Resource Dependence Theory –How Well Does It Explain Behavior of Organizations?

This article deals with the question to what extent Resource Dependence Theory(RDT) is able to explain behavior of organizations. Behavior is understood here in awide sense, it includes actions and decision making as well as “non-decision-making”(Bachrach/Baratz 1977) and results of decision making and actions, like organizationalstructures. Differences in the behavior of organizations can be traced back to differencesin management decisions which are influenced by external and internal agentscontrolling critical resources. Those who control critical resources have power, andpower influences behavior. RDT also claims to be able to explain how different organizationalstructures emerge, for example why and how the multidivisional formwas created, but also why and under which conditions mergers of firms take place. Atheory should cover as many aspects of organizational behavior as possible, and notbe limited to specific resources or selected strategies or structures. RDT is such a generalapproach, claiming considerable explanatory power.[...]