CLASS ASSIGNMENT
BY- SAKSHI SINHA & NIMISHA KUMARI
1. How did HYBE (formerly Big Hit) embody Fayol’s five
management functions— planning, organizing, commanding,
coordinating, and controlling—through its transformation from
an artist-driven indie label into a global entertainment
conglomerate?
HYBE and Fayol’s Five Management Functions
A) Planning: Bang Si-hyuk started Big Hit (later HYBE) with a clear
plan to focus on real music and storytelling instead of the usual
idol image. Later, the company planned bigger goals like going
public on the stock market, buying other labels (Source Music,
Pledis, Ithaca Holdings), and creating platforms like Weverse for
fans.
B) Organizing: HYBE arranged its work into three parts—Labels (for
artists), Platforms (like Weverse for fans), and Solutions (events
and marketing). Each label like Source Music or Pledis kept its own
style but still worked under HYBE’s structure.
C) Commanding (Leading): The founder gave strong direction and
believed in artists having freedom to express themselves. For
example, BTS wrote about social issues and personal feelings,
which connected with fans. This leadership motivated both artists
and staff.
D) Coordinating: HYBE made sure music, concerts, and merchandise
all worked together. Through Weverse, fans could get updates,
buy products, and join livestreams in one place. It also
coordinated globally by adding artists like Justin Bieber and Ariana
Grande through Ithaca Holdings.
E) Controlling: The company kept watch over quality and made
changes when problems came. During COVID-19, HYBE managed
losses by holding online concerts. It also maintained discipline
with big projects like their IPO and global expansion.
2. In its rapid global expansion, to what extent did HYBE align with
or diverge from Max
Weber’s model of bureaucracy, which emphasizes hierarchy,
specialization, and formal rules?
Max Weber’s bureaucracy focuses on clear hierarchy,
specialization, and formal rules. HYBE shows both alignment and
differences with this model:
HYBE became more structured after rebranding in 2021, dividing
into Labels, Platforms, and Solutions. This shows hierarchy like
Weber suggested. But at the same time, HYBE tried to keep
creativity alive in each label, so the hierarchy was not too rigid.
The company followed specialization by letting each part focus on
its own area—Labels for artists, Platforms for digital fan services,
and Solutions for events and marketing. Acquired labels like
Source Music or Pledis also specialized in their own artist style.
HYBE did have systems, especially for IPO and global deals. But
unlike strict bureaucracy, it also encouraged flexibility and
creativity. For example, BTS was allowed to write their own songs
and express social issues, which is not typical in a very rule-based
system.
3. Do HYBE’s digital innovations—particularly platforms like
Weverse—reflect, adapt,
or depart from Frederick Taylor’s principles of scientific
management, such as
standardization, efficiency, and the separation of planning from
execution?
HYBE’s digital innovations, especially Weverse, can be seen as
both similar to and different from Taylor’s principles of scientific
management. On one hand, the platform reflects Taylor’s ideas of
standardization and efficiency because it brings everything—fan
updates, merchandise, livestreams, and translations—into one
system that saves time and makes the experience smoother. It also
improves efficiency by letting fans preorder concert goods and
avoid long queues. However, HYBE does not fully follow Taylor’s
idea of separating planning from execution. While the company
planned the platform, artists themselves still post, interact, and
communicate directly with fans, which means the boundary
between planning and execution is blurred.
4. Imagine you are tasked with crafting a company-wide internal
initiative to repair trust
and reinforce ethical governance at HYBE—what symbolic theme
or project would you design (e.g., a “reset” storytelling series,
interactive town halls, or a visual campaign
linking artistry with accountability)?
If I had the chance to design a project for HYBE, I would start an
initiative called “The Reset.” This would be a storytelling series
where both employees and artists share personal experiences
about challenges they faced and how they overcame them. These
stories could be shared through short videos, newsletters, or even
wall displays inside the company building.
5. If you were to design a hybrid management model for HYBE—
integrating classical
structures (e.g., based on Fayol or Weber) with modern values
like flexibility,
empowerment, and ethical oversight—what specific
mechanisms (such as creative
ouncils, transparent decision-making protocols, or ethics
ombudsman roles) would
you propose to balance artistic freedom with corporate
accountability?
If we had to make a hybrid management model for HYBE, we
would keep some old-style structure but also add modern values.
The old style, like in Weber and Fayol, can help the company stay
clear about who does what in Labels, Platforms, and Solutions. At
the same time, we would add modern practices like open
meetings where artists and employees can give suggestions, so
they feel included. We would also bring in a trust officer or ethics
team to check that rules are fair and no one is misused. Along
with this, flexible work systems could be added so that people can
manage stress better.