Institutional Change

Misyurov D.A. Dialectical formulas based on the binary notation as the development formulas // Credo New. 2012. №2

by Dmitry Misyurov

The article suggests dialectical formulas based on the binary notation as the development formulas: formula with... more The article suggests dialectical formulas based on the binary notation as the development formulas: formula with dominant and the non-dominant elements; universal formula; formula with symbolic weight of elements; tautological formula. For example, it suggests an opportunity to use the dialectical formulas for modeling and artificial intelligence creation, etc.

Moving Away from Unanimity: Ratification of the Treaty on Stability, Coordination and Governance in the Economic and Monetary Union

by Carlos Closa

RECON Online Working Paper No. 2011/38

The Treaty on Stability, Coordination and Governance in the Economic and Monetary Union (TSCG) removes the unanimity... more The Treaty on Stability, Coordination and Governance in the Economic and Monetary Union (TSCG) removes the unanimity requirement for entry into force. This innovation is possible because, technically, the TSCG I not an EU Treaty. It is not constructed as a reform of the EU Treaties following article 48 which prescribes unanimity. So far, EU treaty revision locked in firmly the unanimity requirement creating a Catch 22 situation: unanimity can only be removed unanimously. This, together with an adherence to a “strict construction” in the interpretation of EU law and the relative absence of instances of ratification failures may explain the permanence of the requirement. As the basic rule of constitution making, several criticisms can be labelled against unanimity.

This paper discusses the rule of unanimity in three parts: it presents, firstly, the origins and maintenance of the rule through the successive treaty reforms happened in the EU and it presents also the theoretical alternatives proposed. The second part of the paper raises various arguments against unanimity: the factual outcome of the practice of unanimity, its effect on the model of constitutional rules of the Union, the issue of consent and the possibility of externalising the effects of unanimity. The third part presents and discusses the provisions in the existing draft on reinforced economic union. The conclusion argues in favour of any rule short of unanimity, since its most important property will be to transform the dynamics of the ratification process.

Administración y gestión del sistema sanitario público (2009)

by Juan Hernández

The Political Economy of Policy Reform in the Philippines: 1992–1998

by Eduardo Araral

L'OTAN est-elle encore l'OTAN?

by Niels Lachmann

Co-written with Bastien Irondelle, published in Critique internationale 53, October-December 2011, 67-81.

Is NATO Still NATO ? NATO’s survival following the end of the Cold War contradicts the postulate of realists,... more Is NATO Still NATO ? NATO’s survival following the end of the Cold War contradicts the postulate of realists, according to whom military alliances are destined to collapse with the disappearance of the threat they are intended to counter. The Organization has even made a fundamental value out of its ability to transform itself, an ability that seems to have been demonstrated by its unprecedented humanitarian and military operations and its enlargement to include new members. The central dynamic at work here is the transformation of an alliance defending Europe and North America into a crisis management organization that above all intervenes outside of its territory. Yet what permits NATO to survive is the institutionalization of certain arrangements favoring stability : a permanent bureaucracy and command structure, the relative homogeneity of its members (which are now all democracies) and a decision-making process marked by the preeminence of the United States and respect for sovereignty by the principle of unanimity. The Organization’s transformation is nevertheless limited by divergences within its ever-growing and more diverse membership and by the inertia of the organizational apparatus. Studying change within NATO shows that the various types of change that can affect an international organization – its structure, membership and normative and cognitive dimensions – do not necessarily go without saying.

Activists and incumbents tying for change: The interplay between agency, culture and networks in field evolution

by Wouter Stam

Forthcoming in Academy of Management Journal

This paper examines organizational field change instigated by activists. Contrary to existing views emphasizing... more This paper examines organizational field change instigated by activists. Contrary to existing views emphasizing incumbent resistance, we suggest that collaboration between incumbents and challenger movements may emerge when a movement's cultural and relational fabric becomes moderately structured, creating threats and market opportunities but remaining permeable to external influence. We also elucidate how lead incumbents' attempts at movement cooptation may be deflected through distributed brokerage. The confluence of cultural and relational structuration which results accelerates the pace, but dilutes the radicalness of institutional innovation, ensuring ongoing, incremental field change. Overall, this paper contributes to the emergent literature on field dynamics by uncovering the evolution and outcomes of collaborative work at the intersection of movements and fields.

Building Chains and Directing Flows: Strategies and Tactics of Mutual Influence in Stakeholder Conflicts

by Charlene Zietsma

Preprint version of Zietsma, C. & Winn, M.(2008). Building Chains and Directing Flows:  Strategies and Tactics of Mutual Influence in Stakeholder Conflicts, Business & Society, Vol 47/Issue 1, pp. 68-101.

This paper aims to advance theory by deepening our understanding of the processes and specific actions aimed at... more This paper aims to advance theory by deepening our understanding of the processes and specific actions aimed at influencing and shaping business practices through dynamic stakeholder relationships. We conduct an inductive, longitudinal study of all players involved in a regional stakeholder conflict that reached international scope and we present two sets of findings. First, we find evidence for four clusters of influence tactics used by both secondary stakeholders and their target firms: issue raising, issue suppressing, positioning and solutionseeking. Second, through our examination of the processes and patterns underlying influence strategies, we discover that stakeholders build elaborate influence chains and work to direct influence flows. The paper contributes to stakeholder theory in a number of ways. We offer a refined understanding of both bilateral and mutual influence tactics, expanding the theory’s focus beyond bilateral relationships. We further uncover the deliberate use of dependence relationships among multiple embedded organizations to build influence over a specific target, and more generally, an organizational field. We discuss our findings in light of work on social movement organizations and institutional theory, thus integrating our empirical findings with insights from three bodies of literature to advance stakeholder theory.

Peasants Against MNCs and the State: The Role of the Bergama Struggle In the Institutional Construction of the Gold-Mining Field In Turkey

by Sukru Ozen

Co_authored with Hayriye Özen, published in Organization, 2009, 16 (4) 547-573.

Abstract. In this article, we argue that the emergent literature that integrates the neo-institutional and social... more Abstract. In this article, we argue that the emergent literature that integrates the neo-institutional and social movement theories for a better understanding of institutional change offers a partial picture concerning the roles of the state and society in institutional wars due to its preoccupation with the liberal polities prevalent in the Anglo-Saxon countries. We suggest that the macro-institutional perspective that recognizes the infl uences of
varied polities should be introduced to this emergent literature, if it is to provide a full picture. Incorporating the macro-institutional insights into theintegrative approach, we examine a struggle between a group of protesters, a multinational gold-mining company, and governmental actors regarding an environmental issue in Bergama, Turkey, where a statist polity mediates
worldwide currents towards the neo-liberal order. The fi ndings indicate that the Turkish state repressed the mobilizations against the neo-liberal construction of the mining fi eld, and reinforced the existing neo-liberal logic in the mining fi eld through introducing a new regulatory framework. On the
basis of the fi ndings, we suggest that both the trajectory and consequences of institutional wars are infl uenced by the kind of polity in which they take place. Key words. environment; institutional change; local resistance;MNC; neo-institutionalism; polity; social movement

Institutional Work in the Transformation of an Organizational Field: The Interplay of Boundary Work and Practice Work

by Charlene Zietsma

Zietsma, C. & Lawrence, T.B. (2010). Institutional work in the transformation of an organizational field: The interplay of boundary work and practice work. Administrative Science Quarterly. 55. 189-221.

We draw on an in-depth longitudinal analysis of conflict over harvesting practices and decision authority in the... more We draw on an in-depth longitudinal analysis of conflict over harvesting practices and decision authority in the British Columbia coastal forest industry to understand the role of institutional work in the transformation of organizational fields. We examine the work of actors to create, maintain, and disrupt the practices that are considered legitimate within a field (practice work) and the boundaries between sets of individuals and groups (boundary work), and the interplay of these two forms of institutional work in effecting change. We find that actors’ boundary work and practice work operate in recursive configurations that underpin cycles of institutional innovation, conflict, stability, and restabilization. We also find that transitions between these cycles are triggered by combinations of three conditions: (1) the state of the boundaries, (2) the state of practices, and (3) the existence of actors with the capacity to undertake the boundary and practice work of a different institutional process. These findings contribute to untangling the paradox of embedded agency—how those subject to the institutions in a fi eld can effect changes in them. We also contribute to an understanding of the processes and mechanisms that drive changes in the institutional lifecycle.

Democracy, Governance and Social Movements in Colombia: 1990-2006, pp. In Challenges to Democratic Governance: Political and Institutinal Reforms and Social Movements in the Andean Region, (Martín Tanaka and Francine Jácome, eds.; Jane Guppy and Gordon Hart, translators), Lima: Instituto de Estudios Peruanos, International Development Research Center, Instituto Venezolano de de Estudios Sociales y Políticos, pp. 183-210.

by Marcela Velasco

This chapter holds that protest is a legitimate mechanism for representation of interests whose political effects... more This chapter holds that protest is a legitimate mechanism for representation of interests whose political effects (including the capacity for transformation) will depend on variables that have to do with the political regime and the capacity of the state. In the specific case of Colombia, protest is a response to a social state based on the rule of law (SSRL) that does not work. All the things mentioned above occur within a context of incomplete democratization, loss of material well-being and deteriorating human rights, conditions that vary depending on the political regime. This has led to an institutional balance, where the government puts up with protest—clamping down at times, tolerating it at others—and where the citizens resort to contentious action because the formal mechanisms are insufficient when it comes to influencing the government. Lastly, this study has relied on a descriptive analysis of quantitative data and on an analysis of simple correlations to assess the relationship between SSRL and social movement.

Cambio constitucional y capacidades institucionales: un análisis de la protesta social en Colombia

by Marcela Velasco

Ethics in higher education research

by Christa Jacenyik-Trawoger

Many educational researchers have experienced challenges in obtaining ethics approval. This article explores some of... more Many educational researchers have experienced challenges in obtaining ethics approval. This article explores some of the reasons why this is the case, looking specifically at the participatory action research methodology. The authors’ experience of seeking ethics approval for a project intended to introduce peer review as an enhancement process is described. Initially, ethics clearance was denied. Details are provided of the iterative process that ultimately resulted in ethics approval, with particular reference to the differing views regarding the concepts of ‘coercion’ and ‘confidentiality’.

PhD thesis: Negotiating financial systems and poverty alleviation logics in microfinance

by Amer Khan

Connecting the Port and City of Prince Rupert- An Institutional Analysis

by Nicholas Byrne

Completed under the supervision of Dr. P. V. Hall (SFU Department of Urban Studies)

Prince Rupert, British Columbia is a small port city located on British Columbia’s northern coast, approximately two... more Prince Rupert, British Columbia is a small port city located on British Columbia’s northern coast, approximately two days sail closer to Asian ports and manufacturing centers than Vancouver. Although port development remained relatively stagnant for much of the past century, a combination of rapidly growing Asian commodity markets and institutional change with regards to Canadian port governance led to the Port of Prince Rupert’s rapid development of port facilities during the past decade, particularly within the past five years. While the Port of Prince Rupert’s recent growth has proven to be astronomical, the same cannot be said for the local economy within the City of Prince Rupert. This paper intends to investigate the historical and institutional factors causing the economic divide between the Port and City of Prince Rupert, how this Port-City compares to the similar Port-City of Richards Bay, South Africa, and how future Port development at Prince Rupert could better include the local community, of which the Port is a part.

Institutional Perspectives on Entrepreneurial Behaviour in Challenging Environments

by Friederike Welter

Welter, F. & D. Smallbone (2011), Institutional Perspectives on Entrepreneurial Behaviour in Challenging Environments. Journal of Small Business Management, 49 (1): 107-125

This paper examines the institutional embeddedness of entrepreneurial behavior. The institutional context influences... more This paper examines the institutional embeddedness of entrepreneurial behavior. The institutional context influences the nature, pace of development, and extent of entrepreneurship as well as the way entrepreneurs behave.The paper develops suggestions as to how to extend the current institutional approach by emphasizing that institutions not only influence entrepreneurs but entrepreneurs may also influence institutional development by contributing to institutional change. This also includes acknowledging the heterogeneity of entrepreneurial responses to institutional conditions, depending on the situational configuration of institutional fit, enterprise characteristics, and entrepreneur’s background, in which the role of trust as an influence on entrepreneurial behavior needs to be investigated. By focusing on these interrelationships, the paper aims to make a theoretical contribution to the field of entrepreneurship, illustrating how entrepreneurial behavior is
linked to its social context.

Change from below - student initiatives for universities in sustainable development

by Moritz Drupp

Co-authored with Alejandro Esguerra, Lena Keul, David Löw Beer,
Simon Meisch and Felix Roosen‐Runge

To advance the discussion on how the transformation of universities toward sustainable development may be achieved, we... more To advance the discussion on how the transformation of universities toward sustainable development may be achieved, we focus on an often-overlooked actor category: student initiatives. For this, we draw on a case study of the initiative Greening the University e.V. (University of Tübingen, Germany) and analytically capture the role of student initiatives for institutional change through the notion of ‘communicative arena’ as a theoretical lens. We find that student initiatives are crucial for the transformation process toward a university in sustainable development for three reasons: they can facilitate change by acting as (1) institutional innovators, (2) ‘boundary agents’, and (3) creators of social and institutional learning spaces. Based on a discussion of factors that limit a student initiative’s potential to catalyze and uphold a process of institutional change, we provide recommendations for policy-makers, university leaders and students on how to foster this ‘change from below’.

Democracy in the Woods: The Politics of Institutional Change in India's Forest Areas

by Prakash Kashwan

Dissertation

Extended abstract included. Extended abstract included.

Conceptual Barriers to Creating Integrative Universities

by Jon Awbrey

Awbrey, S.M., and Awbrey, J.L. (May 2001), “Conceptual Barriers to Creating Integrative Universities”, Organization : The Interdisciplinary Journal of Organization, Theory, and Society 8(2), Sage Publications, London, UK, pp. 269–284.

Today’s society looks to universities for solutions to broad-based issues that require cross-disciplinary expertise.... more Today’s society looks to universities for solutions to broad-based issues that require cross-disciplinary expertise. Yet, the organizational structure of our institutions remains locked in academic and administrative silos that have little genuine ability to communicate or to recognize the interdependence of knowledge. Why does the capacity to communicate between disciplines and units remain limited? How do formalizations of our experience create barriers? What kind of reflection would it take to subject our mental models of knowledge and learning to critical inquiry? This discussion highlights one of the most entrenched ‘group identity myths’ that underlie the structure of modern academic institutions, the ‘triviality of integration’ thesis.

Seeing Like a Circle: Perspectives on the Field from a Dialogue on Urban Aboriginal Economic Development

by Charles Horn

with Greg Halseth

Since the early 1970’s, Aboriginal communities, policy analysts, and researchers have constructed ‘urban... more
Since the early 1970’s, Aboriginal communities, policy analysts, and researchers have constructed ‘urban Aboriginal economic development’ as both a domain of strategic intervention and a field of tactical contestation. An integral part of this project has been the creation of a body of academic knowledge about urban Aboriginal peoples and their relationship to the economy. This article surveys the current state of knowledge about urban Aboriginal economic development, identifying strengths and gaps in our understanding of this topic, arguing that unlike the policy and program domains, academic knowledge is characterized by its refracted, indirect nature. The analysis is informed by the results of a multi-year dialogue process on urban economic development between Aboriginal peoples, researchers, and policy analysts. In response to the limitations identified in the existing literature, we suggest two supplemental approaches: place-based economics, and new regionalism.

Europeanization in the Western Balkans: EU Incentives and Domestic Constraints

by Arolda Elbasani

Transitions Vol L (2010): 13-29.

This paper aims to take further the debate on the role of enlargement in the region by providing a conceptual... more This paper aims to take further the debate on the role of enlargement in the region by providing a conceptual framework to analyse whether assumptions on Europeanization via enlargement can travel well also in the Balkans. In other words, can the EU replicate its success of enlargement in such difficult cases of reform? What are the domestic factors that challenge the role of EU and how do they play out in different contexts in the region? The discussion on the role of EU in the Balkans will be tackled in a two-fold manner. On the one hand, research on SAP needs to be embedded and make better use of the existing literature on Enlargement and mechanisms of impact. The emerging research on the Balkans lacks both comparative analysis and depth of research when compared to the bourgeoning literature on Enlargement in the East. On the other hand, cases from the Balkans would expand the nascent literature focusing on the receiving end of enlargement to largely uncharted “borderline” cases of transformation. The Balkan countries from the outset have distinguished themselves for their particular and difficult path of transition. Such cases might help elucidating some of the lingering dark spots with regard to the domestic factors that facilitate and/or mitigate the impact of the EU and the complex modes of change that result from the interaction of EU with various domestic contexts in the post-communist space.