Uncertainty Management

Synonyms

Ambiguity; Equivocality; Meaning-making; Sensemaking

Definition

Uncertainty management is the process by which individuals create meaning or understanding in situations in which something unpredictable, unusual, unexpected, or out of the ordinary occurs and when there is a need to determine the appropriate meaning.

Introduction

Employees and volunteers in nonprofit organizations frequently experience uncertainty. They experience uncertainty when something unpredictable, unusual, unexpected, or out of the ordinary occurs. Uncertainty management is the process by which an organization’s members create meanings in situations involving uncertainty and when there is a need to determine what course of action to take in response to the uncertainty. To understand uncertainty management, this entry begins with a brief explanation of the concepts of uncertainty reduction and uncertainty management. Then it focuses primarily on uncertainty management from the perspective of individuals...