Chapter Overview
In following chapter researcher presented findings and discussions of the thesis study. In order to logically present findings of the research, this chapter was divided into three general parts: Role of the expatriate, type of knowledge transferred by expatiate, main factors and obstacles on knowledge transfer process. To present factors and obstacles in detail third part consists from themes: 3.1.Organization. 3.2 Socialization 3.3 Difficulties. Chapter contained interviewee‟s perception and perspective about knowledge transfer and related research issues.
Interviewee‟s actual respond is included in order to support research findings.
Expatriate’s Role on Knowledge Transfer Process
The purpose of the thesis study is to identify role of the expatriates on knowledge transfer.
In order to present role of the expatriates in Mongolian mining companies following table was presented. From this table we can see that all the expatriates play role as leader, trainer, advisor, and mentor aside their main job responsibilities. Each expatriate provided diverse information regarding their role and responsibility.
37 Table 4.1.
Description of the Expatriate’s Roles
Interviewee# Current Position Responsibility for Current Position
Education Background Previous Experience Country of Origin
38 Interviewee# Current Position Responsibility
for Current Position
Education Background Previous Experience Country of Origin
Interviewee#7 Director I am director of the projects I am
39 Interviewee# Current Position Responsibility
for Current Position
Education Background Previous Experience Country of Origin
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To demonstrate and support the idea that expatriates play significant role in knowledge transfer process researcher is presenting following responds of the interviewees.
I am hired as technical advisor. I am hired to advice and train Mongolian mechanics. Most of times I see that my local co-workers lack most hand on experience.
I#1page01
I am technical director my role is to lead local geological teams. Also when you are listed in stock exchange ASX/ Australian Securities Exchange/ you need to have certain amount of experience, you must be certified to sign on and participate in press realize and things like that. I have that required qualifications. . In XXXXXX I am technical director my role in XXXXXX is to manage all the geological work and geology teams. Also I set as board director and I guide company on strategic and corporate decisions. I#2page04
I have existing knowledge of the product that we have. Existing knowledge of the process that we follow. I understand how to implement operational procedure and I can affect that physically. My management skills allow implementation locally.
When you are managing project you learn a process you also understand problems so you can make appropriate plan to start new operations. So when you start new project it is good to have someone who has done the process previously. I#3page10
Now I am leading my organization for almost for two years and I know the people in different departments on different projects. Now even people from different department come to my office to ask questions to get my opinion. But it did not happen straight way. I think it is same in all the organizationI#3page13.
I get satisfaction from assisting all co-workers, local or expatriate. Assisting anyone in the workplace is like coaching a sporting team; it is very satisfying when you can help someone develop themselves such that they can improve themselves in what they do, to reach their goals sooner. I#5page 01.
I do not approach the task of assisting local co-workers any differently to that which I would equally be required to do if I were working in Australia. I#5page21.
Especially if there is job that they have not done before and if they are not familiar with it that they come to me and ask for help. And we figure out together.
I#4page18
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I was chief operating officer. Leading project to operation, pushing project in terms of finance and all the related activity. Advising and discussing building up new infrastructure. I#9page44
I am also in charge of development of skill of local co-workers in terms of how to keep geological data base how to us mining software. Train junior geologist as much as possible. There is specified and high level of softwares only certain people can have access. So I try to show to them how utilize this software in all different aspect not just used in basic level. I#10page48
From the above data of the study we can see clearly, each expatiates involved in knowledge transfer differently depending on their specialty and responsibility. When we see third column of the table which indicate responsibilities of the expatriates, we can see that most of the expatriates play role which has a duty to guide, lead, advice and assist through which most of the knowledge and experience becomes transferable. Table deliberately present that expatriates have been exposed professionally and gained profound amount of experience before their assignment to Mongolia, most of them indicated that they have been working in the related field at least for seven to eight years. Origin countries of the expatriates are Australia, Great Britain, Canada, US, Germany and New Zealand. Those countries have well established mining sector and play dominant role in international business. People involved to mining and international business by numerous of generations versus for Mongolia mining and international business is the new and young field which has been developed relatively late. People are less exposed to mining related business and professions. Therefore it is inevitable that Mongolian employees and companies must value knowledge and experience of the expatriates. Mongolian individuals who work with expatriates must put all their effort to absorb and learn from expatriates. Because as we can see from the interview respond expatriates are very willing to share their knowledge and experience. For example:
I think I am pretty calm natured, patient and I am willing to teach. I been working for industry for 15 years I#1page01
Most of the time yes I feel comfortable when I share knowledge. Most of time I also need brush up my own knowledge I need to refer to book and looks thing on computer. Because I don’t know strength of my hand. Sometimes I am also stumped
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sometimes I need refresh my memory look something so can intern and provide to Mongolian workforce with information. I#1page04
Yes I do! I enjoy helping. It is part of my job, to help my team and to give them assistance. Most of time my co- workers come to my office to ask advice and assistance. I#2page06
I love interacting with new people so if we can share our experiences and knowledge than I enjoy that a lot! By interacting I will understand about local customs culture and different ways of building relationships. The can tell about local environment and I can apply experience I have as well as to see how we can improve and do best job for certain situation. As an expatriate manager I have enjoyed the interaction. I learn from people. I#3page1.
Yes of course I enjoy assisting. That is why I am here willing to assist and answer to the questions that my crew has. I#4page16.
In the two years that I have been working in Mongolia, I have spent time sharing knowledge and actively working to assist co-workers, who have been senior, equal and subordinate to me within my company, clients of our company and other industry acquaintances. . I#5page22
I try my best to help them but I have been here only for 8 weeks so I am new for this organization. I don’t know if that person needs my assistance or not. But if see that I can be useful I help them as much as I can. I#6page29
In my case it was my own decision. I did not come for company. I was retired I came with Mongolian contacts by other people. Who said Mongolia is very interesting country to do mining business. Personally I was interested in other countries and helping to start mining business. I#9page42
I really happy that after sometime somebody knows something better! To know that I could help them to become better makes me happy. I#10page46
Personal willingness is very important factor for successful knowledge transfer. According to the interview respond we see that all the expatriates who participated in the study have willingness and desire to transfer new knowledge and experience to local co-workers. Therefore Mongolian employee must utilize diverse source of knowledge as much as possible. In that case
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we can develop individual competence, in the future organizational and country competence. We can conclude this section by identifying that expatriates are playing significant role as knowledge transferor. Minbaeva and Michailova (2004) found out in their study that knowledge transferor most important characteristic is willingness and ability/skill. All the participated expatriates have all the necessary skill to transfer knowledge, high education, work experience and importantly personal willingness. The role of the expatriates in the organizational knowledge transfer process has been stressed in the literature (Bonance & Brester, 2001; Delios & Bjorkman, 2000; Dowes
&Thomas 2000; Tsag 1999). By identifying role of the expatriates on knowledge transfer process in Mongolian mining companies study provided new empirical evidence to support previous studies findings.
Type of Knowledge Transferred by Expatriates
In order to identify what type of knowledge transferred by expatriates researcher considered following issues: profession/expertise of the expatriate, situation when local co-workers most needed expatriates assistance and ability of the local co-co-workers. According to the interview respond over all Mongolian employees have good professionalism to related field none of the expatriates expressed that local employee skill and professionalism is low or insufficient.
For example:
I am not going to say that I have deeper knowledge because many Mongolian guys come from mining background they do have deep knowledge. Where my expertise come in I guess manufacture the instruction is how to do everything is written in English. It is easier for me to interpret and show them and deliver the information. I#1page01
Mining from where I came from been there for many years society quite used to it versus in Mongolia field is still new. And my international exposure I think it really helps with mining you are dealing with lot of different geology and different mines and different operation. There are not many Mongolians who have been working overseas there are few but not many. But is it becoming common especially for technical people and geologist go to Australia and USA to have experience how to do operations. But of course most have done it. I#1page05
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In general my skill versus local’s skill I am more objective so I see different outcomes and able to asses that in advanced. It is not just doing job right but it is also assessing all the factors that is impact that job. So today I think my experience is my ability to be objective to the situation particularly to the problem that we face I#3page11
I hate to say it but because of my age I have been doing this long time most of the people with whom I work here they are in their mid-20’s and early 30’s bring 5-10 year’s experiences comparing to me I have be around long time so I know what I am talking about. . I#4page16
I don’t believe that I have a ‘deeper knowledge’ than my local co-workers, however I do think that I do have different knowledge and experiences relevant to the mining industry here in Mongolia. To generalize all of my local co-workers with regard to professionalism comparison is unfair. I work with a cross-section of the local workforce that I do not think is too different in terms of ‘professionalism’ than that which I worked with in Australia. Some are more dedicated than others, some are more diligent than others and some are more attuned to the needs of the business than others. I#5page21
Not necessarily my colleges and team have very high professionalism. Most of time my local co-workers don’t have any expertise and elder ones doesn’t have good knowledge about new approaches. Comparing to us we have been experienced working in mining and mining construction project previously we know our objective and outcome. For example in mining site we require all employees to have helmet on use safety belt, follow instruction on safety step by step. Unfortunately my Mongolian colleges never witnessed incident and accident previously they don’t understand value of following all the safety guidance. I#6page28
I don’t think technically or professionally I have a better knowledge and experience because Mongolian specialist specially geologist are very good at their position. I am better because I know how to run administrative tasks like planning and documentation. On this side definitely Mongolians lack of skill. I#8page38
I studied mining in university as a student I was in many different countries and I had many different mining jobs in German mining industry and worldwide
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mining industry. I think this experience in European and International mining business is very useful for mining business in Mongolia. I see that Mongolian mining people have very poor experience in international mining business and in High technology mining business. I#9page42
From above responds we can conclude that Mongolian employees have required professionalism. So what is the weakness of the Mongolian employee? In which situation they lack of skill and experience? What knowledge and experience are needed most in order to be self-sufficient to lead mining company and organization? We must develop own competitive employees because modern mining sector in Mongolia is different than the old Soviet planned economy period. It requires various skill and professionalism from Mongolian employees. After transcribing and analyzing interview data researcher identified that nowadays to be successful locally and internationally mining companies must develop professional and business management related skill and knowledge. The biggest disadvantage of the Mongolian employee is that they don‟t have past experience most of them haven‟t been exposed and they don‟t have hand on experience. Expatriates respond indicate that Mongolian employees lack of practical experience whether it is technical or management related task. For example:
My co- workers lack most hand on experience they haven’t been exposed to practical side. It is new for them. More they are exposed to it and more they have hand on experience they better they will become. I#1page04.
There are not many Mongolians who have been working overseas there are few but not many. But is it becoming common especially for technical people and geologist go to Australia and USA to have experience how to do operations. But of course most have done it. I#2page06
Geological knowledge of the Mongolian experts is good. The biggest weakness is organization and managerial skill. So most of time I help on organizational and managerial sides. I#2page08
I think it is application of the knowledge in technical skill using them in appropriate time. Mostly it depends from the situation mostly it is technical and organizational or I would say managerial skill is most applied as an assistance to local co-workers. I#3page14
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Most of my co –workers has a previous experience, most of time my assistance come when local co- workers assembling new equipment which is new technology for them. I#4page19
Most common knowledge that I share with my local co-workers is modern mining techniques, both engineering and operational. I#5page25
Mainly about work process. I always tell them there are three things that you must be aware: first is the process how we do, second thing is content that you must have process, content and execution. So what we do is try to execute process and improve content. Process and content. How to do things and how to plan things, how you organize things. Most of Mongolian employees have not done it so you don’t know what should be there. I#7page35
Administrative and financial issues, documentation of all the procedure are quite different so that is the time when they need my help most. I#8page40
I think people of Mongolia right now need assistance in all steps of mining development. Cooperation and assistance needed in exploring mining deposit and developing concept and mining business, distribution of the coal to market and financing project etc. You have to introduce to international business to get investment and process of it requires previous experience. I#9page44
I am also in charge of development of skill of local co-workers in terms of how to keep geological data base how to us mining software. Train junior geologist as much as possible. There is specified and high level of software only certain people can have access. So I try to show to them how utilize this software in all different aspect not just used in basic level.I#10page48
According to the interview respond researcher concluded that mostly expatriates are transferring technical and managerial knowledge to Mongolian employees. Specifically they assist Mongolian employees on planning and administrative skills. Company policy and business strategy were not mentioned. Therefore we can conclude that new knowledge and experience in terms of technical, engineering and international business management are most commonly transferred from expatriates to Mongolian employees. We must consider that this study aimed mining industry of Mongolia therefore study findings only reflect expatriates experience in mining field. That is why mostly transferred knowledge by expatriates is technical and
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managerial knowledge. Sluzanski (2004) found out that mostly expatriates transfer following type of knowledge: managerial, cultural, sales and marketing, technical and production, product/
service, HRM, finance and accounting. Finding of this study only indicated that in mining companies of Mongolia managerial, organizational and technical related knowledge are transferred by expatriates to Mongolian employees.
Main Factors and Obstacles on Knowledge Transfer Process
To answer to the third research question which is: What are the main factors and obstacles which are affecting knowledge transfer? Researcher designed framework which included the factors and difficulties. Those factors and difficulties were chosen by researcher based on the literature review. Numerous of literature emphasized and repeatedly suggested following factors as a most important factors which affect successful knowledge transfer.
Organization
Without leadership support and encouragement it is very difficult and almost impossible to implement successful knowledge transfer. Therefore leadership is the one of the influential factor on successful knowledge transfer. In order to identify how supportive is leadership about knowledge transfer in Mongolian mining companies following two questions were asked from expatriates:
1. How your leadership does support you when you share knowledge?
2. Do you receive any positive feedback and comment from leadership when you share knowledge with local co-workers?
Most of the expatriates expressed that leaders in their organizations are supporting knowledge transfer specially knowledge transfer between Mongolian employees and expatriates.
Most of them pointed out that because of leadership encouragement and support expatriates‟
assignments were possible. Leaders see expatriates as a source of knowledge and experience.
One of the most considerable requirements for the expatriates is to have all the necessary skill
One of the most considerable requirements for the expatriates is to have all the necessary skill