MARKET UNCERTAINTY AND THE SOCIAL CHARACTER OF ECONOMIC EXCHANGE

This paper proposes that organizations overcome problems of market unc ertainty by adopting a principle of exclusivity in selecting exchange partners. This general proposition in turn implies two specific hypoth eses. First, the greater the market uncertainty, the more that organiz ations engage in exchange relations with those with whom they have tra nsacted in the past. Second, the greater the uncertainty, the more tha t organizations engage in transactions with those of similar status. A study of investment banking relationships in the investment grade and non-investment-grade debt markets from 1981 to 1987 provides support for the hypotheses. The implications of this analysis for stratificati on and concentration in the market are discussed.