Exploring the Success Factors of K-POP Globalization: Utilizing the VRIO Model

K-POP의 세계시장 진출 성공요인 분석: VRIO 모형을 중심으로

Purpose - This study aims to investigate the success factors pertaining to K-POPs from an analysis of the internal business environment. Much research has investigated Korean Moves or how to popularize them. The research mainly focused on aspects of Korean Moves. However, few studies have attempted to examine Korean Moves or K-POPs from a managerial viewpoint. The current research tries to investigate the success factors of K-POP from strategic perspectives, specifically utilizing internal resource based view perspectives. It differentiates itself by looking at the competitiveness of K-POP from the internal resources. Research design, data, and methodology - In the entertainment industry, where creativity is heavily stressed, competitiveness is often regarded within the organization as a form of intangible asset, knowledge, or technology that is often related with the organization's personnel. Some research has tried to reveal the competitiveness of K-POP using Porter's competitiveness of nations framework. Others utilize the adapted model of Porter's structure. However, these models only look at the outside environment, and not inside a firm's resource, knowledge, or capabilities. This research utilizes the VRIO model to examine the internal resources and capabilities of K-POP producers. The model measures whether a firm's internal resources and capabilities are valuable, rare, difficult to imitate by competitors, or organizable. The research covered businesses whose yearly revenue exceeds $10 Million in music planning and recording in South Korea. There were only thirteen such companies (one percent of the total population). Of these, companies for whom 20 percent or more of the sales revenue comes from the abroad are targeted. Only seven are selected and these participated in the research. In order to find a firm's internal resources, we conducted qualitative research methodology. Their business names and persons who participated in this research are not revealed due to case sensitive issues. Instead, we use unrelated initials for their names and their statements. Results - From the in-depth interview with top-tier K-POP producers and managers, the current research tried to identify resources and capabilities that helped to strengthen their competitiveness. These resources and capabilities are sought from the scope of the VRIO model, which looks at the internal resources and capabilities from the scope of value, rarity, imitability, and organization. Interviews with the top tier producers and managers reveal the internal success factors of K-POPs. We conclude that these resources and capabilities are from internally accumulated producing know-how, unique managing (training) system, and outstanding all-round entertainment capabilities of the performers. Conclusions - These results indicate that the core resources and capabilities of K-POP are robust. It will take a significant amount of time and money to imitate for followers, because these resources and capabilities are the result of time investment and are embedded into producers' and performers' know-how. Taking Luo (2000)'s argument, K-POP is in the second stage of the globalization process, which is configuring and allocation resource capabilities to a global scope.