Caveat Emptor: The Construction of Nonprofit Consumer Watchdog Organizations
Abstract
This article investigates how new organizational forms are constituted as cultural objects. Since new organizational forms jeopardize existing interests, institutional entrepreneurs recombine prevalent cultural materials to frame the form as necessary, valid, and appropriate. When rival entrepreneurs promote incompatible frames, the frame that enjoys greater political support from the state, professions, and other organizations becomes ascendant. Proponents of losing frames can exit, migrate, or convert to the ascendant frame. A case study of the creation of nonprofit consumer watchdog organizations demonstrates how the boundaries of an organizational form and its cultural contents are shaped by politics.
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The reputation-enhancing benefits of certifications come from assurance about performance in a domain and endorsement by prominent respected actors.
“the reputation-enhancing benefits of certifications are derived from two primary factors: certifications provide assurance about an organization's level of performance in a given domain, and they represent a powerful signal of endorsement by other prominent and respected actors”
From Strategic Silence: Withholding Certification Status as a Hypocrisy Avoidance Tactic (2018) · cites this paper as Rao, 1998
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- Authors
- Rao, H.
- Affiliations
- Emory University (US)
- Corresponding author
- Rao, Hayagreeva
- ORCID
- Rao, Hayagreeva
- Venue
- American Journal of Sociology
- Publisher
- University of Chicago Press
- Published
- 1998-01
- Volume
- 103
- Issue
- 4
- Pages
- 912-961
- ISSN
- 0002-9602 (ISSN-L)
- 1537-5390
- OpenAlex
- W1969964827
- Cited by
- 562
- References
- 3
- Citations by year
- 2026: 11 · 2025: 8 · 2024: 9 · 2023: 10 · 2022: 14 · 2021: 9 · 2020: 22 · 2019: 23 · 2018: 20 · 2017: 19 · 2016: 33 · 2015: 25 · 2014: 48 · 2013: 35 · 2012: 30
- FWCI
- 13.56
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- American Journal of Sociology (publishedVersion)
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Business, Management and Accounting › Organizational Behavior and Human Resource Management › Management and Organizational Studies
- Social Sciences › Sociology and Political Science › Nonprofit Sector and Volunteering
- Social Sciences › Sociology and Political Science › Social Movements and Cultural Identity
- Keywords
- organizational forms, institutional entrepreneurship, framing, organizational boundaries, consumer protection
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