The Future of Resource-Based Theory

Since the 1991 publication of the first Journal of Management special issue devoted to resource-based inquiry, resource-based theory (RBT) has evolved from a nascent, upstart perspective to one of the most prominent and powerful theories for understanding organizations. Indeed, 20 years after that landmark issue, RBT appears to have reached maturity as a theory. One implication of this maturity is that RBT lies at a critical juncture, one that will be followed either by revitalization of the theory or by its decline. In this introductory article, the authors provide a brief overview of the contributions provided by the commentaries and articles contained in this third Journal of Management special issue on…