Table of contents

01 02 03
Quizziz History Contemporary Societies
Testing your knowledge on Cultural history of Japan & Modern Era of Japan &
Japan & South Korea South Korea South Korea

04 05 06
Culture Comparison Business Culture Debate
Comparison of the Influences of history and Discussion following the
contemporary cultures culture on business prompts for your opinion
 01
Quizziz
Testing your general knowledge on Japanese
& South Korean History
 02
History
Cultural history of Japan & South Korea
JAPAN
Nara Period (710-794 AD)

The Nara Period was characterized by

sinicization, when the Japanese adopted
Chinese architectural styles, the Chinese kanji
script, and modelled the capital of Nara after
the Tang dynasty capital, Chang’an.
Heian Period (794-1185)
In this period, the Chinese system of
centralized government, known as
ritsuryo was restored, and the capital
was moved to Heian-kyo, now
known as Kyoto.
Despite the Imperial House of
Japan’s superficial rule, real power
lay with the aristocratic Fujiwara
clan.
Heian Japan also imported
Buddhist, Confucianism, and other
cultural aspects from the mainland.
The world’s first novel, The Tale of
Genji, was written during this period,
part of a flourishing culture of
literature and art.
 Medieval Period (1185-1568 AD)

The medieval period was

characterized by warring states
under feudal leadership.
Japanese warriors under
different shogunates held off
the Mongol Invasion in the
1200s.icons by Flaticon, infographics & images by Freepik
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Attempted Reunification (1568-1868)
● Unsuccessful attempts at suppressing the
growing power of the samurais
● Edo period (1603-1867)
○ The Shogun Tokugawa moved the
capital to Edo, away from the
weakened emperor in Kyoto
○ Period of stability
○ Continued seclusion from the world
○ Establishment of centralized feudal
structure, with status distinctions
between peasants, merchants, and
the samurai class
Comparison with Chinese Society:
Under the Han dynasty, Chinese
society was controlled through
disciplinary Confucian moral ideals,
while Japanese society was controlled
by the sword. However, Confucian
texts were used in Japanese
education to inculcate authority.
Religion
Shinto
● Derived from animist form of religion that treated
elements of nature with spiritual respect
● Now followed as a set of traditional customs that
emphasizes purification and harmony with nature
Buddhism
● Introduced in 552 AD from the Korean kingdom of
Paekche.
● Further import during Nara and Heian period
Shinto-Buddhist Syncretism The famous
● Combination of Shinto deities with Buddhist temples Buddhist Hanshan
Zen Buddhism (12th century) Temple
● Japanese equivalent of Chan Buddhism
● Inclusion of meditation without the intervention of logic
KOREA
 Gija Joseon State
(1120-194 BC)
Founded by the arrival of the sage
Gija, though historical details are
not agreed upon. There is believed
to be an infusion of Chinese culture
after the founding of a colony in
Pyongyang, according to historical
records found from the early 7th
century BC.
3 Kingdoms
(76 BC- 668 AD)
● Kingdom of Goguryeo
○ United by King Jumong, a hero in Korean
legends
● Kingdom of Paekche
○ Established by Jumong’s wife, Soseono, in
the region containing modern day Seoul
● Kingdom of Shilla
○ Founded in 59 BC at the ancient city of
Gyeongju
● Remained at war for centuries, until the Shilla
dynasty triumphed and ruled from 668-935 AD
 Choson/Joseon Dynasty (1392-1637)
● The Shilla dynasty overlapped with the Tang dynasty, and absorbed
Confucianism and writing characters
○ Adopted Buddhism as its religion
○ Weakened by rebellions and replaced by Koryo dynasty, from 935-1392
● The Koryo dynasty faced Mongol occupation until 1356
● The Joseon dynasty rose in 1392 with its capital in Seoul, and established
Confucianism as the official religion and created a Korean written language
○ Caste stratification: scholars, merchants, laborers, and “grave diggers”
■ Scholars remained at the top of the social hierarchy, similar to
Chinese political ideology
○ In 1637, the Manchus invaded and turned Korea into a vassal state of
China under Qing rule
 03
Contemporary
Societies
Modern Era of Japan & South Korea
JAPAN
 Western Influence on Modern
Japan
1868 - 1912: Shinto State
1854: Opening of
State Shinto ideology strengthened the Emperor’s
Japanese Ports role, which reflected the Emperor as having divine
Commodore Perry forced the origin, allowing a privileged relationship with the
opening of Japanese ports Japanese state
through the Convention of
Kanagawa

1868: Meiji Restoration
Shogunate was overthrown by
the imperial court and restored
rule under the Emperor
1885: Westernisation
An influential article, Datsu-A Ron,
argued that Meiji Japan should
abandoned Qing China and Joseon
Korea to adopt the West’s modernity
whilst retaining the better aspects of
Confucian values
 Rise of Imperialism
The Western influence resulted in Japan to rapidly grow into an industrial and military power

Conquered South Korea 1910 1937 Full-scale war with China

Entered World War II and

Invaded Manchuria 1931 1942 bombed Pearl Harbour

Eight-Nation Alliance of 1900

Japan joined the alliance to eliminate the Chinese Boxer Rebellion vigilantes as the only
Asian member and the largest numbers of troops contributor
Post War Peace Time

Economic 20th Century

1985 Plaza Accord
Downfall Outcome
Under the Plaza Accord, By the early 1990s, Japan Japan’s ambitions to be an
Japan, the US, France, plunged into recession imperialist world power alongside
Germany and the UK agreed then stagnation from the West was damaged by Europe
to push the value of the US which Japan is yet to fully and America during the war and
dollar down against the recover from the economy was harmed by the
Japanese Yen Plaza Accord
Shinto & Modern Japan
- Shinto derives from an animist form of religion in
Japan that treats nature with spiritual respect
- Ancient Japanese worshipped the sacred spirits
they saw in rocks, mountains, rivers and trees
with shrines to worship these deities
- Most Japanese are not devotees of Shinto as a
religion
- Follow it as part of traditional customs that
emphasis purification and aesthetics in
harmony with nature
- Visit Shinto shrines to honour ancestors
and the spirits of other lives with whom
they are connected
Confucianism

Certain Practices Temples & Business

Remain Festivals
Reverence for ancestors Temples can be found in many
expressed through parts of Japan with some of them
ancestor worship engaging in colourful festivals to
pray to Confucius as a deity with
gagaku (Japanese classical music)
Environment
Employers typically show
Confucian benevolence to
employees, but overall
there is subtle Confucian
influence
SOUTH
KOREA
 Post WWII & Korean War
Division of Korea
Korea was divided into two
countries as a result of a deal
between war partners Russia and
the United States
South Korea
Western cultural influence grew and
even with a growing Christians
population, Confucian values continue
to set the standard of proper conduct
within society
China Involvement
General MacArthur crossed the Yalu
River into Chinese Territory, drawing
China into the conflict and helped drive
North Korean forces almost to the
southern end of the Korean peninsula
North Korea
Adopted Marxist ideology and
Confucian ethics declines, except
for the authoritarian power
structure of ancient confucian
societies
 Shamanism
The spiritual and intellectual basis upon which all later religions traditions
would be built and is deeply embedded in Korean culture

Belief I Belief II
Man and spirits coexist and can Diseases are caused and
be mediated through shamans regulated by spirits
 Shamanism
- Forms part of a cosmology in the Korean collective
consciousness and can be viewed as contributing to social
movement and the formation of a national identity
- Even young Koreans are not aware that its beliefs are
already deeply planted into their subconscious through
daily life practices and family upbringing
- Facilitate the adoption of foreign religions and ideologies, thus
bridging the gap between different religious traditions in Korea
- Shaman Mudang
- Mudang intermediates between human beings and gods,
helping humans to reach goals
- Koreans who are committed to other religions are not opposed
to Shamanistic practices to improve their chances of achieving
their goals
Confucianism
Western Influence Individual vs Social
Confucian ethics is deeply Koreans understand that
embedded in Korean they have personal
culture as a value system freedoms to choose their
for a moral society but its individual courses in life,
political role in state but if social harmony is to
governance underwent be maintained, this must
changes always be within the
authority of society’s
traditions
Family Life
Confucian influence is
evident in family life, as it
is group-orientated living
and through the practice
of Confucian rituals and
ancestor memorial
services
 04
Culture Comparison
Contemporary cultures in South Korea and Japan
 Korea & Japan in Contemporary Society
High regard for Confucian values that respects hierarchy, and the maintenance of
social order & harmony

South Korea Japan

Confucian influence evident in Confucian values quietly filtered
contemporary South Korean into “fundamental ways of
family life thinking” in life

Appears most entrenched in In the competitive world of

patriarchal authority and business corporations that
privilege in business Confucianism is found in its subtle
organisations but enduring influence
 05
Business Culture
Influences of history and culture on business
JAPAN
 Culture and the Japanese firm
Edo period (1603-1868)
● Confucianism reached a high
point of influence
● Practised as a form of social
utilitarianism that evolved into
an ethical code
Meiji era (1868-1912)
● Confucian ideology had already
permeated deeply despite Western
encroachment
● Confucian ethics seen as integral to
economic life, pursuit of public interest
placed before the accumulation of
private wealth
 The Entity Firm vs The Property Firm
The Entity Firm
● Has a personality and
mission all of its own, not
wholly or mainly determined
by its shareholders
● An entity that provides good
employment, serves
customers, contributes to
social development and
quality of the environment
The Property Firm
● Seen as property of the
shareholders, reflects
“shareholder capitalism”
● Concerned with indicators
of growth and profit for
company performance
● Financial welfare of owners
helps to attain long-term
profitability
 Virtues of the Entity Firm

Company as Confucian-inspired Trust & mutual

second home regard for seniority regard
Lifetime employment where Employee & management
Respect for age, years of
employees devote lifetime work together to keep
service, performance, ability
loyalty & dedication company thriving, labour &
to cooperate with others
capital not a zero-sum game

Values reputation for

Relational trading
quality & reliability
Akin to guanxi, based on
Employee view themselves as
knowledge, trust, and established
custodians due to long history
track record of supplier
Ina: The quintessential entity firm
● CEO: Tsukakoshi Hiroshi
● Motto: “Let us build a good company”
○ Family and communitarian values
● Employee happiness & welfare are top
priorities, longevity of the company’s role
to service consumers
● Turned down IPO offer
○ Intrusion of public shareholders
may compromise corporate culture
● Refused to step up exports
○ Increased production to satisfy
overseas consumers may injure
corporate culture
 Confucianism in modern Korea

1997 (Asian Financial Crisis)

1945- (Post-World War II) People lined streets to
contribute gold in hopes to
Confucian ethics continue sustain the economy
to be deeply embedded in
Korean Culture

2009 (Financial Crisis)

Korea’s rapid recovery due to
1980s (Erosion & Revival Confucian values of common
of Confucianism) good & hard work without
Western encroachment immediate reward
encouraged the revival of
Confucianism as a value system
 Chae(財)bols(閥): Brief History

● Conceived to spearhead the country’s

recovery after World War II & the Korean War
● Gained prominence after country was ravaged,
where they played the role of nation-building
● Preferential treatment were given to promote
economic growth
● Carefully selected based on performance and
potential
● Granted tax concessions, export subsidies,
financing with the government acting as
guarantor
 Chaebols in Korean Business

Family-led Strategic positions Strong influence over

conglomerates reserved for family government policies
Controlled by one family
Low level of trust by family Top 10 chaebols contribute to
led by a Confucian
corporate leaders for half of the Korean economy
patriarchal figure
employees

Cultivated Confucian hierarchical

by politicians structure
Politicians seek to leverage their Remains a topic of controversy
influence in wealth & networks among younger Koreans exposed
to liberal Western cultural norms
Corporate & Political Scandals:
Samsung & Hyundai
Samsung (2008)
● Chairman Lee Kun-hee convicted of tax evasion, breach
of trust, and running a slush fund for political ends
● Went to jail briefly before promptly released with
pardon from President Lee Myung-bak

Hyundai (2007)
● Chairman Chung Mong-koo found guilty of bribing
officials and embezzlement
● Three-year jail term suspended in 2008 with a full
pardon from President Lee Myung-bak
 06
Debate
Discussion following the prompts for your opinion
 Scenario 1
You are a foreigner holding a C-suite
level position in a Japanese firm. You
find out that the company profits have
been over-reported to its shareholders
on the Tokyo Stock Exchange.
What would you do?
Corporate Scandal: Olympus
 Thank
You!
We welcome any questions, queries or comments from
the audience