Proposing a theoretical framework to investigate the relationships between an organization and its environment

Abstract

This paper proposes a theoretical framework for investigating stakeholder theory in organizations. The organizations theory can be understood in three theoretical models: rationalist, natural and open systems. These models are presented to justify that organizations should be analyzed taking into account that social system aspects and the natural and open system models are employed. The applications of this paper rely upon the theoretical framework which is based on an extensive literature review comprising environment based theories. This paper would be of help to researchers examining the whole set of the relationship of organizations with their environment instead of only the relationships with external agents. Employing the theoretical basis presented in this analysis, the researcher will be able to identify both feasible theoretical sources for his/her studies and useful approaches for carrying on his/her investigations. The paper presents theories for explaining the organization's behavior and performance as being influenced by stakeholders who inhabit its environment. Resource dependence and institutional theory are employed to give theoretical support to the stakeholder. At the end of the paper, a diagram representing the theoretical framework is presented.

Archetypes of organizational success and failure

“…In addition, as the growth process develops, multiple pressures may threaten organizational integrity: ill-managed rivalry (Selznick, 1957), poor cooperation (Barnard, 1938), weak coordination skills (Lawrence & Lorsch, 1967), strategy formulation and implementation supported by incomplete assessments of the situation (Selznick, 1957), and poor recruiting (Selznick, 1957). Conflicts of interest underlined in other theoretical perspectives, such as the agency theory (Jensen & Meckling, 1976), corporate governance (Daily, Dalton, & Cannella, 2003), stakeholder theory (Gomes & Gomes, 2007), corporate ethics (Almeida, 2007) and corporate social responsibility (Matten & Moon, 2008) also contribute insights into individual, organizational and institutional pressures that threaten organizational integrity. Left unattended, these pressures may threaten the firm's integrity and lead to its break up and selfdestruction.…”

Abordagem Conceitual às Estratégias de Internacionalização sob Pressões Institucionais Duais para Legitimidade e Conformidade

“…Isso significa respeitar e adotar as regras formais e informais, normas, comportamentos e cerimônias que são considerados apropriados (DiMaggio & Powell, 1983;Gomes & Gomes, 2007;J. Meyer & Rowan, 1977;Kostova & Zaheer, 1999;Oliver, 1991).…”

Stakeholder Management Capability and Performance in Brazilian Cooperatives

“…During the twentieth Century, stakeholder theory was the focus of many studies (Agle et al, 1999;Donaldson & Preston, 1995;Greenley & Foxall, 1997;Mitchell et al, 1997;Savage et al, 1991;Rossetto, 1998;Rossetto, Cunha, & Orssatto, 1997), as well as in the twenty-first Century (Agle et al, 2008;Boaventura et al, 2009;Brower & Mahajan, 2013;Duesing, 2009;Gomes & Gomes, 2007;Freeman, Harrison, Wicks, Parmar, and Colle, 2010;Lyra et al, 2009;Pavão, Dalfovo, Escobar, & Rossetto, 2012;Phillips, Freeman, & Wicks, 2003;Velamuri & Venkataraman, 2005;Verbeck & Tung, 2013, among others). These studies always use Freeman (1984) as an analytical foundation.. Savage et al (1991) explain that often in the management of stakeholders, their interests are ignored, and therefore their potential for cooperation may be overlooked or not considered.…”

“…The authors Gomes and Gomes (2007) consider stakeholder theory as a viable approach to understanding the behavior of organizations and the influences it receives from the environment in which it operates. Hoffmann, Procopiak and Rossetto (2008) also contribute to this research by including in their studies the scope of the theory of stakeholders and its influence in organizations.…”