Kis- és középvállaltok mint a gazdaságélénkítés tényezői - Általános ...

Figure 4
Simplified presentation of virtual organization as a set
A
V
B
E
C
D
Each set (A, B, C, D, E) in this picture presents an organization which belongs to the “collection”
and performs functions, (tasks, rule or performs specific activity) “inside the boundaries” of virtual
organization.
According to this model our next task is to define the principles of “gathering” the elements into
the new set, the set of virtual organization as a new entity. These principles could be very different
but basically depend on the objectives of the existence of the organization.
Another dimension that is almost impossible to define with “traditional structural charts or models”
is the measure of interdependence of units in networked or virtual organizations. A novel business
environment is a giant network of organizations linked by buying and selling relationships. Every
company has suppliers (inputs) and customers (outputs). Every company is dependent on both their
suppliers and their customers for resources and money. To the extent that a company needs its suppliers
less than they need it, the company has power. That is, power is a function of asymmetric mutual
dependence. Dependence is itself a function 7 of the availability of alternative supply. A depends on
B to the extent that there are few alternatives to B that are available to A. Dependence is also a
function of how much A needs what B has got. Organizations that have power over others are able to
impose elements of structure on them. (For example, imposing accounting systems, cost controls,
manufacturing techniques etc.)
CONCLUSION
Doing business in complex environment is difficult and risky. Generally organizations with the
aim of better manageability (and cost effectiveness) are trying to lessen their internal structural
complexity, with lowering vertical differentiation 8 , and with specialization on the core competencies.
In the meantime, many outsourced functions, operations, etc, make the interorganizational environment
more and more complex. Up to date organization patterns encourage modularization, specialization,
standardization and integration processes between the unique parts of different organizations. These
activities generate new structural forms of organizations those connected with numerous but loose
links to each other into networks, virtual and other types of “boundaryless” organizations. The new
structural forms offer the challenge for open cooperation (integration) built on so called modules,
functions and other elements (possibilities) “collected” from interorganizational “space”.
Our theoretical research suggests that the survival and growth of organizations in an increasingly
turbulent environment would depend upon effective utilization of the knowledgebase of contingency
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XXI. Század – Tudományos Közlemények 2008/19