Putting things in place and order is my power(2)

A book for children's self-esteem, 'I love myself'

Putting things in place and order is also a manner to care about others. Let's imagine empty cans and snack packs are messed up and scattered around at public libraries. Visitors can undoubtedly frown at them. 

However, parents' burdens could be much more relieved if things are put in place and order neatly. This kind of clean environments can provide a better place for students to study at school and people can pleasantly pay a visit to the public areas. 

A good habit does not require a huge determination, but it merely requires a sincere attitude being developed by both parents and children on a daily life basis. Once the well-formed habit is successfully executed, children's self-reliance and self-confidence can grow impeccably. 

Well-formed habits, at the end of the day, also assist children to achieve their goals. Putting things in place and order may seem small and trivial at first. But if continuously carried out, needless to say, it would provide amazing power to grow ourselves.

Putting things in place and order is my power(1)

A book for children's self-esteem, 'I love myself'

'What is learned in the cradle is carried to the tomb.' Have you ever heard of this? This famous proverb represents that fixed habits are very difficult to be switched. On the other hand, if a decent habit is being formed from the early childhood, it continues to play an important role in our life. 

As an example, early developed children's habits, going to bed and waking up early, and not complaining about food quality, can bring a positive impact on later stages of adulthood's healthy life styles. Putting things in place and order is no less important than above types of habits.

If children's belongings are put in place correctly on an everyday basis, these belongings are easily found whenever necessary. Putting things in order is not only a way to cherish our belongings but also a way to love and respect ourselves. This habit can teach us how to live in a neat way and how to live ourselves more transparently with a neatly arranged mindset.

College Education, a Must?(5)

How successfully students of 6 Special High Schools and Meister High Schools get a job

Expectation on the first graduates of two meister high schools in February of 2013, 'Suwon Hi-tech High School(Industrial-educational collaboration)' and 'Wonju Medical Instruments High School(Differentiation)' is high. 

These schools would be especially important to those parents whose kids soon advance to high schools. It is a still long way to go. But from the bottom of my heart, I sincerely hope stories of these schools will surely spread to all over the country. 

In doing so, this book can serve a timely opportunity to have the society slept on the significance of all-pervading academic cliquism-inflation and desirable models of vocational education in Korea.

College Education, a Must?(4)

How successfully students of 6 Special High Schools and Meister High Schools get a job

My book was born based upon these backgrounds. Since Bubsung High School, I have pondered over how to engage myself in other cases of exemplary special high schools and meister high schools. 5 other high schools were finally selected and introduced to this e-book along with Bubsung High School. 

Foundation principles and goals of these schools are all different. In addition, these 6 schools aren't yet to be called best vocational schools in Korea. However, there's no doubt these schools have enhanced unique education programs to bring up young talented resources.

'Bubsung High School(School Enterprise)', 'Seoul Girls' Commercial High School(Personality Education)', 'Suwon High School for Agricultural Science(Customized Education)' and 'Induk Technical High School(Internationalization)' are special high schools where the Korean public should exemplify.

College Education, a Must?(3)

How successfully students of 6 Special High Schools and Meister High Schools get a job

Bubsung High School's story is something more than good news. I was obligated that the public has a right to appreciate this trivial, but meaningful success story. 

In fact, the story imminently showcased a negative impact from Korean hakbulism(academic cliquism) which resulted in discrimination and alienation against graduates of special high schools and fierce competition in resume management to college graduates, I believe. 

After my article was released, Korean media professionals rushed to Bubsung High School to cover them into their own and even Japanese business start-ups came to Korea to benchmark the school. My story's sudden fame brought me a great confidence as well.

College Education, a Must?(2)

How successfully students of 6 Special High Schools and Meister High Schools get a job

The online shopping mall launched less than a year ago has monthly revenue of 10 million Korean Won could be surprising news to anybody. 

In other words, it was such a great news source that could quench thirst of curious journalists like me who's been longing for something unique to write.

My visit to Bubsung High School turned out to be a great anecdote. When I paid a second visit to the school 8 months later, Bubsungmall even reached revenue of 100 million Korean Won per annum. 

College Education, a Must?(1)

How successfully students of 6 Special High Schools and Meister High Schools get a job

Back in spring in 2009 I was still a journalist. I had a dinner with professionals from an IT solution firm which built online shopping malls for special high schools in Korea. 

Discussions and chats related to a special high school named 'Bubsung High School' were brought upon to these folks. It is located in Yeonggwang-gun, Jeollanam-do where it boasts the largest production of dried yellow corvinas in Korea.

Teachers and students of Bubsung High School, via online shopping mall called 'Bubsungmall', sold dried yellow corvinas and other local products nationwide.

Knowledge Network is Power(13)

'Global Mando', Knowledge Network is Power

It is not too much to say that knowledge management will draw more and more attention from all types of organizations in the future. Definition of knowledge management can be different from one company to another. 

However, nobody argues that only the firm establishment of knowledge management can guarantee the survival of any given organization.

As showed above, Mando Corporation is one of the best role model for knowledge management. Undoubtedly, knowledge management resurrected a dishonored company into a highly promising star.

As Mr. Oh implied, without knowledge management, Mando may already have been liquidated. In this point of view, lessons from the story of Mando insist that knowledge management should be spread into every single part of a society.

Knowledge Network is Power(12)

'Global Mando', Knowledge Network is Power

- Combination: It is combination that differentiates Mando's knowledge management from competitors. Global knowledge network, product life management program enabled the company to analyze, disseminate and edit explicit knowledge. As a result, Mando's knowledge management was widely claimed a unique system.

- Internalization: Mando didn't stop at the combination stage. Rather, it stepped forward to reach internalization, which means completion of the SECI model. For example, community of practice activities played crucial roles in embodying explicit knowledge throughout the entire organization.

Tacit knowledge such as craft and know-how, explicit knowledge such as manuals and management system, exchanged with each other harmoniously and thus created a virtuous circle of ever–advancing knowledge management system.

Knowledge Network is Power(11)

'Global Mando', Knowledge Network is Power

Against this background, in application of SECI model , Mando's knowledge management can be analyzed as following:

- Socialization: From central and local research centers to manufacturing facilities both at home and abroad, all employees captured tacit knowledge such as know-how and perspectives. With untrapped mind, people at Mando accumulated and dispersed tacit knowledge step by step.

- Externalization: Externalization realized when Mando took strong initiatives in knowledge management in spite of bankruptcy. Through peer group sharing and dialogue, experts' tacit knowledge articulated and gradually translated to explicit knowledge into understandable and relevant form.

Knowledge Network is Power(10)

'Global Mando', Knowledge Network is Power

One of the distinguished aspects of the Mando’s knowledge management is the unique performance evaluation indexes. Mando came up with its own evaluation tools which measure how much knowledge management contributed to the corporate performance.

Starting in 2006, Mando designated knowledge asset assessment and management system as the top priority of CKO (Chief Knowledge Officer). Consequently, Mando set up the overt goal and evaluated the performance of knowledge management, which brought the active participation of the employee and never-ending commitment of the management.

On top of that, Mando has changed the corporate culture so that employees can freely use the community of practice into works. For example, through community of practice activities, employees define what Mando’s core competency is in terms of competitive advantage and recreate core knowledge. 

Additionally, in pursuit of global communities of practice between oversea investors and partners, Mando widens knowledge management activities even outside the company.

Knowledge Network is Power(9)

'Global Mando', Knowledge Network is Power

Thanks to this innovation, Mando could dramatically reduce customer complaints and costs in quality control and inventory, all of which had caused big fraction in and outside of the organization. It is due to Mando's sharing of real-time information of domestic, overseas research centers and factories. 

This sharing also narrowed information gap and even expanded the knowledge scope of the organization. Throughout all these, Mando perfectly established a 'global cooperation system'. Moreover, Mando also cut down management cost and enhanced customer satisfaction by maintaining concrete production information and improving product quality. All of them led to the upgrade of Mando's global management capability.

According to the company, productivity was estimated to elevate by more than 200% and 20 billion won-equivalent outcomes were attained thanks to the global R&D knowledge management. Besides, Mando did full-page revision of its intellectual assets such as company codes, information system manual and quality management system into a 'global Mando standard manual'.

Knowledge Network is Power(8)

'Global Mando', Knowledge Network is Power

The central research center in Korea leads the development projects of the new technology and global R&D. Furthermore the center establishes and operates the optimal 'global R&D response system' by collecting customer demands and technology information in close cooperation with research centers in Beijing and India, technology centers in America and Germany. 

'Global Specification Management System' is the best example. Product information of both domestic and overseas investors and partners is efficiently exchanged throughout the whole process of product development, from the planning stage to mass production and quality control level. 

In the same context, PLM program enables research centers, domestic factories and overseas investors to share information on technology, parts development and product specification management.

Knowledge Network is Power(7)

'Global Mando', Knowledge Network is Power

These experts who have been at Mando more than 5 years are the holders of core technologies in their own R&D (Research and Development) area. They act as a go-between to disperse their knowledge into co-workers who join the development project.

In doing so, Mando shortened the required time for the development of new technology and invigorated R&D. At the same time, by stocking knowledge from community of practice activities, Mando encourages all employees see and learn the know-how of in-house experts. 

Mando's knowledge management does not just stay in sharing, utilizing and creating corporate knowledge. Rather, it advances to global network which ties foreign investors and partners together.

Knowledge Network is Power(6)

'Global Mando', Knowledge Network is Power

Let us talk about the intelligent car project for example, which was under development at that moment. The central research center was deeply involved in advanced development. 

In other words, the central research center mainly provided the concept of technology and devised necessary electronic and controlling technology. Furthermore, the center performed prototype tests as well.

In the meantime, once the quality and specifications of a product fixed, local research centers take the responsibility of mass production and after sale response.

Right after the development project of the intelligent car begins, in-house experts armed with related knowledge and experiences, immediately rush to the corporate research centers.