avoidable. Humility and modesty in conversation are welcome. But impatience over slowness of decision making process is avoidable. Also, overselling of past business achievements should be avoided. (Gorrill, 2006, pp. 3-4) Entertaining: South Korea has emerged into a renowned tourist spot. As a result, there are lots of entertainment options in South Korea. Modes of entertainment range from movie halls and nightclubs to temples and religious places and meet the taste of all varieties of people. The entertainment spots are located at convenient places and are well linked by modes of transport. The categories of entertainment in South Korea include temples and religious places, museums, casinos, nightclubs, amusement parks, movie theatres, islands, beaches, golf course, horse racing and horse riding amongst others. (Entertainment in South Korea, 2011) Dining out: While dining out, it is customary to wait until it is told to sit. The eldest or the most senior person is served first and it is he who starts the eating process. The chopsticks should not be used to point to objects or to pierce food. A little bit of every dish should be tried out. Bones and shells should be kept on the extra plate provided for such purpose. Food should not be picked up with hands. A toothpick can be used for this purpose. Everything on the plate should be eaten up. Once eating is finished, the chopsticks are put on the chopstick rest or on the table (South Korea - Language, Culture, Customs and Etiquette, n.d.)  Cuisine: South Korean cuisine is high on nutritional value and has unique flavor. It has similarities with Japanese and Chinese food. The typical food items are rice called ‘bap’, rice noodles called ‘chapche’ and curd called ‘duboo’. Food in South Korea is made of local vegetables and contains a lot of spices. They prefer to have the vegetables by making pickles out of them. The South Koreans also have fish, chicken, beef and pork that is grilled or roasted. (South Korean Cuisines, 2011) Table Manners: Food should not be picked up with hands. A toothpick can be used for this purpose. The chopsticks should not be used to point to objects or to pierce food. A little bit of every dish should be tried out. Bones and shells should be kept on the extra plate provided for such purpose. Everything on the plate should be eaten up. Once eating is finished, the chopsticks are put on the chopstick rest or on the table (South Korea - Language, Culture, Customs and Etiquette, n.d.)  Conclusion: A thorough investigation of the business etiquette in South Korea reveals that the business environment in the country is favorable. There are no major hurdles to business as far as culture and etiquette in South Korea are concerned. Only the critical points discussed herein above regarding gifting, negotiations and meetings need to be kept in mind while doing business. Besides, there is ample scope of refreshment and entertainment in South Korea. This is another major factor that will aid business development in the country in the future. Appendix: (Gorrill, 2006, p. 1) (South Korea Map- South Korea Satellite Image, 2007) References 1. Gorrill, J. R. (2006), Doing Business in South Korea |Korean Social and Business Culture, Communicaid global communication, 1-4. Retrieved on June 22, 2011 from: http://www.communicaid.com/pdf/doingbusiness/Doing%20Business%20in%20South%20Korea.pdf 2. Korean Dress (February 27, 2007), Teach English in Asia, Retrieved on June 23, 2011 from: http://www.teachenglishinasia.net/korean-dress 3. Martin, J. S. & L. H. Chaney (2006), Global business etiquette, :Greenwood Publishing Group 4. Nam, S. (2010), The Women’s Movement and the Transformation of the Family Law in South Korea. Interactions Between Local, National and Global Structures, European Journal of East Asian Studies, 9(1), 84-86 5. South Korean Customs (n.d.), JobMonkey, Retrieved on June 23, 2011 from: http://www.jobmonkey.com/teaching/asia/html/customs_of_s__korea.html 6. Entertainment in South Korea (2011), AsiaRooms, Retrieved on June 23, 2011 from: http://www.asiarooms.com/en/travel-guide/south-korea/entertainment-in-south-korea/index.html 7. South Korea- Language, Culture, Customs and Etiquette (n.d.), Kwintessential, Retrieved on June 22, 2011 from: http://www.kwintessential.co.uk/resources/global-etiquette/south-korea-country-profile.html 8. South Korea Map- South Korea Satellite Image (2007), Geology.com, Retrieved on June 23, 2011 from: http://www.google.co.in/imgres?imgurl=http://geology.com/world/south-korea-map.gif&imgrefurl=http://geology.com/world/south-korea-satellite-image.shtml&h=750&w=672&sz=94&tbnid=B2QNMCHszRbnrM:&tbnh=141&tbnw=126&prev=/search%3Fq%3Dmap%2Bof%2Bsouth%2Bkorea%26tbm%3Disch%26tbo%3Du&zoom=1&q=map+of+south+korea&hl=en&usg=__PtC7OcATHhvD9NIQiNEm276039M=&sa=X&ei=I98CTt_dK4TOrQfVq9nhCg&ved=0CB4Q9QEwBQ 9. Working in South Korea (November 25, 2009), Just Landed, Retrieved on June 23, 2011 from: http://www.justlanded.com/english/South-Korea/South-Korea-Guide/Jobs/Working-in-South-Korea Read More