A study highlighting the entrepreneurial spirit of Shin Kyuk-ho, founder of Lotte, was presented at the 2026 World Congress of Business History.
The World Congress of Business History is an international academic conference where business history researchers from North America, Europe, Japan and other regions gather every four years to share their research findings.
At this year's conference, held recently in Toronto, the theme was "global connections and diversification." Participants noted that business history research is expanding beyond company histories centered on individual countries and moving toward global and interdisciplinary approaches. Comparative studies that spotlight managers who crossed regional and cultural boundaries and operated across national borders also drew strong interest, moving beyond a Western-centric, single-model view of management.
Professor Baek In-soo of Osaka University of Economics presented a paper on June 30 titled "Boundless Advantage: A Dynamic Study of Lotte founder Shin Kyuk-ho's Entrepreneurial Journey Across Borders." Baek had previously presented research on Shin's entrepreneurial spirit in 2023 under the theme "A Borderless Market Pioneer, Lotte's Shin Kyuk-ho." In this latest presentation, he revisited that legacy through the new concept of "Boundless Advantage." The term refers to the ability to transform knowledge and resources gained by crossing boundaries such as national borders, industries and organizations into new engines of growth.
The study divided Shin's life into four stages — youth, early and later middle age, and old age — and analyzed the boundaries he faced in each period and how he overcame them. It particularly assessed his Boundless Advantage, developed through his crossing of boundaries in literature, politics, industry and management, as a key factor behind the growth of Lotte Group. The study also drew implications for modern business leaders. It argued that managers should continuously learn expertise from outside their own boundaries and apply it to their organizations, cultivate successors and future talent with a long-term perspective, and delegate authority actively while still taking ultimate responsibility for final decisions.
After the presentation, questions and comments from attendees continued to focus on Shin's entrepreneurial spirit. Professor Krautcher of the University of Graz in Austria asked for the presentation materials and suggested that the work could become even more meaningful if developed into an international comparative study with cases of transnational entrepreneurship from other countries.
Baek said, "The entrepreneurial spirit of founder Shin Kyuk-ho is an example that can still point today's entrepreneurs toward sustainable growth," adding, "For entrepreneurs who dream of starting a business, even in the AI era, they must keep learning about new opportunities, nurture outstanding talent, and contribute to society and the future."
Kim Sohyung, compact@sportschosun.com
This article has been translated by GripLabs Mingo AI.
