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Institutional entrepreneurship in North American lightning protection standards: Rhetorical history and unintended consequences of failure

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  • Sara L. McGaughey

Abstract

This article examines a historical case study of failed institutional entrepreneurship in the context of a mature lightning protection standard developed under the auspices of the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) in the United States. Particular emphasis is placed on events post-1989 when entrepreneurs who had continuously supported the conventional standard sought to establish a competing standard in parallel. When unsuccessful, they sought to entirely remove the existing standard of almost 100 years. The study shows how failure of institutional work may in fact lead to a strengthening and reproduction of existing institutions and their underlying logics, contrary to the institutional entrepreneurs' intent. It also underscores the potential value of history as an interpretive device and strategic resource for both challengers and custodians of institutions, and moves beyond heroic conceptions of institutional entrepreneurship to recognise the discontinuous, non-linear, collective processes that take place in institutional work.

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  • Sara L. McGaughey, 2013. "Institutional entrepreneurship in North American lightning protection standards: Rhetorical history and unintended consequences of failure," Business History, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 55(1), pages 73-97, January.
    • Handle: RePEc:taf:bushst:v:55:y:2013:i:1:p:73-97
    DOI: 10.1080/00076791.2012.687537
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    Cited by:

    1. Tuija Mainela & Vesa Puhakka & Per Servais, 2015. "Boundary crossing for international opportunities," Journal of International Entrepreneurship, Springer, vol. 13(3), pages 173-185, September.
    2. Mollona, Edoardo & Pareschi, Luca, 2020. "A gramscian perspective on field dynamics. The case of the privatization of Italian steel industry," Scandinavian Journal of Management, Elsevier, vol. 36(4).
    3. Hatani, Faith, 2016. "Institutional plasticity in public-private interactions: Why Japan’s port reform failed," Journal of World Business, Elsevier, vol. 51(6), pages 923-936.
    4. Fortwengel, Johann & Jackson, Gregory, 2016. "Legitimizing the apprenticeship practice in a distant environment: Institutional entrepreneurship through inter-organizational networks," Journal of World Business, Elsevier, vol. 51(6), pages 895-909.
    5. Pikos Anna, 2018. "Continuity of Narratives: Reinterpretations of Polish Business History," Journal of Management and Business Administration. Central Europe, Sciendo, vol. 26(4), pages 47-63, December.
    6. Yuliya Snihur & Llewellyn D. W. Thomas & Raghu Garud & Nelson Phillips, 2022. "Entrepreneurial Framing: A Literature Review and Future Research Directions," Entrepreneurship Theory and Practice, , vol. 46(3), pages 578-606, May.
    7. Rifat Sharmelly, 2016. "Innovation for Emerging Markets Confronting Institutional Environment Challenges: Perspectives from Visionary Leadership and Institutional Entrepreneurship," International Journal of Business and Management, Canadian Center of Science and Education, vol. 11(6), pages 108-108, May.
    8. Roy Suddaby & Trevor Israelsen & Francois Bastien & Rohny Saylors & Diego Coraiola, 2023. "Rhetorical History as Institutional Work," Journal of Management Studies, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 60(1), pages 242-278, January.
    9. Eva A. Alfoldi & Sara L. McGaughey & L. Jeremy Clegg, 2017. "Firm Bosses or Helpful Neighbours? The Ambiguity and Co-Construction of MNE Regional Management Mandates," Journal of Management Studies, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 54(8), pages 1170-1205, December.

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