Ecology, Market Forces and Design of Resource Delivery Systems: Socio-Ecological Perspective

Neglect of Ecological (i.e. edaphic, climatic and natural resource endowments besides man-biotic interactions) variables in organizational theory literature in west is understandable due to near complete subsumption of ecological forces by market forces. Such a neglect in developing agrarian societies is difficult to understand. The ecological forces shape the evolution of market forces in such societies. Any theory of organizations to be socially effective must be preceded by a theory of environments. The socio-ecological paradigm relying on interactions between four-S (space, season, sector and social stratification) provides one way of attempting unambiguous specification of organizations environments. Examples from various product, service and banking organizations are used to advance the above concept. There is a need for studying match or mismatch between portfolios of organizations with portfolio of economic enterprises evolved by different classes of rural producers in a historical context. The development is the process of reducing economic disparities, widening of individual decision making choices and extending time frame for appraising investment choices of the poor. The design and dynamics of developmental organizations can manifest these concerns best by explicit recognition of the challenges inherent in the transition of ‘needs’ poor have into demand they can articulate. The excessive reliance on market forces or voluntary organizations can not help bridge the regional, sectoral or social imbalances. The ‘is’ should not be allowed to become ‘ought’. Values of researchers would need to be made explicit in this regard. Study of social articulation process particularly in backward regions endowed with risky ecologies will provide design avenues for socially responsive public and private organizations. The paper provides some arguments for reducing excessive reliance on study of intra-organizational variables in gearing organization towards the poor clients who can’t protest, pester or persuade the researcher to do otherwise. At least at present.