Yulgok Yi was a man of 16th century having most advanced thoughts in Korean history. He was ardent to apply his practical Confucian way of thinking to the dynasty management to make the country morally and economically rich. He asserted the Confucian ...
Yulgok Yi was a man of 16th century having most advanced thoughts in Korean history. He was ardent to apply his practical Confucian way of thinking to the dynasty management to make the country morally and economically rich. He asserted the Confucian learning and practicing should be efficient and effective in real form. He fully recognized the national managerial problems and inefficiency. Without _hesitation, He revealed these problems with strong suggestions. He wanted the country’s reformation, especially on land control and tax system, civil service and administration, and other managerial fields. His reforming spirit and suggestions gave us much meaningful insights how to transform and manage the nation and its organizations wisely. The well-founded economy and efficient management is essential to make the reformation works.
Yi’s managerial mind came from worry consciousness(憂患意識) for the nation’s future. He had integrated mind to solve the problems and to reconstruct the nation according to the Confucian idealism. He emphasized the Confucian ethical code of conduct in management. The ethical disorders will bring spiritual disaster and economic setbacks. The sound management practices will bring the nation a greatly-unified society(大同社會), However, he preferred gradual change to radical one.
Managerially speaking, he wanted nondiscriminatory hiring system, competent performance and proper rewarding system, harmonized leadership, open communication, restructuring, discipline and so on. He hated bureaucratic dysfunctions. His holistic, practical, future-oriented management thoughts left us meaningful heritage of change, reformation, and transformation in Korean management history.