The DOI matches its Crossref record; 64 of the 65 references it cites were found in a registry or an index.
The Double-Edge of Organizational Legitimation
Abstract
Organizations require legitimacy to attract constituents' support Legitimacy, however, is always problematic. Thus, organizations frequently pursue legitimacy through a variety of substantive and symbolic practices. But legitimacy is a social judgment that is ultimately accorded the organization by its constituents. Organizations that pursue this judgement run the risk of “protesting too much”–of being perceived as precisely the opposite, manipulative and illegitimate. Such organizations include (1) the clumsy actor, perceived as unethical, heavy-handed, or insensitive, (2) the nervous actor, perceived as dogmatic, intolerant, or evasive, and (3) the overacting actor, perceived to overstate claims to legitimacy or overreact to faults. The analysis suggests that attempts to increase legitimacy may trigger a series of vicious circles which ultimately decrease legitimacy.
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In the citing paper
“Organizations engage in various forms of impression management to promote positive audience perceptions.”
From Strategic Silence: Withholding Certification Status as a Hypocrisy Avoidance Tactic (2018) · cites this paper as Ashforth and Gibbs, 1990
In the citing paper
“using impression management tactics becomes increasingly important in defending against challenges or threats to an organization's reputation”
From Strategic Silence: Withholding Certification Status as a Hypocrisy Avoidance Tactic (2018) · cites this paper as Ashforth and Gibbs, 1990
Citations
Cites
Institutionalized Organizations: Formal Structure as Myth and Ceremony
Meyer, J. W., & Rowan, B. (1977) · American Journal of Sociology · doi:10.1086/226550 · Cited by 28,308
DiMaggio, P., & Powell, W. W. (2004) · Advances in strategic management · doi:10.1016/s0742-3322(00)17011-1 · Cited by 25,973
Kytle, J., & Bandura, A. (1978) · Contemporary Sociology · doi:10.2307/2065952 · Cited by 25,422
External Control of Organizations: Resource Dependence Perspective
Miner, J. B. (2011) · Routledge eBooks · doi:10.4324/9781315701967-54 · Cited by 14,229
Structural inertia and organizational change
Hannan, M. T., & Freeman, J. (1984) · American Sociological Review · doi:10.2307/2095567 · Cited by 7,244
Human Inference: Strategies and Shortcomings of Social Judgment.
Cherniak, C., Nisbett, R. E., & Ross, L. D. (1983) · The Philosophical Review · doi:10.2307/2184495 · Cited by 4,196
Organizational Legitimacy: Social Values and Organizational Behavior
Dowling, J. B., & Pfeffer, J. (1975) · The Pacific Sociological Review · doi:10.2307/1388226 · Cited by 4,168
Threat Rigidity Effects in Organizational Behavior: A Multilevel Analysis
Staw, B. M., Sandelands, L. E., & Dutton, J. E. (1981) · Administrative Science Quarterly · doi:10.2307/2392337 · Cited by 3,717
(1981) · Medical Entomology and Zoology · Cited by 3,559
Miller, G. A., & Cantor, N. E. (1982) · Social Cognition · doi:10.1521/soco.1982.1.1.83 · Cited by 2,862
Flagged first, then by citations
1 of the 65 references couldn’t be matched to a known paper.
Cited by
Sorted by citations
Managing Legitimacy: Strategic and Institutional Approaches
Suchman, M. C. (1995) · The Academy of Management Review · doi:10.2307/258788 · Cited by 19,903
Emotional Labor in Service Roles: The Influence of Identity
Ashforth, B. E., & Humphrey, R. H. (1993) · Academy of Management Review · doi:10.5465/amr.1993.3997508 · Cited by 3,397
Self-citationOrganizational Legitimacy Under Conditions of Complexity: The Case of the Multinational Enterprise
Kostova, T., & Zaheer, S. (1999) · Academy of Management Review · doi:10.5465/amr.1999.1580441 · Cited by 3,343
Beyond Survival: Achieving New Venture Growth by Building Legitimacy
Zimmerman, M. A., & Zeitz, G. (2002) · Academy of Management Review · doi:10.5465/amr.2002.7389921 · Cited by 2,401
Scherer, A. G., & Palazzo, G. (2011) · Journal of Management Studies · doi:10.1111/j.1467-6486.2010.00950.x · Cited by 2,131
Metadata
- Authors
- Ashforth, B. E., & Gibbs, B. W.
- Affiliations
- Concordia University (CA)
- Simon Fraser University (CA)
- ORCID
- Ashforth, Blake E.
- Venue
- Organization Science
- Published
- 1990-05
- Volume
- 1
- Issue
- 2
- Pages
- 177-194
- ISSN
- 1047-7039 (ISSN-L)
- 1526-5455
- OpenAlex
- W2087107032
- Cited by
- 2,228
- References
- 65
- Citations by year
- 2026: 139 · 2025: 143 · 2024: 118 · 2023: 119 · 2022: 122 · 2021: 139 · 2020: 137 · 2019: 114 · 2018: 122 · 2017: 101 · 2016: 88 · 2015: 116 · 2014: 133 · 2013: 98 · 2012: 80
- FWCI
- 8.21
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Organization Science (publishedVersion)
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Business, Management and Accounting › Organizational Behavior and Human Resource Management › Management and Organizational Studies
- Social Sciences › Business, Management and Accounting › Organizational Behavior and Human Resource Management › Organizational Strategy and Culture
- Social Sciences › Business, Management and Accounting › Strategy and Management › Corporate Identity and Reputation
- Keywords
- organizational legitimacy, legitimation strategies, symbolic legitimacy, substantive legitimacy, perceived manipulation
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