Institutional+Theory

Title: Institutional Theory

Submitted by: Anonymous Alternate Names: Structuralism; Organizational Theory

Institutional theory considers the causal role of institutions (values, norms, rules, procedures, structures) in determining particular outcomes. Though institutionalism can focus in on the microfoundations of institutions, it tends to consider them over time and to examine how institutions shape actors' preferences, highlight some 'paths' while blocking others, and lock actors into particular positions or courses of action (path dependency). For this reason, institutionalism has difficulty explaining change, except through the use of 'critical junctures', which are openings created in otherwise fossilized institutional patterns; these openings usually are the product of crises, power turnover, and other macro-level structural changes that are exogenous to the institutions themselves. One part of this field of study is attempting to create theories of endogenous institutional change by looking at how change at the margins works itself in toward the core institutions.


 * References: **

Olsen, J. and March, J. 1984. The new institutionalism: Organizational factors in political life. //American Political Science Review. Vol. 78//.

Pierson, P. and Skocpol, T. 2002. Historical Institutionalism in Contemporary Political Science. // [] //

Powell, W. and DiMaggio, P. Eds. (1991). //The New Institutionalism in Organizational Analysis//. Chicago: University of Chicago Press

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Steinmo, S.; Thelen, K.; and [|Longstreth], F. (1992). //Structuring Politics: Historical Institutionalism in Comparative Analysis.// Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

[|Thelen], K. 1999. Historical institutionalism in comparative politics. //Annual Review of Political Science. Vol.// 2.


 * References applying the framework: **

, R. and Collier, D. (1991). //Shaping the [|Political]Arena: Critical Junctures, the Labor Movement, and Regime Dynamics in Latin America//. Helen Kellogg Institute for International Studies.

North, D. 1990//. Institutions, Institutional Change and Economic Performance. Cambridge//: Cambridge Univeristy Press.

Sabatier, P. and Jenkins-Smith, H. (1993). //Policy Change and Learning: An [|Advocacy]Coalition Approach//. San Francisco: Westview Press.