Perspectivas Teóricas sobre a Relação das Organizações com o Meio Ambiente

This work aims to discuss the theoretical perspectives interested in studying the relationship between organizations and their environment. First, the rational, mechanistic and closed system approach, ignores the existence of the relationship between organizations and environment and any kind of external influence on the functioning of organizations. Subsequently, the application of systemic theory to the study of organizations promotes the notion of open system and the environment variable is introduced in organizational analysis. The works supported by contingency theory recognized the dependence of organizations to the environment, the influence that environmental constraints have in organizational structures and argue that firms performance depends on its ability to adapt to the environment. The relational dynamics between organization and environment is explored in a more "specialized" way, but complementary, in sociological and political and economic approaches. In this case, the theories start from the common idea that the organization's external environment may represent a critical source of ideas, rules, opportunities, resources and constraints.