The iron cage revisited: Institutional isomorphism and collective rationality in organizational fields (Chinese Translation)
01 Jan 2008-
TL;DR: In this article, the authors argue that rational actors make their organizations increasingly similar as they try to change them, and describe three isomorphic processes-coercive, mimetic, and normative.
Abstract: 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.
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TL;DR: In this article, the authors examine how specific characteristics of objects (forms) used to represent ideas, in interaction with hard-wired aspects of human cognition, may contribute to explain outcomes of translation processes and the extent of alteration of the design of the future organization.
Abstract: By use of an empirical example from a planned organizational change program within an international company, we examine how specific characteristics of objects (forms) used to represent ideas – in interaction with “hard-wired” aspects of human cognition – may contribute to explain outcomes of translation processes and the extent of alteration of the design of the future organization. We argue that a type of syllogism judged as invalid by criteria of formal logics – denoted as Erasmus syllogism – could be rather common in reasoning, and that these logically invalid interferences may contribute to significant innovations. Situations where syllogisms are not recognized as invalid by the involved actors seem to be more prevalent when e.g. the actors are unfamiliar with the semantic content (as e.g. abstract symbols). We argue that understanding of semiotic conditions for occurrence of formal logically invalid syllogism, as well as of the neglect of their invalidity by involved actors in ongoing discourses and reasoning, may contribute to a better understanding of how ideas and objects are translated, within organizations as well as in general. The discussion is a contribution to better understanding of why and how ideas are altered as part of ongoing sense making processes within organizations.
8 citations
Dissertation•
08 Jun 2017
TL;DR: The number of Ombudsman offices in U.S. federal agencies rose dramatically in the 1990s as discussed by the authors, despite the efforts of policymakers to force staff reductions across the federal government, Ombuds offices continued to be established to the point that almost every agency has an Ombudsman.
Abstract: The number of Ombudsman offices in U.S. federal agencies rose dramatically in the 1990s. This study investigates why, despite the efforts of policymakers to force staff reductions across the federal government, Ombudsman offices continued to be established to the point that almost every agency has an Ombudsman. This study uses neo-institutionalist theory to pinpoint indicators that explain what has triggered the proliferation of external facing Ombudsmen in the federal government. The results of this historical retrospective investigation, which uses a mixed methods approach, indicate that the offices were created to ensure procedural justice and as a response to both: stakeholder pressures (since the population became more vocal and active, demanding access to the government, transparency, and accountability) and congressional mandates (such as the Administrative Dispute Resolution Act (ADRA) of 1990 and 1996 the Alternative Dispute Resolution Acts from 1998). This is consistent with neo-institutionalist expectations that organizations change as the result of pressures from forces in the environment combined with the drive for survival. As change accelerates, isomorphism occurs as organizations and agencies adopt strategies that have worked for other similar organizations in their environment.
8 citations
01 Jan 2017
TL;DR: In this article, the authors present a table of acknowledgements and acknowledgements of the authors of this paper. But they do not discuss the authorship of any of the acknowledgements.
Abstract: .............................................................................................................................. ii Acknowledgments............................................................................................................... v Vita ..................................................................................................................................... vi Publications ....................................................................................................................... vii Fields of Study .................................................................................................................. vii Table of
8 citations
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors identify the enablers and inhibitors influencing e-customs implementation in Vietnam and determine the impact of e-Customs on firm performance, and also emphasize that ecustoms adoption had a positive influence on the firm performance in Vietnam.
Abstract: The paper identifies the enablers (drivers) and inhibitors (barriers) influencing e-customs implementation in Vietnam (known as a developing country with a lower technological environment) along with determining the impact of e-customs on firm performance. The survey was conducted with the representatives (managers) of firms in five cities and provinces dominating Vietnam’s international trade. The data was analyzed using structural equation modeling (SEM). The findings show two significant drivers (enablers) relative advantages and national culture, while compatibility and ease of use are the barriers. Previous studies showed that cultural dimensions related to ‘uncertainty acceptance’ and ‘individualism’ encourage innovation; however, this paper demonstrates that ‘uncertainty avoidance’ and ‘collectivism’ promote e-customs deployment in Vietnam. Previously, Vietnamese culture was known for scoring high on cultural dimensions related to ‘power distance’ and ‘short-term orientation’. However, today, as an emerging country, Vietnamese has switched to ‘low distance’ and ‘long-term orientation’, especially in terms of e-customs innovation. Additionally, the paper also emphasized that e-customs implementation had a positive influence on firm performance in Vietnam. Based on the results of the paper, policy-makers can devise essential solutions to enhance e-customs implementation as well as managers of firms can set-up strategies to adapt to the modernized environment.
8 citations
24 Aug 2017
TL;DR: In this paper, a qualitative study examines the environmental behavior of leatherworking SMEs in Pakistan and investigates the environmental drivers, enablers and barriers in these firms, and finds that dynamic capabilities for ecological learning, seizing environmental opportunities and enterprise reconfiguration enable environmentally progressive and moderate SMEs to reduce their pollution load.
Abstract: This qualitative study examines the environmental behaviour of leatherworking SMEs in Pakistan. It investigates the environmental drivers, enablers and barriers in these firms. The study makes an empirical contribution by examining an under-researched developing economy context, Pakistan, which has distinct institutional settings compared to many other countries, especially the developed ones. It also offers a methodological contribution by demonstrating that a hybrid theoretical framework informed by institutional theory, resource-based view, natural-resource-based view and dynamic capabilities perspective offers a better approach to develop the holistic and in-depth understanding of the environmental behaviour of SMEs. It enables the researcher to effectively capture the interactive effect of internal and external factors on the environmental transformation of SMEs. Grounded analysis of interview data has revealed that multilevel (micro-meso-macro) factors, such as environmental requirements of international customers, regulations of export markets, intermediary organisations and peers, operate in conjunction to exert the coercive, normative and mimetic isomorphic pressures on leatherworking SMEs to behave environmentally responsibly. Sustainability values of owner-managers, financial benefits and aspirations for image building also drive these firms to reduce their environmental footprints. Contributing theoretically, the study finds that dynamic capabilities for ecological learning, seizing environmental opportunities and enterprise reconfiguration enable environmentally progressive and moderate SMEs to reduce their pollution load. Social capital, environmentally proactive owner-managers and support programmes of cleaner production centres serve as key microfoundations to these capabilities. More specifically, due to the absence of effective formal institutional support, cleaner production centres have acted as the (informal) compensatory institutional structures and proto-institutional sponsors striving to institutionalise cleaner production practices in the leather industry. Through developing ‘eco-literacy’ skills amongst SME owners, managers and employees they have been motivating and enabling them to adopt innovative eco-friendly production processes and cleaner technologies. Some other capabilities including pollution prevention, product stewardship, absorptive capacity and strategic proactivity serve as precursors to the presence of these capabilities. Policy implications relate to addressing the financial barriers and institutional ‘gaps’, developing human resources and infrastructure, and better management of tannery clusters.
7 citations
References
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TL;DR: This article synthesize the large but diverse literature on organizational legitimacy, highlighting similarities and disparities among the leading strategic and institutional approaches, and identify three primary forms of legitimacy: pragmatic, based on audience self-interest; moral, based upon normative approval; and cognitive, according to comprehensibility and taken-for-grantedness.
Abstract: This article synthesizes the large but diverse literature on organizational legitimacy, highlighting similarities and disparities among the leading strategic and institutional approaches. The analysis identifies three primary forms of legitimacy: pragmatic, based on audience self-interest; moral, based on normative approval: and cognitive, based on comprehensibility and taken-for-grantedness. The article then examines strategies for gaining, maintaining, and repairing legitimacy of each type, suggesting both the promises and the pitfalls of such instrumental manipulations.
13,229 citations
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10,630 citations
TL;DR: The authors applied the convergent insights of institutional and resource dependence perspectives to the prediction of strategic responses to institutional processes, and proposed a typology of strategies that vary in active organizational resistance from passive conformity to proactive manipulation.
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7,595 citations
TL;DR: This article conducted a meta-analysis of 52 studies and found that corporate virtue in the form of social responsibility and, to a lesser extent, environmental responsibility is likely to pay off, although the operationalizations of CSP and CFP also moderate the positive association.
Abstract: Most theorizing on the relationship between corporate social/environmental performance (CSP) and corporate financial performance (CFP) assumes that the current evidence is too fractured or too variable to draw any generalizable conclusions. With this integrative, quantitative study, we intend to show that the mainstream claim that we have little generalizable knowledge about CSP and CFP is built on shaky grounds. Providing a methodologically more rigorous review than previous efforts, we conduct a meta-analysis of 52 studies (which represent the population of prior quantitative inquiry) yielding a total sample size of 33,878 observations. The meta-analytic findings suggest that corporate virtue in the form of social responsibility and, to a lesser extent, environmental responsibility is likely to pay off, although the operationalizations of CSP and CFP also moderate the positive association. For example, CSP appears to be more highly correlated with accounting-based measures of CFP than with market-based ...
6,493 citations
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors consider structural inertia in organizational populations as an outcome of an ecological-evolutionary process and define structural inertia as a correspondence between a class of organizations and their environments.
Abstract: Considers structural inertia in organizational populations as an outcome of an ecological-evolutionary process. Structural inertia is considered to be a consequence of selection as opposed to a precondition. The focus of this analysis is on the timing of organizational change. Structural inertia is defined to be a correspondence between a class of organizations and their environments. Reliably producing collective action and accounting rationally for their activities are identified as important organizational competencies. This reliability and accountability are achieved when the organization has the capacity to reproduce structure with high fidelity. Organizations are composed of various hierarchical layers that vary in their ability to respond and change. Organizational goals, forms of authority, core technology, and marketing strategy are the four organizational properties used to classify organizations in the proposed theory. Older organizations are found to have more inertia than younger ones. The effect of size on inertia is more difficult to determine. The variance in inertia with respect to the complexity of organizational arrangements is also explored. (SRD)
6,425 citations