Define environmental uncertainty and resource dependence. Describe the major ways in which managers can deal with high environmental uncertainty and resource dependence. A good answer would base the analysis of environmental uncertainty on Duncan's approach, which characterises uncertainty in the stable-unstable and simple-complex dimensions. It should identify buffering, boundary spanning, organisational differentiation and integration as responses to growing uncertainties. As to management of resource dependence, the student should refer to inter-organisational linkages (ownership, strategic alliances, …showed first 75 words of 1962 total…

…showed last 75 words of 1962 total…communication between organizations serves to reduce financial uncertainty and dependence for an organization. Buffer spanning: as I mentioned above, buffer spanning role involves transfer organization information to external environment. A further effort of buffer spanning is try to establish favourable relationships with external environment so that the organization can occupy more resources. 2.Shape the environmental domain. In addition to adapt to the environment, organization also sometimes try to change the environment. There are also four