Seoul Metro Cut-Man, instead Push-Man

Between the end of 1980s and the beginning of 1990s, Korean economic was on a fast track. Korea growth rate made two digits. At that time, Korean rapid-rapid(빨리빨리) custom began famous in the world.

The rapid custom made some weird jobs. One of those is push-man who push people into a train. Seoul Metro used to hire push-man in order to load more people at one time. As the GDP is growing on the stable state, people is going to have my cars. Soon, push-man faded away into history.

In proportion as Korea stands up on the threshold of developed country, people begin to consider quality of life. Seoul Metro sets security screen doors at subway stations to protect from missing someone's step. However, rapid custom is not disappeared. People try to go through security screen doors just closed and get an accident. Because of the security problem, Seoul Metro have to bite the bullet and hire cut-man, instead of push-man 1990s. Someone is glad to hear this news concerning employment.

However, I don't agree with that. First of all, subway cut-man relates to a problem of labor flexibility. Professor Chang, Ha-Joon(장하준), author of Kicking away the Ladder said labor flexibility make more irregular jobs. Dr. Chang noticed that many irregular positions in service industry are a far away from productivity. Second, Seoul metro should have tried to design Nudge in order that people stop to take risk instead a cut-man. Cut-man could be helpful to decrease accidents in a shot term, but in a long term setting Nudge decrease cost as well accidents. In conclusion, cut-man is an evidence of social disorder.

Tong Yang Securities Come Ture My Proposal

I wrote a proposal concerning a salary of ROK soldiers at a business course, spring semester 2008. No one supported my proposal, even my team members didn't think of it seriously.

Here is a summary slide of the proposal.
After 1 year, Tong Yang Securities(동양증권) launches a CMA bankbook for soldiers. I'm happy to read that news. This CMA is not exactly same with my original proposal, but this shows me one kind of realistic results.

Dinner in the Sky

Almost 3 years ago, a marketing professor had an open seminar. On the end of the seminar, the professor said that there is experience beyond service. And she showed this video.

It was quite interesting for me that I could remember the name of company, Dinner In The Sky. They have expanded their business area. They transform themselves as the events in the sky such as meeting, marriage, concert, and so on. I guess that some day people will invest the real estate in the sky.

Like this company, there are a lot of business items in experience industry. For example, there are trekking, scuba diving, space trip, and internship program. Actually, we experience everything by seeing, hearing, speaking, smelling, and touching. It means we can dig out hidden experience items as long as we keep trying. I see unlimited potential in experience area. However, make sure that developing items entirely differ from fiding items.

Goolge Keep Feeding YouTube

Jessi Hempel wrote a column, Google (Still) Loves YouTube on Fortune. After reading it, I'd like to share.

Despite a barrier YouTube faced up to(I mentioned it before, click here), Google keep investing into YouTube. Eric Schmidt, CEO of Google, regards Youtube as a data company, not a media company. Just like AdSense, they try to connect a video with advertisement by using an indirect way as well a direct way. For example, Some days later, it's going to happen that when people will watch how to cook a pumpkin pie for Thanksgiving day in Youtube, some kitchen products company would advertise their products.

These days, the barrier between online videos and TV channels doesn't matter. Both of them will be showed on a same device such as TVs, computer monitors, and even cell phone in a couple of years. And then, people will try to search and watch what they need, not just wait until broadcasting stations send it. Finally, YouTube will be a cash cow for Google.

Embed Google Map

As one method of embedding creative thinking on your blog, there is a Google Maps API, Application Programming Interface. Google created the Google Maps API to allow developers to integrate Google Maps into their websites with their own data points.

For example, Stephane MOT embeded his own map on his blog, Seoul Village to introduce some locations. This map is kept updating.

Here is his map.

View Seoul Village in a larger map

The Year of the NCO

I have been one personnel of the Non-commissioned officer, NCO groups as the CPL, since this July. When I had promotional ceremony, I did not consider that my state would change. However, that is wrong thought. After attaching an insignia of CPL on my ACU, a supervisor requires me to take care about a junior KATUSA. For example, a supervisor brought me to account for a junior KATUSA’s mistake. I think a supervisor tried to ask me responsibility at that time. It was hard for me to correct somebody’s fault, because I was afraid of ruining a good relationship with them. Also, I was not used to speak out. However, I had to do that as NCO. At that time, I first understood how NCO is a tough position. Then, I realized what the NCO is in a group with the wisdom of hindsight. From my experience, I start to reconsider about the position of NCO.

NCO is the backbone of the Army organization. In the human body, the backbone is the part of giving a body its main strength. According that meaning, NCO groups organize the Army and support it from bottom to top. They help the official groups and take care about junior soldiers. What the Army has the great NCO groups is meaning that they can conduct their duties with good effectiveness and high efficiency.

However, to be a good NCO is a far different from to be a NCO. NCO personally should set an example to their inferiors and themselves. Their good example improves the morale and shames their inferiors into working hard. Otherwise, their bad example destroys the military spirit and makes the inferiors commit an error without feeling guilty. Therefore, the Army established the title ‘The Year of the NCO’ in order to encourage and motivate each personnel in NCO groups. ‘The Year of the NCO’ is the title for the best NCO in the unit. However, I think the title is not for one best NCO, but all NCO themselves. All of NCO members need to take pride themselves as ‘The Year of the NCO.’ Therefore, they who have pride as ‘The Year of the NCO’ should conduct right things even without watchers.

Differentiated your business from Ordinary

Would you like to work for Google? Break the Code.
Google made a difficult code to break and attached the post on the wall of M.I.T.
No one knows what the answer is until now, but someone guess the answer to the code implies information of a personnel section. Here is full text.

However, I see the code with another focus. Google made buzz with the code. Just like Seth Godin's saying, Google transform their wanted by being remarkable. It's enough to make attentions from greasy grinds. They have a surprising intellectual curiosity to know everything they can. Also, they have a strong competitive spirit. Therefor, it's working out to hire the talent that Google try to show them a hard nut to crack.

Weekly BIZ

Even though somebody accuse Chosun Ilbo of distorting public opinion, it's the truth that they are one of the most power of newspapers in Korea and they have the strong brand power as an opinion leader for the conservative groups. For example, I've read Chosun Ilbo for 20 years, because my grandfather used to subscribe it.

However, I'd like to recommend both business and economic sections on Chosun Ilbo. That's the Weekly BIZ. They make interview with the big name, such as CEOs and scholars using their brand power.

These day, Weekly BIZ launches the management consultation online office. 18 global professional coaches contribute to the online office. There are Philip Kotler, Orit Gadiesh, Don Tapscott, Tim Harford, and more. Here are detail profiles of them.

Here is a WeeklyBiz Feed. I added it on RSS reader and keep watching it. Let me review some articles later.

Susie Yoo, Head Hunter

The faster going into knowledge-base-industry, the more important recruiting the talent. Even some leading companies don't use a word 'recruiting' any more, but 'acquisition'. Here is my piece of writing to the readers' column of POSTECH TIMES. After this contributing, ironically Leman Brothers filed for bankruptcy protection under chapter 11 of the bankruptcy code, on 15 Sep 2008.

Anyhow, as many companies feel thirsty to find the talent fitting their company, the professional service firms in HR area are going to be busy. In many career consulting firms, I focused on You&Partners Inc. run by Susie Yoo(유순신). She is an established head hunter magnate. She took a part of big projects related with a multinational enterprise, a large domestic corporation, and a public institution. I first knew there is CEO who is consulting another CEOs with the book, 나는 희망을 스카우트 한다(I'm scouting hope). She suggests how to make your career remarkably using her stories on the book.

Here is a interview video with Mrs. Yoo.


In conclusion, I'd like to post her suggestion about the 11 Requirements to be Global Standard.

1. Great communication skill
2. Expertise in one's own area
3. Flexible think and mild interpersonal relationship
4. Don't hesitate to invest oneself
5. Building international networking
6. Finishing duty with integrity and responsibility
7. Fast decision maker between yes and no
8. Collecting information and using it proactively
9. Disciplining oneself without limit
10. Regarding oneself like owner
11. Conducting on the same pace with speed of thinking

Steve Kim, Most Successful Asian American

When I lounged around the Kyobo book store, the book I post up left side caught my step. I just wondered, 'Have I ever heard about his name, Steve Kim, famous as Bill Gates of Asia?' I have never heard of this before. I already held this book without my knowledge. I was curious who he is. And there is a small notice on the tail "Total royalties from this book will be donated to social welfare service." I can say that's why I chose it. I read his story doubtfully because I thought this book was a case of an exaggerative advertisement.

However, I was wrong. I was just a big fish in a little pond. In a few googling, I realize Steve Kim was chairman and CEO of Xylan Corporation(Here are some articles from LA Times) and he ranked the 9th on the America's 100 Top Asian Entrepreneurs.

Now he devotes himself to social welfare service for developing countries including the north Korea. Besides, he runs the scholarship foundation, Dream Hope Future.

I see Steve Kim as the great role model I want to follow. Although he had begun from the scratch, he has achieved success. And he doesn't forget to express his gratitude to the world. In conclusion, I don't believe God, but if somebody get mount on the top of the ladder those people would know they are selected to conduct the great duty. Steve Kim knows he is one of them.

Fortune Korea Launching

When posting Darwinism to business, and you, I made reference to Fortune. However, I don't know Fortune Korea was launched by Hankook Ilbo on April, 2009. Fortune Korea is a Korean version of Fortune. It is composed with both translation articles and Hankook Ilbo's articles. It is published every month.

I chose Fortune Korea as my first management magazine. I will review and post up some of articles in Fortune Korea.

History of Behavioral Economics

Below is my presentation, which I made using new software from Prezi. It was a little bit difficult than my thought, but after adapting myself to new software it would be fine.
Just click within the screen and advance to the next slide.

Click here to see the presentation full-screen.

Here is my presentation script at LanguageCast MultiLingua.

Also, I embed my first recording result powered by Sun,Hyunwoo from LanguageCast MultiLingua on 15Jan.


If you want to listen more from other people, please click here.

Learning Korean

Sun, Hyunwoo is one of my awesome motivators. He runs some blogs and websites. Someday in 3 years ago, a senior recommended Hyunwoo's blog why-be-normal.com. Taking this opportunity, I began to keep watching him. When I first visited his blog, he had interesting about learning foreign languages like Japanese, Chinese, as well as English. He has bloged what he learn, how to learn foreign languages, and even how to live in web2.0 ecosystem. Now he is named as 2008 power blog by NAVER, the first search engine company in Korea. He started from scratch, but he achieves good. And he keep running to great.

Here is his self-introduction in youtube.


Also here is website's list run by Mr.Sun.
1. koreanclass101.com
Mr.Sun uploads podcasts of learning Korean as second language for foreigners. If you want to learn Korean daily, you need to subscribe his podcast.

2. sendmetokorea.com
Mr.Sun and his friends take and upload some photos on Korean streets. They don't try to disguise the street photos in fancy like a typical tour magazine. Instead, they show the real Korea.

3. languagecast.net
Mr.Sun makes multi languages group. They meet together every Friday's night at Sinchon and record their voice in multi languages.

[Interview] Richard Thaler

A month ago, I read some books about behavior economics include "Nudge - Richard Thaler & Cass Sunstein" that becomes hot book now because the President of S.Korea Lee, Myung Bak recommended it to staffs of the Blue House.

Here is my review of the book. When I bloged it, I had a question

'When Nudge works effectively and efficiently?'

When the choice architect like government design nice nudge in order to make people move on their way, it should take cost. So, there is trade off between cost of designing nudge and value from designed nudge. That's reason why we cannot use nudge everytime.

As backing to the question, we need to know when Nudge is really necessary. I found the answer of the question from the interview with Richard Thaler.
He said it depends on the complexity of the problem. For example, here is a simple problem like which apple has better taste. We can easily find the way to get solution. However, here is a much difficult problem like which medical surgery is better for me? Unless we have some knowledge in the medical area, it's really hard problem. Like this medical problem, there are some complex problems that is happened barely sometime and have no enough feedback to make learning effect. At solving this kind of problems, we need nudge.

Here is the full text of interview from the Chosun Ilbo.