After delivering a statement on the recent Asiana crash that killed two Chinese teenagers, the airline company's president took a long, apologetic bow. It was not just an Asian tradition, it was a sign of deep regret.
Reports show that the Korean people took the accident personally, calling the accident "shameful" to the entire country and all of its people. An office worker believed that the plane crash will make foreigners shun not only Asiana as a company, but Asiana as South Korea itself.
Asiana is among the most widely known companies from South Korea in the world. The mindset of the Korean people, especially the labor force and local investors, is that of fear and wariness. Nationalism and pride is channeled through the success of successful businesses, said Robert Kelly, a political science instructor based in South Korea. The accident, therefore, delivered a terrible blow not only to Asiana but the entire economic climate of the country.
This gloomy economic atmosphere persists in the country, from top executives to the average worker. According to Tan Soo Kee, a scholar from the University of Michigan, explained this phenomenon. This is the intersection of business and culture, and tradition is embedded with corporations.
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