Many organizational issues are emerging as a result of the increasingly changing environment. A company's strategic orientation and external environments have contributed to organizational complexity. China is currently undergoing transitional changes and causing companies to alter their strategic decisions. This paper investigates the effect of different environmental factors and strategic orientations on organizational complexity.First, we propose a research model based on the literature review. Hypotheses are proposed to assess the relationship between environmental uncertainty and organizational flexibility. A positive effect exists between environmental complexity, structural complexity, goal complexity, and strategic complexity. The same positive effect also exists between environmental dynamic and structural complexity, goal complexity, and strategic complexity. We make four assumptions. The first assumption is that a negative effect exists between the defender strategy and structural complexity, goal complexity, and strategic complexity. The second assumption is that a positive effect exists between the prospector strategy and structural complexity, goal complexity, and strategic complexity. The third assumption is that a positive effect exists between the analyzer strategy and structural complexity, goal complexity, and strategic complexity. The fourth assumption is that a negative effect exists between the reactor strategies and structural complexity, goal complexity, and strategic complexity.Second, we asked companies in Jiangsu, Zhejiang, Shanghai, and Beijing to participate in this study from March 15 to June 20,2008. A total of 897 surveys were collected. There are only 468 valid surveys. Data analyses show that a positive correlation exists between environmental complexity and structural complexity, goal complexity, and strategic complexity. A positive correlation exists between environmental dynamic and strategic complexity, even though there is no significant relationship between environmental dynamics, structural complexity, and goal complexity. A positive correlation exists between the defender strategy and goal complexity.A negative correlation exists between the defender strategy and strategic complexity. A positive correlation exists between the prospector strategy and structural complexity, goal complexity, and strategic complexity. A positive correlation exists between the analytical strategies and organizations with strategic complexity. A negative correlation exists between the reactor strategy, structural complexity and goal complexity.This research provides theoretical implications for companies operating in the transitional Chinese economy. Empirical data are used to validate and support our hypotheses that environmental changes determine corporate strategies and vice versa. In essence,organizational complexity is a response to environmental uncertainty. Strategic orientation can also cause an organization to engage in seLf-adaptation, self-learning, and seLf-organization. Chinese companies must realize they need to proactively anticipate environmental changes, and choose appropriate strategic orientations in order to effectively deal with organizational complexities. The ability of Chinese companies to do so will enable them to foster long-term competitiveness.%基于468家中国企业的实证研究,考察了不同环境及战略导向对组织复杂性的驱动作用.在分析相关文献形成研究假设的基础上运用实证的方法进行检验.研究结论验证了当前转型经济背景下不确定环境特征和战略导向对企业组织复杂性的不同驱动作用,对企业根据所处环境及其战略导向认识并有的放矢的应对不同组织复杂性有重要意义.
展开▼
