define contingency in the context of what we have been discussing in thus far in the course.

by Carroll Berge 9 min read

What is contingency?

What is Contingency. A contingency is a potential negative event that may occur in the future, such as an economic recession, natural disaster, fraudulent activity or a terrorist attack.

What is the end result of the contingency theory?

The end result is that Cheapo Toys would like to improve worker job satisfaction so that the company keeps up with sales and profits. According to the contingency theory, independent variables will help improve the problems that Cheapo Toys is facing. What can cause the change in the dependent variables?

Why is it important to have a contingency plan?

To protect the business as much as possible, it's very important to have a contingency plan in place in order to mitigate any issues that may arise. These issues can range from a loss of personnel to a major natural disaster.

What is'contingency'?

What is 'Contingency'. A contingency is a potential negative event that may occur in the future, such as an economic recession, natural disaster, fraudulent activity or a terrorist attack. Contingencies can be prepared for, but often the nature and scope of such negative events are unknowable in advance.

What contingency means?

Definition of contingency 1 : a contingent event or condition: such as. a : an event (such as an emergency) that may but is not certain to occur trying to provide for every contingency. b : something liable to happen as an adjunct to or result of something else the contingencies of war.

What is an example of a contingency?

Contingency means something that could happen or come up depending on other occurrences. An example of a contingency is the unexpected need for a bandage on a hike. The definition of a contingency is something that depends on something else in order to happen.

What is a contingency theory in the context of the study of management?

A contingency theory is an organizational theory that claims that there is no best way to organize a corporation, to lead a company, or to make decisions. Instead, the optimal course of action is contingent (dependent) upon the internal and external situation.

What is contingency theory in communication?

in Organisational Communication. Contingency theory is a set of behavioural theory which postulates that there is no single way or the best method to organize and lead an organization in a management set up. Instead, a leader should be appointed who can make decisions based on the situation and relative conditions.

What is contingency plan in education?

A contingency plan is a document setting out an organized, planned, and coordinated course of action to be followed when human health or the environment is threatened. Even though the hazardous materials facility may be required to have a contingency plan, the school needs to have one also.

How do you use contingency?

Contingency sentence exampleThis type of contingency was not one we planned for. ... The British admiral, when informed that the French were at sea, justified Napoleon's estimate of his probable course in such a contingency , by making a useless cruise to Egypt.More items...

Why is contingency theory important?

Because the contingency theory gives managers a wide range of ways to react to problems, it also gives them significant discretion in their decision-making. Business owners who implement contingency theory must allow their managers to bend policy or even override it if the circumstances demand it.

Which theory is also known as contingency theory?

The contingency theory of leadership was proposed by the Austrian psychologist Fred Edward Fiedler in his landmark 1964 article, "A Contingency Model of Leadership Effectiveness." The contingency theory emphasizes the importance of both the leader's personality and the situation in which that leader operates.

What is the main argument of the contingency perspective of management?

The contingency approach to management is based on the idea that there is no one best way to manage and that to be effective, planning, organizing, leading, and controlling must be tailored to the particular circumstances faced by an organization.

What is contingent decision?

“Contingent Decisions” – These are decisions already made but on hold pending the occurrence of certain events. These decisions can be very powerful because the person making the decision can “pre-decide” what he will do in the event those events occur.

What is a contingency approach to leadership?

The contingency theory of leadership supposes that a leader's effectiveness is contingent on whether or not their leadership style suits a particular situation. According to this theory, an individual can be an effective leader in one circumstance and an ineffective leader in another one.

What is contingency in business?

What Is a Contingency? A contingency is a potential occurrence of a negative event in the future, such as an economic recession, natural disaster, fraudulent activity, terrorist attack, or a pandemic. In 2020, businesses were hit with the coronavirus pandemic forcing many employees to have to work remotely.

What is contingency in real estate?

In real estate, an appraisal contingency is a clause that allows the homebuyer to walk away from their purchase contract if a home is appraised for less than the purchase price. An appraisal, in theory, determines the fair market value of the home.

What are the types of contingency plans?

Types of Contingency Plans. Contingency plans are utilized by corporations, governments, investors, and by central banks, such as the Fed. Contingencies can involve real estate transactions, commodities, investments, currency exchange rates, and geopolitical risks.

What is a contingency plan called?

This type of contingency plan is often called a business continuity plan (BCP) or a business recovery plan.

Why is contingency planning important?

A contingency plan can also reduce the risk of a public relations disaster. A company that effectively communicates how negative events are to be navigated and responded to is less likely to suffer reputation damage. A contingency plan often allows a company affected by a negative event to keep operating.

What is a business continuity team?

Typically, a business continuity team is formed to plan for any possible contingencies and manage the continuity and recovery plan during a disruption. Businesses need to identify their critical business functions and perform an analysis of how an event might impact the company's operations and processes.

What is hedging strategy?

Investors might employ various hedging strategies such as stop-loss orders, which exit a position at a specific price level. Hedging can also involve using options strategies, which is akin to buying insurance whereby the strategies earn money as an investment position loses money from a negative event.

Why do cheapo toys need independent variables?

The end result is that Cheapo Toys would like to improve worker job satisfaction so that the company keeps up with sales and profits. According to the contingency theory, independent variables will help improve the problems that Cheapo To ys is facing. Independent Variables.

How does Cheapo Toys affect workers?

Cheapo Toys wants to know what can affect worker productivity, turnover, absenteeism and job satisfaction. The company would like to find ways to make workers increase their daily production rate of toys. Managers at the toy company also would like to decrease turnover, or workers quitting or leaving for other positions.

What is contingency theory?

The contingency theory focuses on specific situational factors that can affect the direct relationships between independent and dependent variables. The theory explains that there is not an exact science to organizational behavior. Create an account.

What are some examples of contingency variables?

Companies need to use trial and error to see what variables provide the results needed. Motivation and leadership are just two examples of many independent variables of the contingency theory, while productivity, turnover and absenteeism are some examples of dependent variables. Let's take a look at a real corporate example ...

What is the difference between independent and dependent variables?

Independent variables ( x) are the cause of the change in the dependent variable, while dependent variables ( y) are a response affected by an independent variable. The theory explains that there is not an exact science to organizational behavior.

How can organizational behavior be used to assess, manage and predict behavior of employees?

Organizational behavior can be used to assess, manage and predict behavior of employees so that companies can better understand how to motivate individuals. There are situational factors that can affect the study of organizational behavior and its prediction of the behavior of employees. The contingency theory explains that there are specific ...

Where is Jennifer Lombardo?

Jennifer Lombardo received both her undergraduate degree and MBA in marketing from Rowan University. She spent ten years in consumer marketing for companies such as Nielsen Marketing Research, The Dial Corporation and Mattel Toys. She is currently an adjunct professor of marketing at Rowan University and a social media marketing consultant.

Why is contingency planning important?

To protect the business as much as possible, it's very important to have a contingency plan in place in order to mitigate any issues that may arise. These issues can range from a loss of personnel to a major natural disaster.

What is contingency planning?

Contingency planning is developing responses in advance for various situations that might impact business. Although negative events probably come to mind first, a good contingency plan should also address positive events that might disrupt operations - such as a very large order.

What are the steps to mitigate risk?

Often, there are steps that can mitigate risks or, in other words, steps that could be taken in advance to reduce the possibility or impact of the event. These would include actions like clearing brush away from facilities and purchasing business-interruption insurance.

Why is it important to have a follow up plan?

It's also important to have a defined follow-up method for your plan so that any steps that need to be implemented are completed and so that the plan is reviewed on a regular basis.

What are the areas of a data loss plan?

Here are some specific areas to include in the plan: Data loss, such as loss due to natural disasters, sabotage, or other criminal action (such as an attack on a website) Product issues, such as a huge order that requires reallocation of plant resources, or a product recall.

What is data loss?

Personnel, such as death of a senior manager, or union members going on strike. Data loss, such as loss due to natural disasters, sabotage, or other criminal action (such as an attack on a website) Mismanagement, such as theft, neglect of critical duties, or accidental destruction.

What happens if a business is poor?

If the response to the situation is poor, it might have a dramatic impact on the future of the business, such as loss of customers, loss of data, or even the loss of the business.

What is contingency theory?

Contingency Theory is one of several leadership theories that takes the leadership style and situation under consideration (Northouse, 2007). Unlike the situational approach, the Contingency Theory has a pessimistic view about a leader’s ability to change depending on the situation; in other words, it advocates using the right leader for ...

What does it mean to have a high LPC score?

High scores on the LPC mean that you are relationship oriented – you derive pleasure by building and maintaining relationships . Low LPC scores mean that you are task oriented – you derive pleasure from accomplishing tasks. As the low-LPC leader accomplishes tasks, they start becoming more relationship focused.

What is contingent leadership?

Leadership depends (or is contingent) on the situation between the leader and the follower. In this context, the success of the Contingency Theory depends on matching the right leader with the right followers and situations. If you visit the link I mentioned earlier, note that the Situational Approach recommends that leaders should adjust their ...

Which approach believes that leadership is a dynamic process and should be adjusted to specific situations?

In short, the Situational Approach believes that leadership is a dynamic process and should be adjusted to specific situations. On the other hand, the Contingency Model believes that leadership styles are fixed.

Does Tom have a big title?

Tom has a big title, but little authority in administering rewards or punishments. This has hindered his positional power. He has decent (but not strong) relationships with his staff. Finally, some of the department’s standard operating procedures are well defined and some are under development or undefined.

What is construction contingency?

A construction contingency is an amount of money set aside to cover any unexpected costs that can arise throughout a construction project. This money is on reserve and is not allocated to any specific area of work. Essentially, the contingency acts as insurance against other, unforeseen costs. Determining the amount of contingency is ...

What should a contingency budget include?

The list could include anything from incomplete designs, construction project delays, substitute subcontractors, price increases, and any other number of unexpected costs. This is generally referred to as the contingency budget.

What is contingency insurance?

Essentially, the contingency acts as insurance against other, unforeseen costs. Determining the amount of contingency is a balancing act. On the one hand, you want to have enough contingency funds to cover any uncertainties. On the other hand, you need enough cash on hand to keep construction going.

What is owner reserve?

An owner’s reserve is an amount set aside for additions or modifications of the scope of the work. These types of contingencies are used mainly in guaranteed maximum price (GMP) contracts. Changes and mistakes are not always the contractor’s fault. Any changes that are not included in the initial bid will have to be paid by ...

How much of a project budget is used for contingencies?

Most projects will use a rate of around 5-10% of the total budget for contingencies. A contingency is not an allowance: How to Use Construction Allowances.

Is a construction contingency fund the same as retainage?

A construction contingency fund is not the same as retainage, but the concepts are similar. Both retainage and contingency provide what are essentially “emergency” funds. When something on the project goes awry and costs some extra money, paying to fix the issue may come from the contingency fund, or it may come from the retainage being withheld ...

What Is A Contingency?

  • A contingency is a potential occurrence of a negative event in the future, such as an economic recession, natural disaster, fraudulent activity, terrorist attack, or a pandemic. In 2020, businesses were hit with the coronavirus pandemic forcing many employees to have to work remotely. As a result, companies needed to implement a remote work strateg...
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How A Contingency Works

  • To plan for contingencies, financial managers may often also recommend setting aside significant reserves of cash so that the company has strong liquidity, even if it meets with a period of poor sales or unexpected expenses. Managers may seek to proactively open credit lines while a company is in a strong financial position to ensure access to borrowing in less favorable times. …
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Types of Contingency Plans

  • Contingency plans are utilized by corporations, governments, investors, and by central banks, such as the Fed. Contingencies can involve real estate transactions, commodities, investments, currency exchange rates, and geopolitical risks.
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Special Considerations

  • A contingency plan should also prepare for the loss of intellectual property through theft or destruction. As a result, backups of critical files and computer programs, as well as key company patents, should be maintained in a secure off-site location. Contingency plans need to prepare for the possibility of operational mishaps, theft, and fraud. A company should have an emergency p…
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Benefits of A Contingency Plan

  • A thorough contingency plan minimizes loss and damage caused by an unforeseen negative event. For example, a brokerage company may have a backup power generator to ensure that trades can be executed in the event of a power failure, preventing possible financial loss. A contingency plan can also reduce the risk of a public relations disaster. A company that effectiv…
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Example of A Contingency Plan

  • As a result of the financial crisis of 2008 and the Great Recession, regulations were implemented requiring bank stress tests to be performed to test how a bank might handle various negative contingencies. The stress tests project how much a bank would lose—if a negative economic event occurred—to determine if the bank has enough capital or funds set aside to survive the ev…
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Contingency FAQs

  • Why Is an Environmental Contingency Plan Important?
    Businesses that are at risk for environmental accidents–particularly spills of hazardous materials–should always have a plan in place detailing their response actions. Being prepared can help minimize the total damage done to the environment, minimize accident-related costs, and li…
  • What Is a Contingency Table?
    In statistics, contingency tables are used to display the data of variables in terms of frequency. They are frequently used in both survey research and scientific research.
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The Bottom Line

  • A contingency is a potentially negative future event or circumstance, such as a global pandemic, natural disaster, or terrorist attack. By designing plans that take contingencies into account, companies, governments, and individuals are able to limit the damage done by such events.
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