Societies evolve just like genes

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Societies evolve just like genes

Kang Hye-ryeon

The author is an emeritus professor of business administration at Ewha Womans’ University.

In his provocative book “The Selfish Gene,” Richard Dawkins, a British evolutionary biologist and an emeritus professor at the University of Oxford, elaborated on how the biological characteristics of humans or animals are copied through genes. As the only purpose of the gene is survival, it has to be selfish. The present “I” has been inherited by cloning biological traits of parents, but there are some exceptions. Knowledge and wisdom the parents acquired through efforts are not passed down to the children. But cultural habits can be transferred through education and examples in life.

The success or failure of corporate organizations is directly related to culture. In the 1970s and 80s, when Japanese companies thrived, American managers tried to figure out the success factors of Japanese management and found the answer from the cultural differences in organization. Unlike the U.S., which emphasized short-term individual outcomes through intense competition, Japanese companies stressed a sense of ownership through long-term outcomes and collectivism. Around this time, U.S. companies began to work on organizational culture innovation and attempted management innovation by integrating American and Japanese management.

Even a country’s important social issue cannot be free from cultural influence. For instance, women’s participation in economic activities or their fertility rates are culturally affected. A study tracing the lives of second-generation immigrant women in the multi-ethnic U.S., the rate of labor participation and fertility rate varied depending on the country of ethnic origin, even though they were born and raised in America.

The case of Switzerland, a multilingual country, is quite interesting. When Switzerland conducted a survey before drafting a bill requiring citizens’ organ donation, Italian-speaking citizens had two to three times higher support ratings for organ donation than those in French and German-speaking regions. As language is a medium passing down ancestral culture, cultural genes could play a role in their civic behavior.

Just as human biological genes evolve over a long time, cultural characteristics also reflect the trend of change in the times. When large Korean enterprises felt a sense of crisis due to their weakening global competitiveness, they attempted organizational culture innovation over the past ten years. To change their hierarchical and authoritative culture into a flexible and participation-oriented one, many companies removed appellation and dress codes. Owners of conglomerates were no longer called “chairman” but were designated by their name. Also, workers were freed from suits and ties. A new culture is created by changes in daily habits of employees accumulating from the bottom.

As the organizational culture of companies is only a part of the entire culture of society, there are various sub-group cultures. If the culture of a subgroup is in conflict with the overall flow, it causes social discord. Through industrialization and democratization, mature citizenship is being established as our cultural characteristics. The culture of altruism stands out, as people voluntarily help the socially disadvantaged, including the struggling self-employed. But going against the tide is none other than the culture of labor unions.

Over the past five years, the economic loss from union strikes added up to 5 trillion won ($3.48 billion). Whereas unions of subcontractors for the Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering’s went on a strike to improve their poor working conditions and low wages, elite unions like the financial union are paid an average of 100 million won in annual salary — and a hefty bonus — but still demand shorter work hours. Overshadowing the purpose of protecting workers’ rights and interests from employer’s management rights, industrial unions in Korea have turned into vested interest champions, and the losses from illegal strikes and occupations have a huge impact on workers in related industries and on the general public.

How can we change the dominating culture of certain groups such as labor unions? Just as the unions began as a social movement, changes of labor culture can be ignited by cultural movements. The initial motivation of a social movement comes from uncomfortable emotions and complaints. A few passionate people can cause a “mutation” in cultural genes by expressing dissatisfaction with the current situation and making small victories.
Translation by the Korea JoongAng Daily staff.
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