Story of a Big Player from Gangnam

As a matter of fact, when Gun-Ho acquired Mulpasaneop, the workers at the company took him lightly. Gun-Ho had at first joined Mulpasaneop as a managing director before he actually took the company over, but people thought that he was just a second-generation rich kid. When they found out about his previous job working in an accounting department of YS Tech, they were almost sure that his family wasn’t even that rich.

However, as time went on, Gun-Ho started revealing true ability exuding charisma.

“Did you hear that? President Gun-Ho Goo is a big player from Gangnam District, Seoul. He is enormously rich.”

“I heard that he had worked in YS Tech, and also worked in Mulpasaneop as a managing director just in order to gain work experience in the field.”

“Whoa, someone just told me that President Goo acquired a huge building in Gangnam District, which is worth 200 billion won. No wonder the branch managers from some banks and stock brokerage firms always talked to him in a servile attitude with an exaggerating smile.”

“I just talked with the internal auditor. According to him, President Goo has amazingly deep pockets.”

“Did you hear that President Goo is opening a joint venture company with the American world-class enterprise— Lymondell Dyeon? Where did he get all that money?”

“He has just formed another company— GH Media.”

“He has a company in China too. It’s called GH Parts Company. Our former plant manager is currently working there with a temporary advisory position.”

The workers talked a lot about Gun-Ho’s money and his businesses behind his back, and as they learned more, they felt more difficult around him. Some of them even felt scared of Gun-Ho. The assistant manager person, who Jong-Suk was thinking of appointing to an acting manager position, received a direct compliment from Gun-Ho today. He blushed and didn’t know what to say. He particularly felt grateful that Jong-Suk said good things about him to Gun-Ho.

The workers at GH Mobile tried to be recognized by Jong-Suk and get close to him because there was a rumor in the company that Jong-Suk was so close to Gun-Ho that he was like his little brother. Director Jong-Suk Park also got along well with everyone in the company. He treated them as if they were his family. So, the work environment around Director Jong-Suk Park was always cordial and comfortable.

Jong-Suk Park had gradually been changing ever since he was married.

He used to focus on having more fun in life, but now he had a strong desire to achieve something in life.

‘Gun-Ho bro owns several companies, and he will soon combine them and make it a group. He will then take a position of chairman of the group. GH Mobile is one of the major companies among Gun-Ho bro’s businesses. I will someday run GH Mobile as its president. The other executive officers with more experience like President Song and the chief research officer are in their 50s now, and they will have to retire within 10 years. So, if things go smoothly without any unexpected change, I will have my chance to take the position of president here.

The question is whether I will become someone who is capable of running a sizable business like GH Mobile. I have to get ready for the moment when Gun-Ho bro needs someone who would take over the operation. My strength is the technical skills in the field— the production site. But, I’m not good at running a business. If I don’t train myself for it, Gun-Ho bro will have to find someone else who can. He might hire someone from outside. What I can do for now is to finish my college education and get my degree. I will soon graduate from Polytechnics College. I will then transfer to a four-year college and get my bachelor’s degree. Fortunately, there is a four-year college in the area— Korea University of Technology and Education. That is my goal for now!’

Jong-Suk Park was studying so hard in his own way.

Gun-Ho was so proud of Jong-Suk. Jong-Suk was a competent and trustworthy worker and a friend to him. Jong-Suk seemed to manage the production site way better than he expected. The fact was giving Gun-Ho a sense of relief. Having someone, who he can trust, in the production site was critical, especially for a business owner of a manufacturing company.

“I don’t worry about the production department. Also, it was a very good decision of mine that I brought President Song and let him run the business.”

President Song had been working in the industry for a long time, and he had extensive work experience running a company. Gun-Ho remembered what the senior college professor said during the special lecture offered to the students at the Advanced Center for Administrative Development at Seoul National University. He was a very well-known senior lecturer.

[Success and failure in a business hinges on its management. Managing a business is very easy and also difficult. I said it is easy because all you need is to remember the PDCA (Plan-Do-Check-Act) cycle. Once you plan something, you have to carry it out. That’s not all though. You will have to check the ‘do’ part by testing and making an analysis. After that, you will have to take action by improving things based on what you learned from the testing. The PDCA Cycle is the key in management.

Why do you think Admiral Yi, Sun-Sin is considered one of the most respectful military generals in Korean history? Did he have extensive academic knowledge like Scholar-official Ryu, Seong-Ryong? No. Was he then an excellent fighter? Not at all. His enemy generals such as Yoshimasa Kato and Konishi Yukinaga were much better than him at physical fighting. The reason that he is remembered as a great commander is because he adhered to the PDCA Cycle faithfully. A competent commander will comply with this PDCA Cycle.]

Gun-Ho mentally went over the “commanders” who were working for him.

‘In terms of having a defined rule and complying with it, President Jang-Hwan Song is an excellent commander. He does stick with the PDCA Cycle. I feel relieved that Director Jong-Suk Park is having an opportunity to learn management from a person like President Song.’

Gun-Ho thought that he wouldn’t have to worry much about GH Mobile even though it was rapidly growing, because he had reliable and excellent commanders like President Jang-Hwan Song and Director Jong-Suk Park.

Gun-Ho headed to Dyeon Korea in the afternoon.

Director Kim was not in his office; he must be probably at a client site. Gun-Ho thought about Dyeon Korea’s future.

‘Dyeon Korea is currently in its growth phase since it is still a new company. It’s hard to tell about its management status at this moment. Even though the management has to be improved, the most important thing, for now, is to grow the company. Mr. Adam Castler is a foreigner, so I will just let him be aside. Will this company run fine under Director Kim’s management?

Director Kim is an extremely important asset to Dyeon Korea at this growth phase since he is an excellent salesman. But, it seems that he is not very good at managing a business. He is too soft sometimes. We will need someone who can fill in his weakness gaps.’

Gun-Ho thought about who would be able to fill in Director Kim’s softness.

‘What about the internal auditor? Well, first of all, he is older than Director Kim. Second of all, most of his work experience is from financial institutions, not businesses. He is definitely knowledgeable about financial matters since he used to work at a bank, but his skills are not sufficient to run a business in the manufacturing industry’

Gun-Ho then thought about Director Yoon.

‘Director Yoon’s expertise seems to be limited to the construction field. He graduated from the top university— Seoul National University, and he had worked in various construction fields abroad. But, I’ve noticed that he usually stays quiet during a meeting if the topic is not about construction. He is a professional worker, but I doubt that he would be a good general manager. I can’t just give someone the CEO position just because he graduated from the top university.

Well, I guess that I will have to bring in someone for Dyeon Korea’s CEO position from outside the company, or find someone at the director or manager level, who would well support Director Kim.’