Agency and institutions in organization studies

Abdelnour, Samer, Hasselbladh, Hans and Kallinikos, Jannis ORCID: 0000-0002-4446-2878 (2017) Agency and institutions in organization studies. Organization Studies, 38 (12). 1775 - 1792. ISSN 0170-8406

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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.

Item Type:	Article
Additional Information:	© 2017 The Authors
Divisions:	Management
Subjects:	H Social Sciences > HD Industries. Land use. Labor > HD28 Management. Industrial Management
Date Deposited:	19 Dec 2017 14:11
Last Modified:	08 Nov 2024 02:51
URI:	http://eprints.lse.ac.uk/id/eprint/86361

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