Analysing the changing trajectory of South Korea’s ICT business environment

This thesis aims to provide a new perspective on the development of South Korea’s Information and Communications Technologies (ICT) Business Environment by taking a cross-disciplinary look at the area. Most studies on this subject have tended to remain within the boundaries of a single discipline. In this study, an interdisciplinary approach is taken to trace more of the paths that have influenced the development. This will provide a better understanding of the area and this insight should make it easier for any prospective organisation hoping to enter the Korean market to be successful. In little over two generations, South Korea has transformed from being one of the poorest countries in the world into a global business leader. Currently, information technology products are at the forefront of exports from the country and the world’s largest electronics company hails from a city just south of Seoul. In order to understand how this transition took place and how some of these small infant startups became international giants, this study begins with a look at Korean history with the focus on early interactions with foreign cultures. The information provides a foundation for understanding why certain decisions were taken when Korea began its post-war journey towards industrialisation in the 1960s. Then, using these details, Korea’s modern ICT Business environment is analysed using case studies to show how the strategies taken earlier have evolved but not disappeared. In today’s world of free trade agreements and international bodies aiming to remove barriers, the rules governing business and the role of government have morphed into a more complex but subtle framework. This thesis shows how ICT companies who can operate within this changing framework can use the situation to their advantage, providing a springboard to international business success. The conclusions from this study will provide an insight into the approaches taken in South Korea to nurture innovation in enterprises and track the paths that these companies took.