Sk Telecom Goes Egaltarian
Fall
12
Fall
12
ADM620: ORGANIZATIONAL BEHAVIOR
ADM620: ORGANIZATIONAL BEHAVIOR
Case Study #1
Dean Germinara
SK Telecom Goes Egalitarian; p. 60-61
Case Study #1
Dean Germinara
SK Telecom Goes Egalitarian; p. 60-61
08
Fall
08
Fall
This case study is about a company is South Korea called SK Telecom. SK Telecom, like many other South Korean organizations embraces the cultural value of a five-tier management/professional hierarchy. In this hierarchy the person at the top has veto power over all lower members. No member lower in the hierarchy is able to question the decisions, opinions, or actions of a member higher in the hierarchy. In extreme cases members lower in the chain of command are not even allowed to initiate conversation with anyone in the hierarchy above their direct boss or team leader (Glinow & McShane, 2013). SK Telecom is attempting to distance itself from the five-tier management/professional hierarchy. The company is attempting to open up the floor to junior employees within the company. They feel as though it will give the company a fresh outlook on creativity and production. SK Telecom wants to avoid situations in which good ideas are shot down simply because someone higher in the hierarchy does not like or agree with them.
1. SK Telecom is attempting to distance itself from the five-tier management/professional hierarchy. An indicator of this value identified in this case is, no one below Hur was allowed to question his decisions and Hur was expected to silently comply with requests from above (Glinow & McShane, 2013). Furthermore all members of this chain of command were expected to comply with requests from above without question. This South Korean culture of deferring to people in higher positions is something that is deeply ingrained in the telecommunications company. Another way this value was identified in this case study is the fact that throughout this transition, executives are hopeful that junior staff
12
Fall
12
ADM620: ORGANIZATIONAL BEHAVIOR
ADM620: ORGANIZATIONAL BEHAVIOR
Case Study #1
Dean Germinara
SK Telecom Goes Egalitarian; p. 60-61
Case Study #1
Dean Germinara
SK Telecom Goes Egalitarian; p. 60-61
08
Fall
08
Fall
This case study is about a company is South Korea called SK Telecom. SK Telecom, like many other South Korean organizations embraces the cultural value of a five-tier management/professional hierarchy. In this hierarchy the person at the top has veto power over all lower members. No member lower in the hierarchy is able to question the decisions, opinions, or actions of a member higher in the hierarchy. In extreme cases members lower in the chain of command are not even allowed to initiate conversation with anyone in the hierarchy above their direct boss or team leader (Glinow & McShane, 2013). SK Telecom is attempting to distance itself from the five-tier management/professional hierarchy. The company is attempting to open up the floor to junior employees within the company. They feel as though it will give the company a fresh outlook on creativity and production. SK Telecom wants to avoid situations in which good ideas are shot down simply because someone higher in the hierarchy does not like or agree with them.
1. SK Telecom is attempting to distance itself from the five-tier management/professional hierarchy. An indicator of this value identified in this case is, no one below Hur was allowed to question his decisions and Hur was expected to silently comply with requests from above (Glinow & McShane, 2013). Furthermore all members of this chain of command were expected to comply with requests from above without question. This South Korean culture of deferring to people in higher positions is something that is deeply ingrained in the telecommunications company. Another way this value was identified in this case study is the fact that throughout this transition, executives are hopeful that junior staff
Cited: Glinow, M., & McShane, S. (2013). Organizational Behavior (6th Edition ed.). Boston, MA: Irwin McGraw-Hill.