HUMAN RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT IN AIMAG/SOUM GOVERNOR’S OFFICES

Болор Б.¹, Енх-Отгон Д.², Санасер С.³

¹Профессор экономики, доцент, ²Профессор в области делового администрирования, доцент, ³Аспирант, Бизнес школа, Национальный университет Монголии

РАЗВИТИЕ ЛЮДСКИХ РЕСУРСОВ В АДМИНИСТРАЦИИ ГУБЕРНАТОРА В РАЗЛИЧНЫХ РЕГИОНАХ МОНГОЛИИ

(Пограничный город Монголии)

Аннотация

Замын Ууд является пограничным городом Монголии. Это не только важный торговый центр страны – он также обладает полным потенциалом пограничного города. Кроме того, Замын Ууд – это крупный центр горнодобывающей промышленности в Монголии. В последние годы наблюдается рост миграции в различных частях страны в пограничные города, в особенности в Замын Ууд.

Поскольку это привело к увеличению населения в пограничном городе, администрация губернатора столкнулась с проблемой предоставления услуг высокого качества каждому гражданину, а также с вопросом нехватки квалифицированных кадров.

В статье рассматриваются проблемы развития людских ресурсов в приграничном городе Монголии. На основании наших исследований мы разработали серию методологических подходов и рекомендаций по наращиванию потенциала людских ресурсов.

Ключевые слова: развитие людских ресурсов, наращивание человеческого потенциала.

Bolor B.¹, Enkh-Otgon D.², Sanaser S.³

¹PhD in Economics, Associate professor, ²PhD in Business administration, Associate professor, ³Postgraduate student, Business School, National University of Mongolia

HUMAN RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT IN AIMAG/SOUM GOVERNOR’S OFFICES

(Cross-Border Town of Mongolia)

Abstract

Zamyn Uud border town like Mongolia demonstrates the potential of border crossings, to become an important trading center. In addition, Zamyn Uud border town like Mongolia is a major mining center of the country. In recent years, growth in migration observed from different parts of the country to the border town of Zamyn Uud like.

Since increasing the population in the border town, Governor's office faced with issues in the provision of high quality services to the citizen of the city, due to the lack of qualified staff.

The article deals with the problem of human resource development in the Cross-Border Town of Mongolia. Based on our research proposed methodological approaches and recommendations for capacity- building of human resources.

Keywords: human resource development, human capacity building.

I. Introduction

Although Zamyn Uud accounts for nearly 70% of the imports and exports of Mongolia, it remains a small soum in the Dorngovi aimag with a population of some 16,000 according to the latest figures. The cross-border trade between Zamyn Uud with its twin city Erlian in China has increased at an annual rate of 26% in recent years. Despite the economic downturn, prospects for Zamyn Uud’s economic development appear to be promising, given the increasing demand for imports and exports including the potential export of materials from the mining expansion in Dornogovi and Omngovi aimags[1].

According to the ADB financed South East (SE) Gobi Urban and Border Towns Development Project[2], the recent growth of Zamyn Uud demonstrates the potential for border crossing points to become important commercial centers.

The mission of Governor’s office in aimags and soums is to deliver high quality civil service to the people. In order to achieve its mission the Governor’s office needs adequate number of highly skilled personnel.

In recent years, migration to near border soums such as Zamyn Uud and gobi region aimags that have become mining centers, have increased drastically.

As population grows in soums and aimags, Governors offices have become inefficient in delivering quality service to the people, due to shortage of skilled staffs.

Aimag/soum Governor’s office aims to hire more local people, because, it is quite easy to solve their social issues.

Since had increased the number of ministries by New Government, aimag, soum civil servant’s workload has been increasing too. Upper level should consist of fewer people, however soum and local level needs more staff. Compared to soum civil servants, aimag civil servants workload is much more. It is because they are loaded with unplanned work every day which makes them extra busy. Moreover, this unplanned work is contained in the job description as “ordered work”.

Strategic objective of Zamyn Uud soum is to develop the managerial, technical and professional expertise of Zamyn Uud soum staff such that the soum can develop into independent and sustainable local Government to implement the General Plan.

II. Methodology and Approach

The methodology and approach used to implement this objective was done through several field visits to Zamyn Uud soum of Dornogobi aimag followed by detailed interviews with local Government officials and focus group discussions in each of the aimags and a review of national and local government documents as well as international donor reports. It is therefore not only an assessment of the local government capacity but also, based on the findings, sets out a series of proposals and recommendations for the future development of local Governments in the Southeast Gobi.

III. HRD Capacity Building in Aimags and Soums

• Job descriptions cover the main responsibilities needed to implement the Governor’s action plan and reflect the abilities and skills of the individual rather than the needs of the job. There is no systematic job analysis or subsequent job evaluation underpinning the job description.
• The newly elected Governor is keen to restructure his office, to reform job descriptions and to support training and professional support for new professionals.
• The recruitment, retention and performance of staff depends on a combination of factors. The most common include: institutional factors (social issues – housing and recreation, work environment, organizational structure, and remuneration systems) and personal factors (job experience, motivation and training needs).
• The selection process of staff is usually in accordance with the Civil Service selection procedure. Three options are available to applicants: to be appointed directly to staff; to be appointed to the civil service reserve; or to be selected from young people who have successfully passed the civil service examination.
• Despite civil service staff training and development policy document but decisions on performance and training opportunities can be based on patronage rather than performance.
• Incentives and salary increases are not merit based but instead based on length of service.
• There are limited opportunities for personal development. Recreational opportunities are few and libraries are not common.

IV. Recommended Human Resource Strategic and Capacity Building stages to restructure, implement and provide professional HRD units in Aimags and Soums.

A package of inter-related measures to be implemented as follows:

• Within the overall Mongolia Civil Service Council, and consistent with the existing legal environment, develop and implement a Human Resource Strategy for each Aimag.
• Establish Human Resource Strategic Development Departments in each Aimag. These units will have overall responsibility for HR Policies, Systems and Processes at the Aimag level. There will be a number of central pillars in the Strategic Framework which will comprise:
• Recruitment: to have an effective, efficient and transparent process which selects the right person for the job and follows this up with early training and development.
• Induction: to help new employees understand the aimag and soum goals and their own role in achieving them
• Performance Management: to have an OPEN and TRANSPARENT performance management system which identifies the training and development needs of all staff.
• Training and Development/Career Development: to upgrade employee’s performance in support of the HR strategy.
• Pay and Grading: to have a grade structure which reflects the VALUE/WORTH of the jobs and to adjust anomalies with additional duties/responsibility allowances.

V. Recommendations

Aimag/soum local Governments are striving to meet the public’s needs in the diverse demographics, though they need further solutions and recommendations for human resource development. This is especially so for the respective local Governments to meet the challenges of population growth as well as the implementation of the approved General Plans. To this end, the following updates and solutions address the long-term workforce needs through recruiting and maintaining high-performance staffs and creating an environment of responsible urban Governance.

• Substantial efforts from Governor’s office, and its associated organizations, i.e., private mining companies, citizens and other stakeholders, along with continued organizational and human resource development (OHRD) of the Governor’s office are essential for successful implementation of the General Plans (GP) and overall development of the project’s local governments.
• Link human resource management to desired general Governmental outcomes by determining appropriate compensation levels, offering attractive pay and social Even, good health insurance system will be beneficial for staffs.
• Restructure, implement and provide HRD departments in the aimags and soums.These departments will have overall responsibility for HR Policies, systems and processes at the Aimag level.
• Due to the their crucial role in the implementation of the General Plans, especially the roles of land allocation and local planning, combine the departments under one qualified planner who is also in charge of land allocation, such that implementation of the project GPs do not follow the pattern in Ulaanbaatar in which land allocation has dictated the form of city development.
• Establish individual human resource development training for senior staff such that they can transfer knowledge downward. Further training and career development is required to upgrade employees’ performance in support of the HR strategy.
• A training needs assessment/analysis of staff in the Governor’s office will be required to train and educate the staff step by step to improve their skills.
• Provide international ‘best practice’, study visits, internships abroad and professional training in Ulaanbaatar; accelerate ‘on-the job’ and specialized training for technical skills as well as training for professional and managerial staff.
• Provide opportunity for local students to study at western universities and pay their tuition fees under the contract; project may help to find foreign universities and /or to connect with them;
• Introduce high school students to the advantage of state and public service jobs,
• Recruit through an effective, efficient and transparent process which selects the right person for the job and follows this up with early training and development.
• Develop an induction process to help new employees understand the aimag and soum goals and their own role in achieving them.
• Develop an open and transparent performance management system which identifies the training and development needs of all staff.
• Rebuild the role of civil servants: strengthen personnel policies and management, revise outdated rules, embark on organizational restructuring.
• Establish a high-level civil service system and encourage rotation between different departments to facilitate policy coordination. Emphasis must be placed on recruitment of competent and qualified employees rather than “de-politicization”;
• Reform the pay and grading to reflect the value and worth of the jobs and adjusts to anomalies with additional duties/responsibility allowances.
• Monitor and evaluate current jobs, planning the nature and number of new positions.

[1]AECOM Company. Zamyn Uud Master Plan Development Strategy/ AECOM Company.- Mongolia: Ulaanbaatar. 2009.- 44 p. [2] Asian Development Bank. South East Gobi Urban and Border Towns Development Project/ Asian Development Bank.- Mongolia: Ulaanbaatar . 2009 - 88 p.

Список литературы / References

1. AECOM Company. Zamyn Uud Master Plan Development Strategy/ AECOM Company.- Mongolia: Ulaanbaatar. 2009.- 44 p.
2. Asian Development Bank. South East Gobi Urban and Border Towns Development Project/ Asian Development Bank.- Mongolia: Ulaanbaatar . 2009 - 88 p.
3. Mercy Corps international organization. Zamyn Uud Development Strategy Plan “2011-2021”./ Mercy Corps international organization. –Mongolia: Ulaanbaatar. 2011 – 108 p.
4. AECOM Company. South East Gobi Urban and Border Town Development Project/ AECOM Company // Quarterly Report . - Mongolia: Ulaanbaatar . 2013 – Vol 2. – p. 22-42
5. Bolor B, Enkh-Otgon D, Sanaser S. Field Trip materials/ Bolor B, Enkh-Otgon D, Sanaser S – Mongolia: Umnu-Gobi aimag. 2012 – 78 p.