5 Months in Korea: What Not To Do In the Business World

Well it has now been 5 months that I have been in Korea. I remember thinking during week one that this would be one helluva long year! Time flies! This blog will be a reflection on business practices that I have noticed and valuable lessons I have learned should I ever decide to become and entrepreneur.

First, I would like to say somethings about what I have learned about in regards to Business Administration. No one I work with knows about this website nor could they read it; so, I am allowed to be slightly and safely critical. I am now completely certain that my academy was thrown together in a moments notice to supply a growing demand that plateaued about two years ago; in a time when all you needed was desks, an address, and some mediocre teachers. Now that the demand for academies has plateaued, the ones that are standing the tests of time are the academies with good business models, which you will find does not include mine. For Example:
*My academy has no system in place for initial assesment of new students, as well as no system for placing the new students in the appropriate level English class; students are placed solely by age. What does this mean? Everyday I come to class, or get a new class, I get students who are the same age, but can't barely speak, while others are more than proficient. How do you teach that class? Not only this, but my class sizes change weekly without warning, which is a bad sign . How do you plan appropriately? This problem is easy to solve, but is not and presents our academy as unorganized and careless.

*Across the board, other academies have strict, uniform rules that followed methodically for the regular implementation of homework, testing, routine assesment, and discipline. This does not exist at my academy. Not only does it represent our academy in a poor light, but it gives the kids the upperhand and room to argue; this is unacceptable.

*There is no set curriculum at my academy. Kids are switched from class to class and have to buy books everytime they change. This sends another bad message home to our investors, the parents. The message--we don't know what we are doing with your money.

*There is no employee support. There is no employee accountability. We need our director to take a page out of Obama's play book and "REGULATE" like Warren G. Weekly meetings should be held with all teachers to discuss their lesson plans and the pace of their teachings. Grammar, writing, listening, and speaking classes should be coordinating with eachother so that there can be continuity between lessons. Teachers must have a lesson plan for each class, as well as testing and homework schedules. All of this should be kept in a binder, organized and neat to show parents and students should disputes over methods arise or to impress a potential customer. Approved teaching supplements and resources should be provided for all courses; however, right now, I am given a class and told to go talk to them for an hour and a half.

*It is an English academy and the only language that is spoken is Korean. Parents come into our academy and hear no children speaking English. There is just children running around screaming Korean and rough-housing. Korean should be outlawed in English academies. This is of no concern at my academy, so far as I can tell. This behavior is dismissed throughout the chain of command.

*Finally, there is no relationship with our customers, the parents. We should do an open house to advertise our academy and show our parents what we are doing for their children, who will be teaching them, what their qualifications are, what the curriculum is, how we are organized and so on. Not just, give us your money, we will throw some English at your kids face like wet spaghetti at a wall; let's see what sticks.

The good news about these problems, if you can imagine any, is that they will be fairly easy to change and cheap. None of them are serious pecuniary issues. Also, we have good teachers; teacher that I believe would like to see these changes, who are diligent and hardworking.

The bad news is that in Korean culture I have no platform to speak to my boss on these matters, and I do not believe he fully understands what is necessary to right the ship.

KICKS ASS: My exercise regimen is getting pretty intense. I ran a 19:34 3-mile. I am starting to lose even more weight.

SUCKS ASS: The beers on the weekend make me feel like I am spinning my wheels a little. Oh yeah, and war looks eminent between N. and S. Korea.

THERE WILL BE ANOTHER BLOG POST TOMORROW. -- WSR