Ellen Moore Living and Working in Korea

Essay by woodlands5University, Bachelor'sA+, February 2008

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Ellen Moore Living and Working in Korea1.What are the problems and why do they exist?In the "Ellen Moore Living and Working in Korea" case there were several issues that restrained the Systems Consulting Group from accomplishing their goals in Korea. These issues developed from the clashing of two disparate cultures that occurred when Systems Consulting Group arrived in Korea. Although the differences in culture were to blame for the majority of the challenges faced, there were other problems that arose from the unique personalities involved.

When the SCG accepted the challenge to assist the Koreans in creating system implementations and system design they were to do so between the months of May and December of 1995, which was a relatively modest amount of time. Aware that the Koreans were lacking in the necessary knowledge to accomplish this themselves they put Ellen Moore in charge as co-senior consultant alongside her Korean partner Jack Kim.

Ellen had experience in the field of consulting and also had success working internationally in Manama, Bahrain. Upon arriving in Korea she was given little knowledge about the Korean culture but being a very confident and determined person she felt confident in her abilities. Not having any experience with Asian culture except for a brief interview in Hong Kong put her at an early disadvantage as businesswoman in Korea. The first cultural obstacle Ellen faced was that of her sex. In the 1900s Korea was adapting to western culture however its past was still influenced by Confucianism. Confucianism's values consisted of showing complete loyalty to superiors as well as traditional values similar to western cultures that kept a "glass ceiling" over women's progress in society. Ellen faced having to lead men not only as a woman but as a foreigner. Confucianism's impact on the hierarchy of...