In this paper, we argue that the spiritual identity of members of a family business can positively or negatively impact the salience of stakeholders to the complex coalition of decision-makers that comprises managers in that business. Utilizing stakeholder salience theory and role theory, we examine the complex theoretical relationships among spiritual identity, stakeholder attributes, and family business stakeholder salience. This examination reveals the multidimensionality of workplace spirituality and the need for finer-grained distinctions in stakeholder attributes, to better represent the complexities inherent in a family business context. This article develops four propositions, through which we offer the following contributions to the literature on family business workplace spirituality: (1) new analysis frameworks for future use, (2) prototypical descriptions of stakeholder types and representative vignettes for making finer-grained distinctions, (3) multidimensional implications for exploring the somewhat unexpected or under-considered topics in the workplace spirituality literature, and (4) proposals for family-business-specific effects for workplace spirituality on outcomes that arise from inherent family ties in businesses.

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to examine an entrepreneur’s attempt to gain legitimacy and change institutions in a multiple institutions setting. Design/methodology/approach – The authors conducted a qualitative case study to track an entrepreneur’s efforts to create a new financial instrument and get it accepted and traded on the New York Stock Exchange. Findings – The authors introduce the concept of institutional judo, analogous to the martial art where a fighter uses his opponent’s forces against him. While institutional theory has focussed on how institutional pressures force actors to conform, the term judo refers to an actor using institutional pressures to their advantage in changing those very institutions. Research limitations/implications – This qualitative research involves a single case study, but is most suited to revealing extensions of theory and subtle processes. Practical implications – The approach allowed the authors to provide a nuanced look at the actual change efforts by an entrepreneur to gain legitimacy. Social implications – This study provides a nuanced look at actual attempts to change institutions. Originality/value – Institutional judo offers a new change mechanism within institutional theory.