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April 09, 2006

Korean efficiency and cultural benchmarking

Korea is that interesting because it is one of the countries that managed to move from being one of the poorest countries in the world some 50 years back to one of the most successful ones. In the course of its history, it survived a heavy war, major economic crises, authoritarian dictatorship, "unruly" trade unions, corruption, a dividing border, constant threat of a new war and probably some more.

For me, Korea is an example that a country can be successfully climb up from poverty to prosperity. Its move to the top of the pyramid shows that development is possible. The great part of it is that I experienced Koreans as extremely friendly people. They are efficient, fast, and friendly. Does this always go hand in hand or are these opposing factors? Of course, you can be efficient and unfriendly as some countries (I don't want to mention which) are. I am working with a Korean in my workplace. He shows his cultural traits every day even so he spent years of his life living in Canada. Nearly every day, he is coming up with new ideas to improve a process here and a process there. Increasing efficiency, thus, targeting to go home earlier. It is great. I told him rigt from the beginning of his employment with me and my team that I would be the last person to stand in the way when it comes to better processes (is this the German in me?). In fact, it is my aim to send my guys home as early as possible - why should they work longer when a few simple or more extensive processes can reduce the working hours? He is living his cultural traits.

My learning is that it is impossible to ignore cultural traits when coaching people. A fact that can easily be forgotten. How many times are business models absorbed in the Eastern World that are derived from the West? How often do these business models fail because they are based on different cultural premises?

It is the same with benchmarking companies. Here, it is even more micro than comparing companies from different countries. How often am I asked to benchmark an Asian entity with a GE, or an IBM, or a Microsoft. Or even to benchmark a Malaysian company with a Korean or a Singaporean.

Isn't this like comparing a Perodua with a Proton or a Toyota, or a MAS with an AirAsia or a SingAir or a Cathy Pacific. Do you see where I am getting at? It is not possible. The value system driving the different companies is too different, they cater to a different clientel, attract different customers, have different structures, procedures and so on.

The one who is coaching or benchmarking or initiating improvement processes needs to absolutely take care of existing structures, and values and estimate the impact, any initiative has. Even in a small team such as mine. I have to have the assureness that the impact is positive and acceptable and the outcome desirable. Nothing less.










Posted by Andreas at April 9, 2006 12:03 PM

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