Lotte founder's entrepreneurship highlighted at business history congress

Lotte Group founder Shin Kyuk-ho / Courtesy of Lotte Group

A congress on the world's business history cast new light on Lotte Group founder Shin Kyuk-ho's entrepreneurship, highlighting his ability to identify new growth drivers by transcending boundaries across countries and industries.

According to Lotte, Monday, professor Baek In-soo of Osaka University of Economics presented “The Boundless Advantage: A Dynamic Analysis of Lotte Founder Shin Kyuk-ho’s Transnational Entrepreneurial Journey” during Thursday's 2026 World Congress of Business History in Toronto.

Baek previously examined Shin's entrepreneurship in a 2023 study, describing him as a "boundaryless pioneer," and expanded that framework in his latest research. According to Baek, "boundless advantage" refers to the ability to transform knowledge and resources acquired across national, industrial and organizational boundaries into new sources of growth.

The paper divided Shin's life into four stages — youth, early middle age, late middle age and old age — and examined the boundaries he encountered and how he overcame them at each stage based on autobiographies, corporate histories, magazine articles and interviews with former Lotte executives.

The abstract of professor Baek In-soo's research announced at the 2026 World Congress of Business History in Toronto, Thursday / Captured from World Congress of Business History website

The research identified Shin’s boundless advantage as a key driver behind his leadership of Lotte Group's growth from a small confectionary business to one of Asia’s largest conglomerates.

Baek argued that Shin's boundless advantage was not an innate trait but a dynamic capability that was repeatedly developed and renewed throughout his life as he confronted crises and crossed different boundaries.

The research also examined the implications of Shin's entrepreneurship for today's business leaders. It suggested that executives should continuously learn from expertise beyond their own fields and apply it to their organizations, cultivate future talent based on a long-term perspective, and actively delegate authority while remaining ultimately accountable for key decisions.

Participants also shared their views on Baek's research, with some suggesting it could be further developed into a comparative international study examining other cases of transnational entrepreneurship.

"Shin's entrepreneurship is a model case for sustainable growth that remains relevant to today's business leaders," Baek said. "Entrepreneurs aspiring to build new businesses should continue learning to identify new opportunities even in the era of artificial intelligence, cultivate talented people and strive to contribute to society and future generations."