Korea’s Top University and Students… “KUBS is the Best Value Chain” 

[2024-1st semester New Professor Interview] Professor No Injun

The Korea University Business School (Dean: Kim Sangyong) appointed two new faculty members, Professors Cho Dummim (Finance) and No Injun (LSOM), in March 2024. In light of this, the Business News had an interview with the newly appointed professors, Cho Dummim and No Injun, to introduce their aspirations to the readers.  

Professor No Injun obtained his bachelor's degree in Industrial Engineering from Hanyang University and his master's degree in Industrial Engineering from KAIST. He then earned his Ph.D. in Operations Management from The Ohio State University. He worked as a Quality Engineer at Samsung Electronics and served as an assistant professor at The Pennsylvania State University. 

Q: What motivated you to choose the path of academia after graduating? 

A: Since childhood, I have always told people that my future dream was to become a scientist. So, although I briefly stayed in the industry, it seems natural that I eventually returned to the path of academia. Although I am not a scientist researching basic science or engineering, I consider myself a management scientist, studying Management Science. In a way, it's reminiscent of my childhood dream. 

Q: What is the reason for joining KUBS?  

A: Personally, while living as a professor in the United States, I had a vague desire to return to Korea's prestigious universities and contribute to the development of business studies in Korea. Amidst this, I was fortunate to receive a good opportunity at KUBS, the top business school in Korea. Additionally, my family, especially my wife, who was on leave as an elementary school teacher in the United States, also wanted to continue her career as a teacher in Korea. I am grateful to KUBS for giving me this excellent opportunity. 

Q: What do you consider the charm of the School of Business at Korea University? 

A: Firstly, it is undoubtedly the top business school in Korea, and from a research environment perspective, it provides conditions similar to leading universities in the United States, allowing for high-quality research. Additionally, I feel that nothing is lacking in terms of students' intellectual level, class participation, and English proficiency. Therefore, I consider the high level of students as one of the charms of KUBS.  

Q: As a professor at KUBS, what teaching methods do you employ for your students? 

A: Basically, as long as the lecture content permits, I prefer interactive and participatory classes such as group discussions, presentations, or solving problems on their own rather than one-way lectures (of course, if the lecture content itself is theoretical, lecture-oriented teaching is inevitable). Also, I make efforts to discover and introduce cases that demonstrate how the course contents are being applied in actual business environments. 

Q: Could you introduce the current course you are teaching? 

A: I am currently teaching the subject ‘Operations Management.’ In summary, the course teaches basic theories and methodologies that can help make any work, regardless of the field or major, more efficient. Fundamentally, it instills a mindset of pursuing efficiency.  

Q: If you were to express "KUBS is _____" in one word, what would it be? 

A: I would like to say "Best value chain." Value chain simply refers to all activities or a series of processes that a business undertakes to provide valuable outputs (products, services) to consumers. I consider KUBS to be the best business school in Korea because it provides an advanced learning and research environment that fosters excellent students who can create significant value for our society and ultimately the world. 

Q: What kind of professor do you aspire to be for your students? 

A: I hope to be a professor who provides practical help to students. I would like to be able to offer appropriate advice based on my experiences in the industry and as a professor when students have concerns about their future careers. Additionally, I hope that the contents of the courses I have taught can somehow be helpful to students in their future careers.