Entrepreneurship in Korea From Chaebols to Start-ups

Entrepreneurship in Korea offers a fresh perspective on entrepreneurship in Korea by combining a historical review of the achievements of Korean entrepreneurs at each stage of economic development with an analysis of the activities of current entrepreneurs who are at the forefront of the new Korean age. It discusses the crucial role of business entrepreneurship in each stage of Korea?s transformation from an underdeveloped East Asian backwater to a global manufacturing and technology powerhouse throughout the last 100 years. Furthermore, it provides an up-to-date analysis of contemporary start-up entrepreneurship in Korea and discusses its unique characteristics, strengths and weaknesses.

Authors identify specific features of entrepreneurship in Korea, why and how business entrepreneurs have been so successful and effective, how their entrepreneurial styles and activities have changed over time, which challenges Korean start-up entrepreneurs are currently facing, and how these challenges may be addressed.

Part I Introduction 1.Entrepreneurship: driving force of the Korean economic miracle Part II Entrepreneurs across stages of Korea’s economic development 2. Early Korean entrepreneurs 3. Small-scale entrepreneurs turned large: chaebol founders 4. New Korean entrepreneurs: venture firm and start-up founders 5. Synthesis: features of Korean entrepreneurs from a global perspective Part III Korean start-up entrepreneurship in the twenty-first century 6.The start-up ecosystem of Seoul 7. Resources, business strategies and performance of Korean start-ups: a survey data analysis 8. The entrepreneurial activities of technology start-ups in Seoul: a longitudinal interview study 9. Synthesis: characteristics of start-up entrepreneurship in Korea Part IV Conclusion and outlook 10.The essence and future of Korean entrepreneurshipBibliography. Index

Martin Hemmert is Professor of International Business at Korea University in Seoul. His research interests include international comparative studies of management systems, innovation systems and entrepreneurial ecosystems, organizational boundaries of firms, and inter-organizational research collaborations, with a focus on East Asian countries.

Jae-Jin Kim is a Faculty of Hoseo University Business School and teaches international business, strategic management, and international business practice. He received a Ph.D. in International Business at Korea University Business School. He also has working experience in various firms, including multinational corporations.