Institutional Complexity and Organizational Responses
Abstract
Organizations face institutional complexity whenever they confront incompatible prescriptions from multiple institutional logics. Our interest is in how plural institutional logics, refracted through field-level structures and processes, are experienced within organizations and how organizations respond to such complexity. We draw on a variety of cognate literatures to discuss the field-level structural characteristics and organizational attributes that shape institutional complexity. We then explore the repertoire of strategies and structures that organizations deploy to cope with multiple, competing demands. The analytical framework developed herein is presented to guide future scholarship in the systematic analysis of institutional complexity. We conclude by suggesting avenues for future research.
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- Authors
- Greenwood, R., Raynard, M., Kodeih, F., Micelotta, E. R., & Lounsbury, M.
- Affiliations
- University of Alberta (CA)
- Venue
- Academy of Management Annals
- Publisher
- Academy of Management
- Published
- 2011-06
- Volume
- 5
- Issue
- 1
- Pages
- 317-371
- ISSN
- 1941-6067 (ISSN-L)
- 1941-6520
- OpenAlex
- W3121343990
- Cited by
- 3,519
- References
- 6
- Citations by year
- 2026: 442 · 2025: 309 · 2024: 312 · 2023: 238 · 2022: 253 · 2021: 277 · 2020: 275 · 2019: 283 · 2018: 192 · 2017: 236 · 2016: 208 · 2015: 180 · 2014: 147 · 2013: 118 · 2012: 43
- FWCI
- 183.60
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Academy of Management Annals (publishedVersion)
- WU Research (publishedVersion)
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Business, Management and Accounting › Organizational Behavior and Human Resource Management › Management and Organizational Studies
- Social Sciences › Business, Management and Accounting › Strategy and Management › Innovation and Knowledge Management
- Social Sciences › Business, Management and Accounting › Organizational Behavior and Human Resource Management › Organizational Strategy and Culture
- Keywords
- institutional complexity, institutional logics, organizational response, competing demands
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