Integration of Management and Culture: The Culture of Dedication in Samsung Electronics and Apple Inc.

Abstract

Dedication is a value traditionally upheld in many cultures, but not commonly perceived as a ground breaking secret to success. On the contrary, a culture that emphasizes dedication has often been subjected to scorn. However, many research results show that dedication is the ultimate origin of creativity and innovation. Analysis of two business giants, Samsung Electronics and Apple Inc., supports the case for dedication, indicating that a culture of dedication is a quality or phenomenon-specific factor (in this case relating to successful business management) that may be found in anywhere around the globe, rather than a country or region-specific factor (such as Asian heritage). While this finding demands etiological studies for explaining how to, if possible, foster a culture of dedication, intra-organizational view dominates the bulk of studies concerning Korean corporate culture, with a unilateral perspective focusing on the leaders character. This paper attempts to extend the scope of existing literature on Korean corporate culture, by incorporating theoretical frameworks rarely used by preceding studies by Korean scholars, while also complementing extra-organizational view with the insights from Korean firm cases.