1. The concept of business ecosystems implies that organizations are more interdependent than ever before. From your personal experience, do you agree or not?
2. Assume you are the manager of a small firm that is dependent on a large computer manufacturing customer that uses the resource-dependence perspective. Put yourself in the position of the small firm, and describe what actions you would take to survive and succeed. From the perspective of the large firm, what actions would you take?
3. Many managers today were trained under assumptions of adversarial relationships with other companies. Do you think operating as adversaries is easier or more difficult than operating as partners with other companies?
4. Explain how the process of variation, selection, and retention might explain innovations that take place within an organization.
5. Do you believe that legitimacy really motivates a large, powerful organization such as Costco and Singapore Airlines? Is acceptance by other people a motivation for individuals as well?