Matching Environmental Uncertainty And Organizational Configuration

Abstract

The paper describes an experiential exercise designed to assist the student of management in understanding important characteristics of the environment and their impact in choosing the appropriate organizational responses and strategy. The exercise is very useful in providing live experience of several strategies in job design (job specialization, job enlargement, autonomous work groups), different operational layouts (job shop, line, and cell) and quality control strategies (quality at the source versus quality at the end). The experiential exercise may also be used to demonstrate individual and group behaviors in diverse organizational settings. Detailed instructions are provided.