That, of course, is easier said than done. Samsung is a notoriously old-school company with a rigid top-down business structure. That helped it grow into the largest mobile phone and memory-chip company in the world, with over 300,000 employees. Lately, however, the company has admitted that its traditional ways have stifled innovation, causing shrinking profits and a loss of smartphone market share. As a result of those issues, the company recently replaced its long-time mobile chief, JK Shin.

Samsung is in transition at the top, too, as president Lee Kun-hee is expected to hand the reigns to son Lee Jae-yong following health problems. The company recently made some cosmetic changes, adding flexible working hours, relaxing the dress code and letting employees skip notorious after-work drinking sessions that they're normally pressured to attend. However, analyst Kim Young-woo told CNBC that the changes may be a guise to help Samsung lay off senior employees in favor of younger talent. "South Korea has a military and seniority-based culture. Will that be eliminated simply by removing Samsung's ranking system? It will never happen," he says.