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Resource Dependency Theory
Resource dependency theory is a theory of organizational behavior and industrial sociology that argues that relationships between organizations and their external environment are determined by resource dependency. This theory suggests that the activities of an organization and its relationships with external entities such as suppliers and customers are determined by the resources it needs from those external entities. It also suggest that the organization’s decision making and power structures are influenced by the need for those resources from the external entities.
Originally formulated in the early 1970s by Jeffrey Pfeffer, resource dependency theory builds on the ideas of social exchange theory and the works of Herbert Simon and Chester Barnard. The idea is to explain how organizations respond to external pressures as they seek to acquire resources needed to pursue their goals. Resource dependency theory states that external resources are integral to organizations and that their relationship with suppliers and customers is based on the resources they need.
For instance, organizations may require access to capital, labor, raw materials, or other resources in order to produce their goods or services. The success of the organization is dependent upon it being able to acquire those resources, so it must develop relationships with suppliers and customers in order to secure them.
The resource dependency relationships between an organization and its external entities take on different forms. In most cases, it is a reciprocal relationship: the organization provides something of value to the external entity in exchange for access to the resources it needs. For instance, a business may provide employment to workers in exchange for their labor, or it may offer products or services to customers in exchange for purchasing them.
However, resource dependency theory also recognizes that, in some cases, organizations may be dependent on resources without offering anything in return. For instance, a business may be dependent on a supplier for a critical component part and have to accept whatever terms the supplier offers, regardless of the cost. In this case, the supplier holds the power, and the business must accept the terms imposed.
To summarize the concept of resource dependency, organizations are dependent on resources from outside sources to pursue their goals. Their decision making and power structures are influenced by these dependencies, and the relationships between them and their external entities are based on what the organization offers in exchange for the resources it needs.
