The Comarison of American and Korean etiquette

In to understand Korean etiquette , it is necessary to explore the broader cultural context in which the notion of oriental courtesy has developed . Perhaps the most important influence on the Korean culture and lifestyle is Confucianism which arrived there from China in the 14th century . Confucianism emphasizes loyalty , reverence to seniors , and harmonious relations with friends , relatives , partners and broader community . These values have formed the foundation of Korean etiquette in both public and private domains . Like in other Asian cultures , the importance of personal relationships in business is often underestimated

by Westerners . Personal relationships imply lasting obligations towards each other , and Koreans expect their business partners to act in the interests of business partnership rather then their own interests . It can be attributed to the fact that the essentially collectivist orientation of Confucianism-based cultures attaches a higher importance to the wellbeing of family and community and not individual wellbeing as Ghauri and Fang (2001 ) inform . Business partners are expected to be open and honest with each other , and business relationships are based on trust . The notion of kibun (literally translated as pride or state of mind ) is very important , so both showing and eliciting respect is crucial . Damaging someone 's kibun causes the other person to loose face which is regarded as an ultimate disgrace . For example , a manager 's kibun is threatened by his subordinates ' reluctance to follow his or her instructions , and an employee 's kibun is damaged if a manager makes him or her a...