환경결정론과 전략적 선택론에 대한 논의 재 점화

A Revisit to Discussions on Environmental Determinism vs. Strategic Choice: Centered on the Case of Korean Idol Music Industry

본 연구는 조직이론의 두 핵심이론인 환경결정론과 전략적 선택론에 대한 역사적 논쟁을 재 점화하기 위한 의도로 사례연구를 수행하였다. 사례대상은 한국의 아이돌 음악산업이었다. 이곳의 대표적 제작사인 SM, YG, JYP가 관찰되었다. 본 연구는 다음의 결론에 도달하게 되었다. 한국의 아이돌 음악산업에서는 환경결정론과 전략적 선택론에 의해 설명 가능한 현상이 동시에 존재한다는 것이다. 이는 기존의 두 이론의 긴장 또는 충돌 관점에서는 해석하기 어려운 것이다. 이에 대한 해석을 위해 환경결정론과 전략적 선택론은 양립 가능하다는 주장이 활용되었다. 하지만 논리적 설명을 위한 이론은 경영학의 조직이론이 아닌 생물학에서 빌려왔다. 이들 분야에서는 공통적 진화, 중심진화 또는 수렴진화에 대한 논의와 진화 다양성, 주변진화 또는 확산진화에 대한 논의가 진행되고 있었다. 이들의 주장을 빌리자면 한국의 아이돌 음악산업에서 나타나는 동질성은 공통적 진화, 중심진화 또는 수렴진화의 산물이고, 이질성은 진화 다양성, 주변진화 또는 확산진화의 산물이다. 본 연구는 연구행위와 관련된 시사점에 대하여도 논의하였다. 첫 번째는 경영학에서 다루는 기저에 깔린 가정을 잊어서는 안 된다는 것이다. 두 번째는 경영학과 관련된 연구는 다양한 해석이 가능하다는 것이다.

This study was performed with the object of re-stimulating historical discussions of environmental determinism vs. strategic choice in the case of Korean idol music industry. Historically these two theories were understood in a conflict or tensional relationship in that environmental determinism created organizational similarities and strategic choice produced organizational dissimilarities. SM, YG, JYP Entertainment, the big three entertainment companies in this industry and under quite similar environments, were observed. It was found that these three companies had homogeneous and heterogeneous traits at the same time. The three companies shared the exactly same systems of 'casting-training-production- management'which was not observed in the US and Japan. However, their strategies and managerial orientation of how they trained singers, produced songs and launched them to market were quite different. SM employed a strict bureaucratic type system, YG used community-based system and JYP preferred one man show type system. SM and JYP were adventurous to explore foreign music market compared to YG. To reconcile what were found in the Korean music idol industry, this study borrowed logic from a compatibility perspective on environmental determinism and strategic choice (Hrebiniak and Joyce, 1985) as well as logic from bioecology. To explain, in bioecology homogeneity/heterogeneity topics include common traits vs. diversity, central vs. peripheral evolution, and convergent and divergent evolution. Common traits evolution, central and convergent evolution explain similar traits or behaviors of organisms, which are the result of environmental selection. Environmental selection falls in line with environmental determinism in organization theory. Diversities in evolution, and peripheral and divergent evolution explains differences in the same species, implying a possibility of an organism's active adaption, which falls in line with strategic choice in organization theory. Taken together, homogeneity observed in the three entertainment companies can be explained as a result of common traits, central or convergent evolution, and heterogeneity can be explained as a result of the influence of diversity, peripheral or divergent evolution. Implications of the study are suggested. First, it was emphasized that researchers should not forget where their arguments were based on. The main streams of organization theories stand on the environmental determinism or strategic choice theory. Without clear recognition of root theories where researchers stand on it is likely that they make a mistake to interpret what they observe. Second, it was urged that an attention should be paid on the possibilities of interpretable diversity when researchers explain organizational phenomena. Researchers' mistakes ignoring competitive theories often happen when hypotheses or research questions were supported by an empirical or case study in the context of one theory. It was also pointed out that explanations of this study should be interpreted in cautions. First, the evolutionary theories of bioecology used to explain homogeneity and heterogeneity of organisms in this study are not yet accepted in organization theory. However, the possibility exists that they do bear relevance. Organization literature already uses many conceptual models from bioecology. The biology concept of fit which is a core part of contingency theory is a well known example. Terms of variation, selection and retention, repeatedly used in the study of organizational ecology, are another examples. These imply that theories employed from bioecology for the current study could be relevant to organization theory. Secondly, the Korean idol music industry is relatively young and could still be considered in its introduction or growth stage. According to evolution theory of 'variation → selection → retention', this time frame could be interpreted at most as the time of variation. As th