Joel Gehman - Böcker

Understanding the societal consequences of organizations is a perennial, if sometimes neglected, concern within the field of organization studies. Recently, such concerns have been given renewed emphasis, with one vibrant stream of research focusing on 'grand challenges', particularly those with a strong societal component, directed at a common good beyond that of business organizations themselves. This might include issues such as sustainable development, natural disasters and pandemics, poverty, community regeneration, and climate change. This volume builds on the current interest in grand challenges by taking seriously the problem of 'organizing beyond organizations', and by engaging with the unique methodological and theoretical toolkits afforded by a process studies perspective to address these issues. Societal challenges are inherently inter-organizational, necessitating theoretical approaches that not only examine organizational action but also frame that action in terms of its wider relational dynamics with other stakeholders. Although some of these considerations are not new, their implications for addressing societal issues such as grand challenges and sustainable development goals has scarcely been considered, let alone how traditional and non-traditional modes of organizing might jointly work towards achieving such outcomes. The chapters embrace the power of a process worldview in order to understand the dynamic nature of any particular grand challenge or societal issue as it evolves within the relationality of actions and practices within and between organizational actors.

This double volume presents a collection of 23 papers on how institutions matter to socio-economic life. The effort was seeded by the 2015 Alberta Institutions Conference, which brought together 108 participants from 14 countries and 51 different institutions. The resulting papers delve deeply into the practical impact an institutional approach enables, as well as how such research has the potential to influence policies relevant to critical institutional changes unfolding in the world today. In Volume 48A, the focus is on the micro foundations of institutional impacts. In Volume 48B, the focus is on the macro consequences of institutional arrangements. Looking across the two volumes, there are multiple theoretical, conceptual, methodological and practical points of convergence and divergence. Overall, the volumes highlight the many ways in which institutional processes and institutional researchers can contribute to our understanding of the micro foundations and macro consequences of institutions and their impacts on a wide variety of globally pressing issues, while also identifying a variety of fruitful directions for knowledge accumulation and development.

This double volume presents a collection of 23 papers on how institutions matter to socio-economic life. The effort was seeded by the 2015 Alberta Institutions Conference, which brought together 108 participants from 14 countries and 51 different institutions. The resulting papers delve deeply into the practical impact an institutional approach enables, as well as how such research has the potential to influence policies relevant to critical institutional changes unfolding in the world today. In Volume 48A, the focus is on the micro foundations of institutional impacts. In Volume 48B, the focus is on the macro consequences of institutional arrangements. Looking across the two volumes, there are multiple theoretical, conceptual, methodological and practical points of convergence and divergence. Overall, the volumes highlight the many ways in which institutional processes and institutional researchers can contribute to our understanding of the micro foundations and macro consequences of institutions and their impacts on a wide variety of globally pressing issues, while also identifying a variety of fruitful directions for knowledge accumulation and development.

This double volume presents a collection of 23 papers on how institutions matter to socio-economic life. The effort was seeded by the 2015 Alberta Institutions Conference, which brought together 108 participants from 14 countries and 51 different institutions. The resulting papers delve deeply into the practical impact an institutional approach enables, as well as how such research has the potential to influence policies relevant to critical institutional changes unfolding in the world today. In Volume 48A, the focus is on the micro foundations of institutional impacts. In Volume 48B, the focus is on the macro consequences of institutional arrangements. Looking across the two volumes, there are multiple theoretical, conceptual, methodological and practical points of convergence and divergence. Overall, the volumes highlight the many ways in which institutional processes and institutional researchers can contribute to our understanding of the micro foundations and macro consequences of institutions and their impacts on a wide variety of globally pressing issues, while also identifying a variety of fruitful directions for knowledge accumulation and development.

Our Elgar Concise Introductions are inspiring and considered. They explain the key principles in business and are expertly written by some of the world’s leading scholars. The aims of the series are two-fold: to pinpoint essential concepts of business and management, and to offer insights that stimulate critical thinking.In this Concise Introduction, Michael Lounsbury and Joel Gehman set out an overview of organization theory that clarifies how to cultivate a robust scholarly identity in a field rich with diverse research traditions. Providing a summary of rationalist, pragmatic and co-constitutive theories, they highlight how scholars can meaningfully contribute to the academic conversation and maximize the practical relevance of their work.Key features:Provides a comparative analysis of different organization theoriesHelps scholars mindfully position themselves and their work within specific academic discussionsHighlights opportunities to bridge ontological differences by engaging in scholarly debates across theoretical categoriesThis Concise Introduction is a crucial reference point for organization scholars. It will also appeal to doctoral students and early-career scholars in management, strategy and entrepreneurship.

Our Elgar Concise Introductions are inspiring and considered. They explain the key principles in business and are expertly written by some of the world’s leading scholars. The aims of the series are two-fold: to pinpoint essential concepts of business and management, and to offer insights that stimulate critical thinking.In this Concise Introduction, Michael Lounsbury and Joel Gehman set out an overview of organization theory that clarifies how to cultivate a robust scholarly identity in a field rich with diverse research traditions. Providing a summary of rationalist, pragmatic and co-constitutive theories, they highlight how scholars can meaningfully contribute to the academic conversation and maximize the practical relevance of their work.Key features:Provides a comparative analysis of different organization theoriesHelps scholars mindfully position themselves and their work within specific academic discussionsHighlights opportunities to bridge ontological differences by engaging in scholarly debates across theoretical categoriesThis Concise Introduction is a crucial reference point for organization scholars. It will also appeal to doctoral students and early-career scholars in management, strategy and entrepreneurship.