Supercorporate

Michael M. Prentice is Lecturer in Korean Studies at the School of East Asian Studies, University of Sheffield.

• Introduction1. A New Tower2. Infrastructures of Distinction3. Old Spirits of Capitalism4. Surveying Sangdo5. Interrupting Democracy6. Virtual EscapesConclusion: Hidden DistinctionsMethodological Appendix

"A major ethnographic study, Supercorporate offers a rare glimpse into the social world within a corporation where far more than economic production takes place. Readers will be struck by the book's far-reaching implications for comprehending the conflicts between hierarchy and democracy."—Greg Urban, University of Pennsylvania "Prentice's revelatory book unveils the HR practices of a Korean conglomerate as it shifts from overwork and forced conviviality to carrying out meritocratic ideals. This organization in transition reflects its society at large. A must-read for both researchers and practitioners engaged in collaborative endeavors across or within corporations."—Katherine Chen, The City College of New York, CUNY "Prentice has written an interesting and useful account of both changes in the corporate work environment in neoliberal South Korea and the continuities in its corporate organizational forms. Hierarchies are not necessarily simply flattened out: they have been morphin in ways shaped by both the profit motive and social expectations."—Vladimir Tikhonov, Asian Studies Review "Supercorporate delivers on its promises. The book clarifies the nuances involved in incentivizing employees through balancing opportunities for distinction and participation amid hierarchical infrastructures. It is in those office programs where 'post-hierarchy' South Korea could be found. Supercorporate thus offers a timely ethnography of South Korean office life and its multifaceted hierarchies."—Olga Fedorenko, Pacific Affairs "[Prentice's] work goes beyond the superficial observation of some empirical facts about working conditions in Korean companies. His work is interesting and eye-opening in many ways."—Peter Mayer, Anthropos