한국노사관계문화론 서설

Abstract

This paper is aimed at providing an illustrative case for an alternative

approach to industrial relations, which entails 1) a 'culturalist' scheme of

explanation for the unique nature of industrial relations in Korea and 2)

and 'indigenized' account of the peculiarities of Korean industrial relations.

drawing upon cultural resources available in Korean Language and tradition.

The culturalist approach her, first, brings in the historical

background of Korean industrial relations which has led it to be highly

politicized and ideologically charged, and second, relies behavior manifested

in industrial relations. In this effort, two major types of such resources are

utilized. a) central principles of social organization in Korea, for example.

hierarchical authoritarianism clashing with equalizing tendencies.. factionalism

rooted in connectionism and personalism, and ritualism or formalism

coupled with moralism, and b) some illustrative cases of Korean language

usages, such as myongbun, chemyon, nunchi, and Ki-ssaum. It is argued

that this indigenous approach does not only provide alternative explanations

not available in the existing theories prevailed by Western

intellectual tradition but offers explanations that are more akin to and

make better sense to the Korean people themselves. so that it might also help supply more relevant answers to resolve problems of industrial

relations in Korean society.