> MEETINGS to last no more than 30 minutes; junior staff allowed to speak freely with superiors; a cut in bonuses for bosses whose teams do not take enough holidays. Since 2012 “Pride”, a handbook, has set a new tone for the internal culture of Hyundai Capital. Departments whose staff work latest into the evening are listed on the firm’s intranet: not to hold them up as models of hard work, but to tell them off for not working efficiently enough.

Noticed something missing? Like, employees taking initiatives or changing something. Instead, "cultural change" is mandated from the top. "You have to be less hierarchical, and here's an employment handbook telling you how to!"

The more things change, the more they stay the same...