There are various strategies to manage dependency relations with the actors in the external environment:

• Acquisition of suppliers.
• Developing long term contracts with the
  critical suppliers
• Interlocking directorates – to assign some members of board of directors to the supplier firms’ boards.
• Founding joint ventures with the critical firms in terms of resource flow.
• Joining trade associations.
• Lobbying.

Upgrading processes is not one of the strategies.