Mongolian Business culture Essays - Asia, Progressive Alliance

Mongolian Business culture By Anning Basic information NAME: Mongolia LOCATION: Asia GOVERNMENT: Mixed Parliamentary/Presidential OFFICIAL LANGUAGE : Khalkha Mongol 90%, Turkic, Russian MAJOR RELIGION(S): Buddhist Lamaist 50%, Shamanist and Christian 6%, Muslim 4%, none 40% MAJOR ETHNICGROUPS: Mongol (mostly Khalkha ) 94.9%, Turkic (mostly Kazakh) 5%, other (including Chinese and Russian) 0.1% Mongolia , located in Northern Asia, between China and Russia is the largest landlocked country in the world. The capital, Ulaanbaatar (Red Hero), is situated in central east Mongolia . The city spreads from east to west along a large wide valley. Urguu , the first capital of the recent Mongolian Empire, was located around 420 km from Ulaanbaatar . It was the home of Zanabazar , who had been proclaimed as head of Buddhism in Mongolia . The Mongolian history has been recorded for centuries in oral epics, sung by bards, until writing was introduced nearly 800 years ago. Little is known about the earliest inhabitants in Mongolia , but archaeological findings of uncovered human remains in the Gobi and other regions are dating back nearly 500,000 years. Agriculture seems to have preceded nomadic herding of animals, and despite Mongolia 's short summers, wheat-growing has co-existed with nomadic life for thousands of years. It was after the Mongols began to tame horses, yaks and camels that they took to a nomadic herding lifestyle. Mongolia gained fame in the 13th century when Chinggis Khan conquered a huge Eurasian empire. After Chinggis Khan was the empire divided into several powerful Mongolian states, but the states broke apart in the 14th century. Mongolia came later under Chinese rule. The country won its independence in 1921 with Soviet backing. In 1924 a communist regime was installed. The MPRP (ex-Communist Mongolian People's Revolutionary Party) won elections in 1990 and 1992, but was defeated by the Democratic Union Coalition in the 1996 parliamentary election. In 2000, parliamentary elections returned the MPRP overwhelmingly to power, and produced a coalition government in 2004. Mongolia consists of 21 provinces and 1 municipality; Arhangay , Bayanhongor , Bayan- Olgiy , Bulgan , Darhan-Uul , Dornod , Dornogovi , Dundgovi , Dzavhan , Govi -Altay, Govisumber , Hentiy , Hovd , Hovsgol , Omnogovi , Orhon , Ovorhangay , Selenge , Suhbaatar , Tov, Uvs , and Ulaanbaatar (municipality). Economic activity in Mongolia has traditionally been based on herding and agriculture. Mongolia has extensive mineral deposits; gold, tungsten, copper, tin, coal, and molybdenum, account for a large part of industrial production. China , Russia and Japan are Mongolia 's main trading partners. Today is Mongolia a modern country where people drive their fancy land cruisers, while talking to their trendy mobile phone. Economic growth has been encouraging, while the elections of 2004 shows that democracy is really ruling the country. Mongolia joined the World Trade Organization in 1997, and seeks to expand its participation and integration into Asian regional economic and trade regimes. MEETINGS AND GREETINGS Greetings are formal and the oldest person is always greeted first. Handshakes are the most common form of greeting with foreigners. Many Mongolians will look towards the ground when greeting someone. BUSINESS PRACTISE Most foreign citizens need a Mongolian visa to enter the country (exceptions; US, Israel , Malaysia , Philippines , Poland and Singapore ). A formal business invitation will also be needed, issued by the Mongolian company. Contact should therefore be made prior to the visa application. Communication is formal. At this stage you should find out: what language your counterpart prefers for the meeting if your counterpart will provide for an interpreter, as Mongolian interpreters may be difficult to find elsewhere in the world Mongolians like doing business with companies they know, so working through an intermediary is crucial. Avoid scheduling appointments close to public holidays. Prepare you presentation in detail. Make handouts, and copies of documents and prospect. Forward presentation material (in the language prefered ) that describe your company, its history, and literature about your products and services. Forward also your agenda and the biography of the representatives in your group. The Mongolians might use intermediaries to ask questions that they would prefer not to make directly. BUSINESS MEETINGS AND NEGOTIATIONS Punctuality is vital, so arrive in time