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Does Institutional Theory Need Redirecting?

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  • Renate E. Meyer
  • Markus A. Höllerer

Abstract

type="main"> Greenwood, Hinings and Whetten (2014) present two major criticisms of current institutional scholarship, and see need for a broad redirection: institutional organization theory, they argue, has lost sight of the claim to study organizations and, with its overwhelming focus on isomorphism and similarity, has fallen short on adequately theorizing differences across organizations. In our article, we offer support as well as a riposte. First, while we agree that the organizing of collective efforts needs to be at the core of organization research, we warn that focusing on formal organization – a rationalized cultural product itself – may direct attention away from studying alternative modes of organizing, and underestimates the dynamic developments that have transformed contemporary organizations into increasingly complex objects of inquiry. Second, we are concerned that, by abandoning the analysis of similarities in favour of differences, institutional theory may eventually lose sight of its pivotal quest: to study institutions.

Suggested Citation

  • Renate E. Meyer & Markus A. Höllerer, 2014. "Does Institutional Theory Need Redirecting?," Journal of Management Studies, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 51(7), pages 1221-1233, November.
    • Handle: RePEc:bla:jomstd:v:51:y:2014:i:7:p:1221-1233
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    File URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1111/joms.12089
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    10. Frolov, Daniil, 2019. "The manifesto of post-institutionalism: institutional complexity research agenda," MPRA Paper 97662, University Library of Munich, Germany.
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    14. Ansellia Adams & John M. Luiz, 2022. "Incomplete Institutional Change and the Persistence of Racial Inequality: The Contestation of Institutional Misalignment in South Africa," Journal of Management Studies, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 59(4), pages 857-885, June.
    15. Haoyuan Ding & Yichuan Hu & Xiyi Yang & Xiaoyu Zhou, 2022. "Board interlock and the diffusion of corporate social responsibility among Chinese listed firms," Asia Pacific Journal of Management, Springer, vol. 39(4), pages 1287-1320, December.
    16. Garaudel, Pierre, 2020. "Exploring meta-organizations’ diversity and agency: A meta-organizational perspective on global union federations," Scandinavian Journal of Management, Elsevier, vol. 36(1).
    17. Jamali, Dima & Karam, Charlotte & Yin, Juelin & Soundararajan, Vivek, 2017. "CSR logics in developing countries: Translation, adaptation and stalled development," Journal of World Business, Elsevier, vol. 52(3), pages 343-359.
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    19. Eun Young Song, 2020. "Divided we stand: How contestation can facilitate institutionalization," Journal of Management Studies, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 57(4), pages 837-866, June.
    20. Samiolo, Rita, 2017. "Accounting, actorhood and actors: A comment on: Casting call: The expanding nature of actorhood in U.S. Firms, 1960–2010 by Patricia Bromley and Amanda Sharkey," Accounting, Organizations and Society, Elsevier, vol. 59(C), pages 21-26.
    21. Erynn E. Beaton & Rich DeJordy & Pacey Foster, 2021. "The Lived Experience of Managerialization: Understanding Values Conflict in Non‐profits through a Pragmatic Institutionalism," Journal of Management Studies, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 58(6), pages 1471-1506, September.
    22. Ruth V. Aguilera & Birgitte Grøgaard, 2019. "The dubious role of institutions in international business: A road forward," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 50(1), pages 20-35, February.
    23. The Editors, 2014. "Has Institutional Theory Lost its Way?," Journal of Management Studies, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 51(7), pages 1204-1205, November.
    24. Frolov, Daniil, 2019. "Постинституционализм: Программа Исследований За Пределами Институционального Мейнстрима [Post-institutionalism: research program beyond the institutional mainstream]," MPRA Paper 92328, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    25. Heloïse Berkowitz & Marcelo Bucheli & Hervé Dumez, 2017. "Collectively Designing CSR Through Meta-Organizations: A Case Study of the Oil and Gas Industry," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 143(4), pages 753-769, July.

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