Showing papers on "Resource dependence theory published in 1977"

The Population Ecology of Organizations

Abstract: Factors impacting the organizational structure of firms have been analyzed often utilizing organizations theory. However, several other theories and perspectives have been proposed as potential alternative means of analyzing organizational structure and functioning. While previous studies regarding organizational structure have utilized such perspectives as adaptation and exchange theory, few studies have utilized population ecology theory, thus leading to the current study. Although population ecology theory is most often used in the biological sciences, many of its principles lend well to organizational analysis. Due to internal structural arrangements (e.g. information constraints, political constraints) and environmental pressures (e.g. legal and fiscal barriers, legitimacy) of an organization, the inflexibility of an organization limits the firm's organizational analysis utilizing an adaptation perspective. The challenges and discontinuities associated with utilizing an ecological perspective are identified, including issues related to the primary sources of change (selection and adaptive learning) and related to differentiating between selection and viability. Utilizing competition theory and niche theory, several models for analyzing organizational diversity are incorporated to address factors not encompassed by ecological theory. By compiling elements of several theories, a population ecology model applicable to business related organizational analyses is derived. (AKP)

Beliefs about coalition formation in multiple resource three‐person situations

Abstract: Minimum resource theory and several different solution concepts of game theory as applied to three-person constant sum coalition situations differ in suggested outcomes. Minimum resource theory predicts the two weaker parties will form a coalition because of a payoff split according to its definition of power. Students were asked to judge coalition probability for multiple resource situations. Results showed that judges thought the stronger coalition was as likely or more likely to occur than the weaker coalition. This result indicated the possible importance of the person in the middle of a power structure and the differences between perception of and acting in a coalition. It also raises several questions concerning the interpretation of game theory solutions and minimum resource theory in the provision of testable hypotheses.