Professional Documents
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Volume 4 Issue 4, June 2020 Available Online: www.ijtsrd.com e-ISSN: 2456 – 6470
KEYWORDS: national culture, cultural dimensions, Hofstede model, VSM-13 Copyright © 2020 by author(s) and
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A. INTRODUCTION
The importance of cross-cultural management lies in the on- Also Mongolia is one of the Global Growth Generating (3G)
growing co-operation between companies in different countries which have been identified as a source of growth
countries where difficulties may arise because of the potential and of profitable investment opportunities. It has
different cultural backgrounds. Geert Hofstede is one of the attracted massive foreign investment in recent years. Foreign
well-known researchers in the field of culture and Direct Investment in Mongolia increased by 21183.60 USD
management. He arose six basic issues that society needs to Million in the second quarter of 2019. Foreign Direct
come to term with in order to organize itself. These are Investment in Mongolia averaged 17512.39 USD Million from
called dimensions of culture: Individualism, Power distance, 2010 until 2019, reaching an all time high of 21183.60 USD
Masculinity, Uncertainty avoidance, Long term orientation Million in the second quarter of 2019 and a record low of
and Indulgence. Each of them has been expressed on a scale 8444.70 USD Million in the fourth quarter of 2010. Very little
that runs roughly from 0 to 100. The six-dimension model is is known about this rapidly emerging country with huge
very useful in international business, communication, business potential. The purpose of this study is to define the
negotiation, investment and marketing. Hofstede originally Mongolian national cultural values using the Hofstede 6-D
surveyed 72 countries and was able to profile 40 different model then compare other countries national cultural values.
cultures. Some countries have not been involved in the This study makes several contributions to this field. As
Hofstede study. One of them is Mongolia. Mongolia situated foreigners flock to Mongolia in search of business.
strategically between Russia and China. Mongolia not only opportunities, it might be worthwhile to have a better
offers domestically a growing cosmopolitan market also understanding of it’s people and their cultural values.
presents tremendous export opportunities for foreign Clarifying Mongolian national cultural values is important for
investors in a number of sectors. This country is a world’s foreign business in Mongolia and their future success. And
largest reserves of gold, coal, cooper, and iron ore, and strategists and managers may use our result to their future
possesses significant holdings of other mineral wealth. There research about Mongolian consumer and marketing plan in
are a number of foreign companies which have significant Mongolian market. Finally our result will help foreign
exposure to Mongolia's mining wealth. company’s success which doing business in Mongolia or
planned to run a business in Mongolia.
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International Journal of Trend in Scientific Research and Development (IJTSRD) @ www.ijtsrd.com eISSN: 2456-6470
B. LITERATURE REVIEW researchers, and are described extensively in the 3rd edition
1. Hostede’s Cultural Dimensions of Hofstede, Hofstede & Minkov, 2010. This study used
This paper represents an investigation into the classification Hofstede’s Value Survey Module 2013 (VSM13). They deal
of Mongolian culture using the six dimensional model of with key issues in national societies, known from social
Geert Hofstede. In order to do business in a country it is anthropology and cross-cultural research. The earliest public
essential to understand its culture, which implies version of the instrument (VSM 82) covered four
understanding its peoples’ values and beliefs. A theoretical dimensions, derived from a comparison of subsidiaries of the
framework is helpful to facilitate such an understanding. It IBM corporation in 40 countries. The next version (VSM 94)
can be argued that the most popular and far-reaching cross- covered five; the additional dimension was found in a
cultural research work is that of Geert Hofstede and his comparison of students in 23 countries using a questionnaire
associates. Hofstede, who was employed as an industrial mainly designed by Chinese scholars (Hofstede & Bond,
psychologist by IBM during the late 1960s and early 1970s 1988). The sixth dimension in the present version was
administered a “values” survey to employees in the derived from Minkov’s analysis of the World Values Survey
subsidiaries of the company. Based on the data, Hofstede in up to 81 countries (Inglehart et al., 2007) and other newly
concluded that management theories were bound by culture. available sources.
Management behavior appropriate in one culture may be
inappropriate in another (Hofstede, 1980a; Hofstede, 1980b; Abbreviations:
Hofstede, 1983; Hofstede, 1993; Hofstede, 1994; Hofstede, 1. PDI - Power Distance Index
2001). Hofstede’s work has been widely cited in various 2. IDV - Individualism Index
academic studies (Kirkman, Lowe & Gibson, 2006) and 3. MAS - Masculinity Index
typically forms the basis for cross-cultural analysis in 4. UAI - Uncertainty Avoidance Index
university-level management courses. Using data from the 5. LTO - Long Term Orientation Index
original 72 countries surveyed, Hofstede was able to profile 6. IVR - Indulgence versus Restraint Index
40 countries. Later research provided for the classification of
10 more countries and three regions – East Africa, West The Hofstede Dimensions in a nutshell
Africa, and the Arab world (www.geert-hofstede.com, 2015). In this section will summarize the content of each dimension
Hofstede identified six dimensions of culture: Power opposing cultures with low and high scores. These
Distance, Uncertainty Avoidance, Individualism-Collectivism, oppositions are based on correlations with studies by others,
Masculinity-Femininity, Long-Short Term Orientation, and and because the relationship is statistical, not every line
Indulgence-Restrain. The six dimensions measured were applies equally strongly to every country.
developed in the work of Geert Hofstede and his co-
TABLE I. Ten Differences Between Small- and Large- Power Distance Societies
Small Power Distance Large Power Distance
Use of power should be legitimate and is Power is a basic fact of society antedating
subject to criteria of good and evil. good or evil: its legitimacy is irrelevant
Parents treat children as equals Parents teach children obedience
Older people are neither respected nor feared Older people are both respected and feared.
Student-centered education Teacher-centered education
Hierarchy means inequality of roles,
Hierarchy means existential inequality
established for convenience
Subordinates expect to be consulted Subordinates expect to be told what to do
Pluralist governments based on majority vote Autocratic governments based on co-
and changed peacefully optation and changed by revolution
Corruption rare; scandals end political careers Corruption frequent; scandals are covered up
Income distribution in society rather even Income distribution in society very uneven
Religions stressing equality of believers Religions with a hierarchy of priests
TABLE II. Ten Differences between Weak- and Strong- Uncertainty Avoidance Societies
Weak Uncertainty Avoidance Strong Uncertainty Avoidance
The uncertainty inherent in life is accepted and The uncertainty inherent in life is felt as a
each day is taken as it comes continuous threat that must be fought
Ease, lower stress, self-control, low anxiety Higher stress, emotionality, anxiety, neuroticism
Higher scores on subjective health and wellbeing Lower scores on subjective health and well-being
Tolerance of deviant persons and ideas: what is Intolerance of deviant persons and ideas: what is
different is curious different is dangerous
Comfortable with ambiguity and chaos Need for clarity and structure
Teachers may say ‘I don’t know’ Teachers supposed to have all the answers
Changing jobs no problem Staying in jobs even if disliked
Dislike of rules - written or unwritten Emotional need for rules – even if not obeyed
In politics, citizens feel and are seen as In politics, citizens feel and are seen as
competent towards authorities incompetent towards authorities
In religion, philosophy and science: relativism In religion, philosophy and science: belief in
and empiricism ultimate truths and grand theories
TABLE III Ten Differences Between Collectivist and Individualist Societies
@ IJTSRD | Unique Paper ID – IJTSRD31470 | Volume – 4 | Issue – 4 | May-June 2020 Page 1242
International Journal of Trend in Scientific Research and Development (IJTSRD) @ www.ijtsrd.com eISSN: 2456-6470
Individualism Collectivism
Everyone is supposed to take care of him- or People are born into extended families or clans
herself and his or her immediate family only which protect them in exchange for loyalty
"I" – consciousness "We" –consciousness
Right of privacy Stress on belonging
Speaking one's mind is healthy Harmony should always be maintained
Others classified as individuals Others classified as in-group or out-group
Personal opinion expected: one person one vote Opinions and votes predetermined by in-group
Transgression of norms leads to guilt feelings Transgression of norms leads to shame feelings
Languages in which the word "I" is indispensable Languages in which the word "I" is avoided
Purpose of education is learning how to learn Purpose of education is learning how to do
Task prevails over relationship Relationship prevails over task
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International Journal of Trend in Scientific Research and Development (IJTSRD) @ www.ijtsrd.com eISSN: 2456-6470
2. An Investigation of Mongolian Cultural Values
Studies on Mongolian Cultural Values:
A. Tuvshinzaya Sunduijav, 2008, “Cross Cultural Aspects of Advertising-Cultural Analysis of Mongolian and Chinese Web
Sites”
B. Siyeona Chang, 2012, “Study of the Cultural Map of the World Today Through the Lens of Korean Television Program
Exports and Their Determinants”
C. David R. Borker, 2013, “Economic Growth and Cultural Value Analysis In Six Emerging Economies”
D. Charles Rarick, 2014, “Mongolia: A Cultural Portrait using the Hofstede 5-D Model”
This study used Hofstede’s Values Survey Module 2013 (VSM 16 years 49 9%
13)1. The items measured Mongolian culture on the six value 17 years 15 3%
dimensions. The results were determined by using the index
method developed by Hofstede. The scores for the value 18 years or over 15 3%
dimensions obtained in this study were compared to the
empty 5 1%
scores obtained by Hofstede (www.geert-hofstede.com,
2015). Comparisons were made to three select countries:
China, Japan, and Russia. TABLE XI The respondents: kind of job
m28. If you have or have had a paid job, what kind of job
TABLE VIII The respondents: gender is it / was it?
m25. Are you: No paid job (includes full-time students) 321 57%
Male 155 28% Unskilled or semi-skilled manual worker 21 4%
female 399 72% Generally trained office worker or
Empty 11 13 2%
secretary
Vocationally trained craftsperson,
TABLE IX The respondents: age technician, IT-specialist, nurse, artist or 25 4%
m26. How old are you? equivalent
Under 20 202 36% Academically trained professional or
67 12%
equivalent (but not a manager of people)
20-24 209 37%
Empty 41 7%
25-29 71 13%
Manager of one or more subordinates
30-34 34 6% 49 9%
(non-managers)
35-39 12 2%
Manager of one or more managers 28 5%
40-49 25 4%
50-59 7 1% D. RESULT
60 or over 1 0% The results of this study indicate that Mongolia is a
Empty 4 1% masculine, individualist culture that is relatively low in
uncertainty avoidance and high in power distance, whose
people have a short-term orientation towards time.
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and contemplative, and not expected by their environment
to express emotions.
6. Indulgence
One challenge that confronts humanity, now and in the past,
is the degree to which little children are socialized. Without
socialization we do not become “human”. This dimension is
defined as the extent to which people try to control their
desires and impulses, based on the way they were raised.
Figure V. Score for uncertainty avoidance in Mongolia Relatively weak control is called “indulgence” and relatively
and select countries strong control is called “restraint”. Cultures can, therefore,
be described as indulgent or restrained.
5. Long Term Orientation Mongolian high score of 59 marks it as an Indulgent society.
This dimension describes how every society has to maintain People in societies classified by a high score in indulgence
some links with its own past while dealing with the challenges generally exhibit a willingness to realise their impulses and
of the present and future, and societies prioritise these two desires with regard to enjoying life and having fun. They
existential goals differently. Normative societies who score possess a positive attitude and have a tendency towards
low on this dimension, for example, prefer to maintain time- optimism. In addition, they place a higher degree of
honoured traditions and norms while viewing societal importance on leisure time, act as they please and spend
change with suspicion. Those with a culture which scores money as they wish.
high, on the other hand, take a more pragmatic approach:
they encourage thrift and efforts in modern education as a
way to prepare for the future.
These studies results are different. This is related to the This investigation was third attempt to determine the
following reasons. cultural values of Mongolia. Limitations of this study are
1. number of respondents similar to most other cross-cultural comparative studies.
2. nature of respondents These results provide a third attempt to gain a general
3. month and year of data collection cultural assessment of the culture of Mongolia. Hofstede
4. languages of questionnaire used (2013) recommends using matched samples for country
5. VSM version comparison, which means matching the sample with the
demographics of the participants in his original study.
E. DISCUSSION Based upon our assessment, Mongolian culture can be
While this study is not unlike the original Hofstede work in characterized as being high in power distance, masculine,
terms of its sample heterogeneity, it is reasonable to individualist, relatively low in uncertainty avoidance, and
conclude that the somewhat unique characteristics of the short-term orientated.
sample are not fully representative of the greater Mongolian
population.
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[17] http://geert-hofstede.com/china.html
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