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Agency and institutions in organization studies

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  • Abdelnour, Samer
  • Hasselbladh, Hans
  • Kallinikos, Jannis

Abstract

Agency and institutions are essential concepts within institutional theory. In this Perspectives issue, we draw on a select group of Organization Studies articles to provide an overview of the topic of agency and institutions. We first consider different ways of defining agency and institutions and examine their implications for institutional theory. We then analyse the relationship of actors and institutions through four lenses – the wilful actor, collective intentionality, patchwork institutions and modular individuals. Our analysis leads us to dissociate agency from individuals and view it as a capacity or quality that stems from resources, rights and obligations tied to the roles and social positions actors occupy. Roles and social positions are institutionally engineered. It is social actors qua occupants of roles and positions (not individuals) that enter the social ‘stage’ and exercise agency.

Suggested Citation

  • Abdelnour, Samer & Hasselbladh, Hans & Kallinikos, Jannis, 2017. "Agency and institutions in organization studies," LSE Research Online Documents on Economics 86361, London School of Economics and Political Science, LSE Library.
    • Handle: RePEc:ehl:lserod:86361
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    File URL: http://eprints.lse.ac.uk/86361/
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Citations

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    Cited by:

    1. Monios, Jason & Ng, Adolf K.Y., 2021. "Competing institutional logics and institutional erosion in environmental governance of maritime transport," Journal of Transport Geography, Elsevier, vol. 94(C).
    2. Ivana Milosevic & A. Erin Bass & Ben Schulte, 2023. "The Interplay of Conflicting and Complementing Institutional Logics in Sustainability Practices," Management International Review, Springer, vol. 63(3), pages 469-506, June.
    3. Liedong, Tahiru Azaaviele & Aghanya, Daniel & Jimenez, Alfredo & Rajwani, Tazeeb, 2023. "Corporate political activity and bribery in Africa: Do internet penetration and foreign ownership matter?," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 154(C).
    4. Colombero, Sylvain & Duymedjian, Raffi & Boutinot, Amélie, 2021. "The embedded-agency paradox revisited: Discussing Deleuze and Guattari’s concept of becoming for institutional entrepreneurship," Scandinavian Journal of Management, Elsevier, vol. 37(1).
    5. Sven Horak & Yuliani Suseno, 2023. "Informal Networks, Informal Institutions, and Social Exclusion in the Workplace: Insights from Subsidiaries of Multinational Corporations in Korea," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 186(3), pages 633-655, September.
    6. P. P. Braga, Daniel & Pokorny, Benno & Porro, Roberto & Vidal, Edson, 2023. "Good life in the Amazon? A critical reflection on the standard of living of cocoa and cattle-based smallholders in Pará, Brazil," World Development Perspectives, Elsevier, vol. 31(C).
    7. Charles Spinosa & Matthew Hancocks & Haridimos Tsoukas & Billy Glennon, 2023. "Beyond Rational Persuasion: How Leaders Change Moral Norms," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 184(3), pages 589-603, May.
    8. Maria Lambrou & Daisuke Watanabe & Junya Iida, 2019. "Shipping digitalization management: conceptualization, typology and antecedents," Journal of Shipping and Trade, Springer, vol. 4(1), pages 1-17, December.
    9. Jamali, Dima & Jain, Tanusree & Samara, Georges & Zoghbi, Edwina, 2020. "How institutions affect CSR practices in the Middle East and North Africa: A critical review," Journal of World Business, Elsevier, vol. 55(5).
    10. Michele Pinelli & Francesco Debellis & Alfredo Massis, 2024. "Long-term orientation, family-intensive governance arrangements, and firm performance: an institutional economics perspective," Small Business Economics, Springer, vol. 63(2), pages 731-754, August.
    11. Sylvain Colombero & Raffi Duymedjian & Amélie Boutinot, 2021. "The embedded-agency paradox revisited: Discussing Deleuze and Guattari’s concept of becoming for institutional entrepreneurship," Post-Print hal-04040224, HAL.
    12. Juelin Yin & Dima Jamali, 2021. "Collide or Collaborate: The Interplay of Competing Logics and Institutional Work in Cross-Sector Social Partnerships," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 169(4), pages 673-694, April.
    13. Uhrenholdt Madsen, Christian & Boch Waldorff, Susanne, 2019. "Between advocacy, compliance and commitment: A multilevel analysis of institutional logics in work environment management," Scandinavian Journal of Management, Elsevier, vol. 35(1), pages 12-25.
    14. Surachman, Eko Nur & Perwitasari, Sevi Wening & Suhendra, Maman, 2022. "Stakeholder management mapping to improve public-private partnership success in emerging country water projects: Indonesia’s experience," Utilities Policy, Elsevier, vol. 78(C).
    15. Tesfaye T. Lemma & Minga Negash & Ayalew Lulseged & Warren Maroun, 2024. "Sustainability assurance and corporate environmental accountability," Business Strategy and the Environment, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 33(4), pages 3167-3183, May.
    16. Aquino, André Carlos Busanelli de & Batley, Richard A., 2022. "Pathways to hybridization: Assimilation and accommodation of public financial reforms in Brazil," Accounting, Organizations and Society, Elsevier, vol. 98(C).
    17. H. M. Tuihedur Rahman & Kate Sherren & Danika van Proosdij, 2019. "Institutional Innovation for Nature-Based Coastal Adaptation: Lessons from Salt Marsh Restoration in Nova Scotia, Canada," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(23), pages 1-26, November.
    18. Wojdan Omran & Shumaila Yousafzai, 2024. "Epistemic Injustice and Epistemic Resistance: An Intersectional Study of Women’s Entrepreneurship Under Occupation and Patriarchy," Entrepreneurship Theory and Practice, , vol. 48(4), pages 981-1008, July.
    19. Yan, Zheng Joseph & Zhu, Jiuhua Cherrie & Fan, Di & Kalfadellis, Paul, 2018. "An institutional work view toward the internationalization of emerging market firms," Journal of World Business, Elsevier, vol. 53(5), pages 682-694.
    20. Alex Bitektine & Patrick Haack & Joel Bothello & Johanna Mair, 2020. "Inhabited Actors: Internalizing Institutions through Communication and Actorhood Models," Journal of Management Studies, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 57(4), pages 885-897, June.
    21. John P Berns & Maria Gondo & Christian Sellar, 2021. "Whole country-of-origin network development abroad," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 52(3), pages 479-503, April.
    22. Kate Robinson & Bernard McKenna & David Rooney, 2022. "The Relationship of Risk to Rules, Values, Virtues, and Moral Complexity: What We can Learn from the Moral Struggles of Military Leaders," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 179(3), pages 749-766, September.
    23. Ping Deng & Andrew Delios & Mike W. Peng, 2020. "A geographic relational perspective on the internationalization of emerging market firms," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 51(1), pages 50-71, February.
    24. Enying Zheng & Wenjie Liao & Yan Xing & Jiajia Zheng, 2023. "Institutionalizing corporate social responsibility disclosure: Historical webpages of the Fortune global 500 companies, 1997–2009," Corporate Social Responsibility and Environmental Management, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 30(2), pages 661-676, March.
    25. Jolly, Suyash & Grillitsch, Markus & Hansen, Teis, 2019. "Agency in regional path development: Towards a bio-economy in Värmland, Sweden," Papers in Innovation Studies 2019/7, Lund University, CIRCLE - Centre for Innovation Research.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    actors; agency; institutional theory; institutions; modular individuals;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • J50 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Labor-Management Relations, Trade Unions, and Collective Bargaining - - - General

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