What makes organizations so similar? We contend that the engine of rationalization and bureaucratization has moved from the competitive marketplace to the state and the professions. Once a set of organizations emerges as a field, a paradox arises: rational actors make their organizations increasingly similar as they try to change them. We describe three isomorphic processes-coercive, mimetic, and normative—leading to this outcome. We then specify hypotheses about the impact of resource centralization and dependency, goal ambiguity and technical uncertainty, and professionalization and structuration on isomorphic change. Finally, we suggest implications for theories of organizations and social change.

The iron cage revisited: Institutional isomorphism and collective rationality in organizational fields (Chinese Translation)

Developing a universal quality standard for thematic analysis (TA) is complicated by the existence of numerous iterations of TA that differ paradigmatically, philosophically and procedurally. This ...

One size fits all? What counts as quality practice in (reflexive) thematic analysis?

The Limits to Capital

Learning to Labour: How Working Class Kids Get Working Class Jobs

Encountering development: the making and unmaking of the Third World

This paper reports on empirical work recently conducted about the use and effectiveness of HRM practices in small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs). A telephone survey was conducted with 100 senior managers of SMEs to ascertain their use of a range of human resource practices and the extent to which they had found those practices successful in aiding the achievement of company objectives. Additionally in‐depth interviews were conducted with senior managers from a further 22 SMEs. Findings suggest that there is considerable diversity amongst SMEs in relation to their use of HR practices. A model is provided that identifies the key criteria that underlie the adoption of HRM practices, and the implications of the model are discussed.

Exploring human resource management practices in small and medium sized enterprises

Purpose – To provide a practical example of how a research diary can be used to aid reflexivity in the research process. Whilst there have been increasing calls for reflexivity in management research, little has been written about how to “do” reflexivity in practice.Design/methodology/approach – Qualitative data from the first author's research diary which relate to three distinctive experiences are used as analytical examples.Findings – The research diary was a valuable tool, prompting insights which informed a variety of methodological and theoretical decisions in relation to the research.Practical implications – Suggests that all researchers should systematically use a research diary, regardless of epistemological position. However, what is needed first and foremost is a commitment to the pursuit of reflexivity and awareness on ones' own epistemological assumptions.Originality/value – The paper gives a practical example of how to practice reflexivity, something which is lacking in the current literatur...

The use of a research diary as a tool for reflexive practice

In recent decades, the field of entrepreneurship studies has become increasingly interested in the relationship between entrepreneurship and the informal economy. This paper reviews this burgeoning sub-field of entrepreneurship studies that recognizes how entrepreneurs do not always conduct their business affairs wholly by the rulebook. Evaluating this rapidly growing body of literature, it reviews the findings regarding the preponderance of entrepreneurs to engage in the informal economy, the nature of such informal entrepreneurship, the characteristics of informal entrepreneurs and the motives underpinning participation in such endeavor, along with the competing theories that have sought to explain engagement in this type of entrepreneurship. The tentative finding is that there are marked socio-spatial variations in the prevalence and nature of informal entrepreneurship, the characteristics of informal entrepreneurs and their rationales. The implication is not only that different theorizations of informal entrepreneurship apply more in some populations than others but also that some populations usually seen as lacking in entrepreneurial spirit are perhaps more enterprising and entrepreneurial than currently recognized and consequently, that legitimizing this hidden enterprise culture could be an important means of promoting enterprise and economic development in such populations. The paper concludes by highlighting future avenues for research on this subject.

Entrepreneurship and the Informal Economy: An Overview

In recent decades, the field of entrepreneurship studies has become increasingly interested in the relationship between entrepreneurship and the informal economy. This paper reviews this burgeoning sub-field of entrepreneurship studies that recognizes how entrepreneurs do not always conduct their business affairs wholly by the rulebook. Evaluating this rapidly growing body of literature, it reviews the findings regarding the preponderance of entrepreneurs to engage in the informal economy, the nature of such informal entrepreneurship, the characteristics of informal entrepreneurs and the motives underpinning participation in such endeavor, along with the competing theories that have sought to explain engagement in this type of entrepreneurship. The tentative finding is that there are marked socio-spatial variations in the prevalence and nature of informal entrepreneurship, the characteristics of informal entrepreneurs and their rationales. The implication is not only that different theorizations of informal entrepreneurship apply more in some populations than others, but also that some populations usually seen as lacking in entrepreneurial spirit are perhaps more enterprising and entrepreneurial than currently recognized. Consequently, legitimizing this hidden enterprise culture could be an important means of promoting enterprise and economic development in such populations. The paper concludes by highlighting future avenues for research on this subject.

Entrepreneurship and the informal economy: an overview

The aim of this paper is to explore current uses of benchmarking in small‐ and medium sized enterprises SMEs as well as assessing the demand for this practice. A multi‐method approach was adopted involving a telephone survey of 100 companies supplemented with in‐depth interviews with a further 22 companies generating qualitative data which explored the issues in greater detail. The most popular benchmarking indices used were financial performance, customer satisfaction and quality of products / services. Benchmarking of human resource type measures was inconsistent and piecemeal. Where benchmarking was used it was found to be very effective across all of the measures used, though low levels of interest in using benchmarking were shown by companies not already using it. Thus, whilst companies appear hesitant about using benchmarking data, where they do so, they are pleased with the results. Reasons behind this reluctance and the patterns of usage generally are explored.

Sara Nadin

Papers

Exploring human resource management practices in small and medium sized enterprises

The use of a research diary as a tool for reflexive practice

Entrepreneurship and the Informal Economy: An Overview

Entrepreneurship and the informal economy: an overview

The use and effectiveness of benchmarking in SMEs