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Management Theory

Resource Dependence Theory

Strategic Planning and Performance Management Frameworks

Resource dependence theory is the study of how the external resources available to an organization affect its behavior. The procurement of external resources is treated as an important part of both the strategic and tactical management of a company, though a formal theory of its consequences was not developed until the 1970s, with the publication of The External Control of Organizations: A Resource Dependence Perspective. The theory has implications for a firm's optimal divisional structure, the recruitment of board members and employees, production strategy, contract structure and its external organizational links, among other aspects of organizational strategy. This description is adapted from Wikipedia contributors under CC BY-SA 4.0; changes were made. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/

Facts
Core Claim
The study of how an organization's dependence on external resources affects its behavior, structure and relationships with other organizations. 1
Origin Year
1978 1
Classification
Topic (Functional Area)
Strategy 1
Sources
1. Wikipedia, Resource dependence theory
  • Introduction
    Resource dependence theory is the study of how the external resources of an organization affect the behavior of the organization.
  • Introduction, Pfeffer and Salancik attribution
    Nevertheless, a theory of the consequences of this importance was not formalized until the 1970s, with the publication of The External Control of Organizations: A Resource Dependence Perspective (Pfeffer and Salancik 1978).
  • Introduction, functional area topic classification
    Resource dependence theory is the study of how the external resources of an organization affect the behavior of the organization.
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