Institutional Theory

Front 1

Zorn 2004

Back 1

Context: Rise of CFO in American firm.
Key theme: Institutionalization as problem solving

Hint 1

"Key ideas: (1) firms respond to uncertainty by elaborating their formal structures (2) Increasing institutionalization can lead to an existing solution being perceived as a solution to a new problem: diffusion mechanism

Front 2

Greenwood and Suddaby, 2006

Back 2

Context: MDP practice in Big 5 accounting firms [new organizational form]
Key theme: institutional entrepreneurship process

Hint 2

Key points: (1) Central actors in fields most likely to be institutional entrepreneurs (2) Mechanism result of four dynamics: adverse performance, boundary bridging, boundary spanning, resource asymmetries (3) Result: Lower embeddedness and greater motivation to change

Front 3

Guler, Guillen and Macpherson, 2002

Back 3

Context: Diffusion of ISO9000 Quality standard
Key theme: Networks as source of isomorphism

Hint 3

"Key Points:
(1) Resource dependence source of coercive isomorphism
(2) Cohesion in networks source of isomorphism (can be coercive normative or mimetic)
(3) Role equivalence in networks source of learning and mimicry

Front 4

Rao, Greve and Davis, 2001

Back 4

Context: Adoption and abandonment of coverage by financial analysts
Key Theme: Social Proof; information cascade; cogitive dopes or inst. entrepreneurs

Hint 4

"Key Ideas: (1) Heuristic of social proof behind adoption decisions & may also lead to post-decision regret. (2) uncertainty induces use of social proof; but decision to abandon based on direct evaluation [not external cues]

Front 5

Stuart and Ding, 2006

Back 5

Context: faculty entrepreneurship prior to the passage of the Bayh-Dohl Act
Key theme: social antecedents to transition to entrepreneurship

Hint 5

"Key Points:Determinants of academic entrepreneurship
(1) social influence from being coworker with an academic entrepreneur [shaping colleagues' attitudes; information exchange]
(2) high status of scientist entrepreneurs"