Institutional Pluralism, Organizations, and Actors: A Review

Abstract

The institutional logics perspective holds the promise of delivering where neo‐institutionalist theory has disappointed – the ability to address key societal problems such as inequality, social discrimination, and economic insecurity – a promise that, as of yet, has been unrealized. In this review, I provide an overview of the body of work within the institutional logics perspective that addresses the co‐existence of multiple institutional logics influencing identities, values, cognitive frameworks, and practices – institutional pluralism. I demonstrate how pluralism diverges from conventional neo‐institutionalist theory in its view of institutional fields as heterogeneous spaces. I then review the implications for organizations and social actors responding to multiple logics in the institutional environment. In the discussion section, I argue that the study of pluralism, in acknowledging human agency, politics, and collective mobilization, opens the door for creative resolutions to societal problems hitherto overlooked in neo‐institutional theory. Despite the promise, I address key research areas that remain unresolved or under‐addressed in the institutional pluralism perspective.

The political institutionalization of the social economy in Ecuador: Indigeneity and institutional logics

“…To better understand the heterogeneity and hybridity that characterizes much social economy practice, some authors have rooted their analysis in an institutional logics perspective (ILP) (Skelcher and Smith, 2015;Vickers et al, 2017). This approach was developed to better understand interaction between normative societal structures, organizational forms and individual behaviour within institutional theory (Friedland and Alford, 1991;Greenwood et al, 2010;Thornton and Ocasio, 2008;Thornton et al, 2012;Yu, 2015). It identifies institutional logics as: 'socially constructed, historical patterns of cultural symbols and material practices, assumptions, values and beliefs by which individuals produce and reproduce their material subsistence, organize time and space, and provide meaning to their daily activity' (Thornton et al, 2012: 51).…”

A Configuração das Lógicas Institucionais do Campo da Cachaça de Alambique em Minas Gerais

“…Essa interação produz efeitos complexos que podem incorrer tanto em conflitos quanto cooperação de lógicas nas ações (GREENWOOD et al, 2011). A inter-relação de lógicas institucionais caracteriza o pluralismo institucional, fenômeno que tem sido estudado a partir de diferentes quadros teórico-metodológicos (YU, 2015, CURRY e SPYRIDONIDIS, 2016.…”

“…Thus, it was possible to show how the institutional dynamics, especially from the emergence of technical-scientific logic, guided changes in the normative configuration of cachaça production and consumption.  que as lógicas que o constituem concorrem e cooperam entre si em uma relação de pluralismo institucional (YU, 2015;GREENWOOD et al, 2011).…”

Laying a smoke screen: Ambiguity and neutralization as strategic responses to intra-institutional complexity

“…These institutional logics (Friedland and Alford, 1991;Thornton et al 2012) account for modern societies being characterized as inter-institutional systems: In such social settings, institutional pluralism (Kraatz and Block, 2008;Yu, 2015) is the norm. The nature and number of actual spheres, however, may differ both historically and culturally: In certain times in history, for instance, economy and family were not differentiated (see, for instance, the Greek oikos); in China, bureaucratic state and capitalism economy have been heavily intertwined over the last years; or, looking to the Middle East, but also elsewhere, not all societies agree that state and religion are separate institutional orders.…”

“…Scholarly work suggests summarizing this phenomenon as 'institutional pluralism' (Kraatz and Block, 2008;Yu, 2015), or, when pluralist institutional demands become incompatible and/or contradictory, as 'institutional complexity' (Greenwood et al, 2010(Greenwood et al, , 2011). …”