본 논문에서는 선경직물을 창립하여 SK그룹(구 선경그룹)이라는 업계의 거목으로 키운 담연 최종건 창업회장의 발자취를 한국경제발전사적관점에서 추적하였다. 본 논문은 담연 최종건 창업회장의 모습을 통계적인 자료를 통하여 분석하였는데 이는 선경그룹이 비록 대연각 화재로 인해 자료가 상당부문 사라졌지만 선경이라는 그룹은 시대의 흐름 속에서 다양한 모습으로 남아 있기에 가장 객관적이고 명확한 설명이 가능한 숫자를 통해 선경그룹과 최종건 창업회장을 조사하였다. 본 논문은 선경그룹의 발전을 태동기(1944~1952), 창업기(1953~1961), 성장기(1962~1971), 도약기(1972~1973)로 대분류하여 살펴보았다. 각 기간마다 선경그룹은 생존과 성장을 위해 노력을 하였고, 이를 위해 신제품 개발 및 신기술 도입에 적극적으로 나서게 되면서 조그마한 인견직업체에 불과했던 선경을 대기업으로 키울 수 있었다. 한 국가가 성장하는 단계를 보면 경공업에서 중공업으로, 이어 고부가가치 산업인 3차 산업으로 발전하는 특징을 가지고 있다. 선경그룹 역시 인견사를 통해 인견직물을 만드는 경공업에서 시작해, 많은 자본이 소요되는 기간산업인 화학섬유 산업으로, 이어 워커힐을 인수하여 사업을 다각화하는 단계를 거쳤음을 볼 수 있다. 최종건 회장은 이런 단계들을 하나하나 밟아나가면서 회사를 키웠고, 3차 산업의 초입기 까지 선경그룹을 이끌어 나갔던 것이다. 선경그룹의 발전은 대외적으로 본격적인 공업화를 추진했던 시기에 정부의 수출 드라이브, 중화학공업화 등 규모 확장을 위한 정책에 보조를 맞추었던 것이 컸다. 하지만 단순히 정책보조만으로는 지금의 SK그룹이 있지 않았을 것이다. 창업주이신 최종건 회장이 이런 정책적 시류를 잘 활용하였으며, 또한 무에서 유를 창조하는 저돌적인 추진력과 보스적 기질, 인적 네트워크를 훌륭히 활용하는 친화력, 도전정신을 갖고 있었기에 오늘날과 같은 SK그룹의 성장과 발전의 초석을 놓을 수 있었다.

This study has examined the role of the late Chairman Jong-gun Choe, the founder of Sunkyoung Group (presently, SK) by the development phases of the Korean Economy through the analysis of a variety of numeric data remaining in a vestige of the past. Looking at the industry developmental phases of a nation, they feature the growth from the light industry through heavy to high pay-off industry (the tertiary industry). Likewise, Sunkyoung Group has also initiated its enterprise with a light industry of producing man-weaved fabrics from artificial silk yarn, evolved into a basic industry of chemical fiber industry which requires lots of capital, and diversified its business by taking over the Walker Hill. Chairman Jong-gun Choe had grown the enterprise step by step through these phases, and had led Sunkyoung Group until the onset of the tertiary industry. This study suggests that the major factors of the growth and development of Sunkyoung Group were his insight to grasp the policy environments such as the governmentled export drive and the nourishment of heavy chemical industries; his unique challenging mindset; his powerful driving force; and his capability to use human networks and etc. This study will categorize the development of Sunkyoung Group into the embryonic stage (1944~1952), commencement stage of the enterprise (1953~1961), development stage (1962~1971), and take-off stage (1972~1973), and will look for the capabilities necessary for current managers who are facing diverse challenges, through reviewing the efforts made by the late chairman Jong-gun Choe for the survival of Sunkyoung Group at each and every stage.

This study has examined the role of the late Chairman Jong-gun Choe, the founder of Sunkyoung Group (presently, SK) by the development phases of the Korean Economy through the analysis of a variety of numeric data remaining in a vestige of the past. Looking at the industry developmental phases of a nation, they feature the growth from the light industry through heavy to high pay-off industry (the tertiary industry). Likewise, Sunkyoung Group has also initiated its enterprise with a light industry of producing man-weaved fabrics from artificial silk yarn, evolved into a basic industry of chemical fiber industry which requires lots of capital, and diversified its business by taking over the Walker Hill. Chairman Jong-gun Choe had grown the enterprise step by step through these phases, and had led Sunkyoung Group until the onset of the tertiary industry. This study suggests that the major factors of the growth and development of Sunkyoung Group were his insight to grasp the policy environments such as the governmentled export drive and the nourishment of heavy chemical industries; his unique challenging mindset; his powerful driving force; and his capability to use human networks and etc. This study will categorize the development of Sunkyoung Group into the embryonic stage (1944~1952), commencement stage of the enterprise (1953~1961), development stage (1962~1971), and take-off stage (1972~1973), and will look for the capabilities necessary for current managers who are facing diverse challenges, through reviewing the efforts made by the late chairman Jong-gun Choe for the survival of Sunkyoung Group at each and every stage.

Major Factors of the Growth, Sunkyong (Sk), Jong-Gun Choe, Chemical Fiber Industry