Discursive Metamorphosis of Kkondae: Investigating the Usage of Kkondae across Organizational Contexts

In this study, we explore discursive patterns of Kkondae across organizational structures. The term “Kkondae,” widely used in Korean society, possesses unique characteristics with diverse interpretations. By considering the organizational contexts, this research aims to illuminate the varying understandings of “Kkondae” across organizations. Given that discourses reflect an embedded social structure as well as individuals use discursive forms to enact their social structure, we postulate that different usages of Kknodae in different workplaces are a product of the ongoing interactions between employees and their organizational structures. In particular, since Kkondae itself has a negative connotation, its different usages in different organizations indicate that the patterns of internal group conflicts in each organization can be discerned by its usage of Kkondae. To test this idea, a data mining approach is employed, collecting 3,427 review texts from seven companies over an eight-year-seven-month period. Through various comprehensive text analyses, the study investigates how employees utilize the term “Kkondae” to express dissatisfaction with the organizational structure in which they are embedded. Our findings present that, based on the distinctive characteristics of Korean society, including the presence of an authoritarian hierarchy, informal hierarchy, and a labor-market hierarchy, different usage of ‘Kkondae’ can appear. This study provides valuable insights into interpreting and understanding the implications of Kkondae discourses within organizational contexts. By uncovering embedded grievances, this study expands our understandings of organizational language and its impact on employee perceptions.