Context-specific understandings of uncertainty: a focus on people management practices in Mongolia

Abstract

This paper addresses the link between local understandings of uncertainty and people management practices in the under-researched and uncertain context of Mongolia. It draws on a qualitative, interpretive study of 34 top and middle managers with people management responsibilities in Mongolian organisations. We put forward the concept of a ‘mindset about uncertainty’ for examining Mongolian practitioners’ understandings of and responses to the uncertainty inherent in the country’s institutional environment. We identify four elements of the Mongolian mindset about uncertainty: (1) belief that impermanence is natural; (2) consideration of uncertainty as normal; (3) framing of uncertainty as positive; and (4) emphasis on flexibility in adapting to changing circumstances. We discuss this approach to dealing with uncertainty as a potentially valuable source of learning for Multinational Enterprises (MNEs) and International Human Resource Development (IHRD) practitioners in unstable environments.

Keywords:

• IHRD
• Mongolia
• mindsets
• uncertainty
• institutional contexts
• interpretive perspective

Data availability statement

The data that support the findings of this study are available on request from the corresponding author [Author’s initials]. The data are not publicly available due to their containing information that could compromise the anonymity and privacy of research participants.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.