JAN 412 - TRAVEL: Creative Geniuses or Hard Workers: Innovation Insights from South Korea

Level:  Upper-division (400 Level)

Please note: First-year students are not permitted to travel internationally for Jan Term

Travel dates: Saturday, Jan 4, 2024 - Sunday, Jan 19, 2025.

Course fee: $4,450

Contact: Tina Xiaotian Zhang, xz4@stmarys-ca.edu
Yung-Jae Lee, ylee@stmarys-ca.edu

South Korea is currently ranked as the world’s most innovative country, beating out countries like Japan, Germany, USA, and China. This Course, “Creative Geniuses or Hard Workers: Innovation Insights from South Korea,” is designed to raise awareness of the culture of Creativity and Innovation in South Korea as well as other Asian countries. Special attention is placed on what makes Korean culture so innovative - are they a highly creative people or is it rooted in a hardworking Asian culture? We look at the role of national culture in two of Korea’s best known creative industries, namely electronics, Kpop and online gaming, to more deeply understand the local and global business contexts that have made companies like Samsung, Hyundai, MBC, and NCSoft, some of the most innovative in the world. We will also compare and contrast Korea and other nations (China and USA) on innovation, to better understand how national systems of innovation are created. 

Participants will learn about Korean creativity and innovation through international immersion, lectures by local professors and industry experts in Korea, interactions with local Korean students, visits to Seoul-based electronics and game development companies, and meetings with Korean innovators, gamers, and business leaders. Participants are expected to deepen their understanding about: 

• The concepts of creativity and innovation, as they apply in the cultural contexts of the South Korea, China and the US

• The society, politics, culture and economy of South Korea

• The various aspects of economic development that support national systems of innovation in South Korea

• Macro-environmental forces affecting organizational and industry level innovation

• Different business models for bringing new product innovations to market

• Attend at least 1 information session

• Permission of the instructor

General Travel Requirements

• Attend at least 1 Health & Safety Orientation (October)

• Submit a valid passport (November)

• Apply or renew no later than September for on-time delivery

• Submit completed & signed health forms + proof of vaccination(s) (November)

Note: Failure to complete one or more of the above requirements will result in an immediate drop from the course. Once registered, all course fees are non-refundable.

Credits: 3-CU