How to Raise Products Quality by Establishing Recording Culture

Abstract

Most Korean businesses have suffered from serious labor business conflicts since the latter part of the 20th century, and it is an acknowledged fact that such conflicts made quality control difficult, therefore weakening the international competitiveness of Korean products. From such experiences, it has become clear that without solid cooperation between labor and business, and strict quality control, Korean businesses will not survive in the unlimited competition of the world market. The aim of this paper is to put forth the theory that Korean businesses can achieve harmony with labor and carry out strict quality control by reintroducing the "recording culture" used by our ancestors during the Joseon Dynasty, and to provide examples to that effect. The term "recording culture" as used in this paper refers to the practice of recording and storing all major decision-making processes of a nation's political or business organizations, so that they can be accessed and used by all who wish to do so. The period in which recording culture was at its height in Korea was In the late 18th century during the reign of King Jeongjo (正祖大王, 22nd king of Joseon Dynasty, r. 1777-1800), an era, along with the 15th century reign of King Sejong, known for economic progress and harmony between king and subject. Scholars of Korean history claim that one of the reasons why the Joseon Dynasty was able to last so long (519 years), a feat rare within world history, is its recording culture. If so, let us examine what the recording culture of the Joseon Dynasty was actually like.