The Need for Organisational Resilience - Chapter 3

Dispersion

Concentration

Focus of Attention

Operationalising resources and capabilities in an unfocussed, dispersed

Concentrating one’s resources is directed at critical organisational

manner allows the build-up of robustness throughout an organisation,

functions, necessary for the organisation to remain viable, and to focus

providing continuous, linear defence/offence against environmental conditions.

organisational effort solely on value. Other functions are not neglected

Hence, all organisational functions are developed to be as ‘strong’ and

altogether, as their working order is supportive, but not essential, to the

‘effective’ to withstand, and bounce back from changes in the environment.

operation of those functions deemed critical.

Temporality

In a dispersion approach, the extent of robustness expected from each

Resources and capabilities remain in a state of reconfiguration. They are

function remains static, unless predicted environmental changes lead to a

deployed in a Pull and Flow manner, leading to different organisational

bolstering of their ‘defences’. Capabilities and resources are incrementally

configurations, with different strength, driven by changing environmental

improved; however, their configuration (where and how they are deployed) is

demands.

relatively stable.

Table 3.1: Key Differences between Dispersion and Concentration

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