Dong A Socio Group announced on July 11 that it will hire new employees solely on a “blind application” basis with no consideration given to the general educational background or birth place, becoming the first firm to do so in the pharmaceutical industry in Korea.
The group said Dong A Socio Holdings and Dong A Pharmacy will hire 40 new employees on the blind application system in the first half, and later name them as regular employees based on their performances on new jobs after being hired.
The group plans to hire some 200 new employees for its affiliates next year on “blind” employment applications, which the group started after revising employee application methods used since 1959.
The applicants don’t have to write down their birth places, family relations or educational backgrounds on the application papers; they only write down their names, contacts, qualifications, related experiences and educational qualification. Interviews will be held with interviewers not knowing the backgrounds of those being interviewed.
President Hyun Jong-hyun said they are trying to be in step with the blind employment tests advocated by the government.
A number of business firms have been hiring new employees on blind employment methods, including GS Retail. Lotte Group has been hiring new employees according to the practice since 2015, calling the system the “Lotte Spectacle Audition.” The group’s 16 affiliates, led by Lotte Information Communication, employed 100 new employees in the first half including some interns on the employment system.
Envisioning Asia making a global impact in the pharmaceutical industry, Dong-A Socio Group welcomes partnerships with the region's pharmaceutical companies for the development of groundbreaking new drugs.
"The pharmaceutical sector is very competitive. Without cooperation, Asian companies face a challenge competing globally," says Lee Dong-hoon, executive vice-president and CEO.
"We should all be open to different collaborative opportunities and leverage the Asian market together." Dong-A Socio Group has built strong relationships with pharmaceutical companies across the world, especially those from Europe, Japan and Indonesia.
The company believes further collaboration with more pharmaceutical players will result in greater breakthroughs in the international health sector.
Established in 1932, Dong-A Socio Group operates three main companies plus subsidiaries in medicine, beverages, logistics, information technology and machinery.
Among the main companies is Dong-A Socio Holdings, which oversees the group's operations and implements its growth strategies. Under Dong-A Socio Holdings, Dong-A Pharmaceuticals and Dong-A ST manage the over-the-counter (OTC) consumer products and prescription drugs segments, respectively.
Dong-A Pharmaceuticals carries a wide selection of products, including mouthwash, feminine hygiene products and cold medicine. Among the many best-selling products of Dong-A Pharmaceuticals is Bacchus, a taurine-fortified energy-boosting drink.
Since launching in 1963, Bacchus has grown into South Korea's No. 1 energy drink, becoming an iconic homegrown brand. Dong-A Socio Group's lucrative sales from Bacchus over the years have helped the company fund its extensive R&D activities. The company's reported sales from Bacchus amounted to HK$1.3 billion in 2013.
Banking on the strengths of the combined portfolio of Dong-A Pharmaceuticals and Dong-A ST, Dong-A Socio Group is bullish in growing its export activities. The year 2014 marked Dong-A Socio Group's more aggressive foray into the global market.
Specifically, Dong-A Socio's Chinese subsidiary, Suzhou Dong-A, is driving the company's growing business on the mainland.
Aside from producing and distributing Bacchus in China, Suzhou Dong-A trades consumer and OTC products from South Korea. Through Suzhou Dong-A, the group aims to facilitate the registration and launch of Dong-A ST's tuberculosis drug cycloserine and terizidone, and the erectile dysfunction drug Zydena (Udenafil) in the next five years.
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