Exploring CSR communication: Linking institutional pressures, legitimacy, and rhetoric

By presenting an overview of institutional theory, specifically the concepts of organizational fields, institutional pressures, and legitimacy, in addition to classical rhetoric, we have sought to highlight that there are links within the literature between the concepts of institutional theory and legitimacy, and also legitimacy and classical rhetoric. To date however, the three concepts – institutional pressures, legitimacy, and rhetoric – have not been explicitly linked. Through building on the current literature, and using the notion of legitimacy as the axis to connect institutional pressures with rhetoric, we argue that certain rhetorical devices may in fact be used to build and construct legitimacy in relation to the different institutional pressures an organization may face within a field. We believe that this preliminary framework may be useful to the field of CSR communication, whereby it may assist in constructing legitimate CSR communication in response to the various pressures an organization may face in relation to CSR.

L’incorporation de la responsabilité populationnelle dans la gestion des CSSS

En 2004, le gouvernement québécois s’est engagé dans une importante réorganisation de son système de santé en créant les Centres de santé et des services sociaux (CSSS). Conjugué à leur mandat de production de soins et services, les CSSS se sont vus attribuer un nouveau mandat de « responsabilité populationnelle ». Les gestionnaires se voient donc attribuer le mandat d’améliorer la santé et le bien-être d’une population définie géographiquement, en plus de répondre aux besoins des utilisateurs de soins et services. Cette double responsabilité demande aux gestionnaires d’articuler plus formellement au sein d’une gouverne locale, deux secteurs de prestations de services qui ont longtemps évolué avec peu d’interactions, « la santé publique » et « le système de soins ». Ainsi, l’incorporation de la responsabilité populationnelle amène à développer une plus grande synergie entre ces deux secteurs dans une organisation productrice de soins et services. Elle appelle des changements importants au niveau des domaines d’activités investis et demande des transformations dans certains rôles de gestion. L’objectif général de ce projet de recherche est de mieux comprendre comment le travail des gestionnaires des CSSS se transforme en situation de changement mandaté afin d’incorporer la responsabilité populationnelle dans leurs actions et leurs pratiques de gestion. Le devis de recherche s’appuie sur deux études de cas. Nous avons réalisé une étude de deux CSSS de la région de Montréal. Ces cas ont été choisis selon la variabilité des contextes socio-économiques et sanitaires ainsi que le nombre et la variété d’établissements sous la gouverne des CSSS. L’un des cas avait au sein de sa gouverne un Centre hospitalier de courte durée et l’autre non. La collecte de données se base sur trois sources principales; 1) l’analyse documentaire, 2) des entrevues semi-structurées (N=46) et 3) des observations non-participantes sur une période de près de deux ans (2005-2007). Nous avons adopté une démarche itérative, basée sur un raisonnement inductif. Pour analyser la transformation des CSSS, nous nous appuyons sur la théorie institutionnelle en théorie des organisations. Cette perspective est intéressante car elle permet de lier l’analyse du champ organisationnel, soit les différentes pressions issues des acteurs gravitant dans le système de santé québécois et le rôle des acteurs dans le processus de changement. Elle propose d’analyser à la fois les pressions environnementales qui expliquent les contraintes et les opportunités des acteurs gravitant dans le champ organisationnel de même que les pressions exercées par les CSSS et les stratégies d’actions locales que ceux-ci développent. Nous discutons de l’évolution des CSSS en présentant trois phases temporelles caractérisées par des dynamiques d’interaction entre les pressions exercées par les CSSS et celles exercées par les autres acteurs du champ organisationnel; la phase 1 porte sur l’appropriation des politiques dictées par l’État, la phase 2 réfère à l’adaptation aux orientations proposées par différents acteurs du champ organisationnel et la phase 3 correspond au développement de certains projets initiés localement. Nous montrons à travers le processus d’incorporation de la responsabilité populationnelle que les gestionnaires modifient certaines pratiques de gestion. Certains de ces rôles sont plus en lien avec la notion d’entrepreneur institutionnel, notamment, le rôle de leader, de négociateur et d’entrepreneur. À travers le processus de transformation de ces rôles, d’importants changements au niveau des actions entreprises par les CSSS se réalisent, notamment, l’organisation des services de première ligne, le développement d’interventions de prévention et de promotion de la santé de même qu’un rôle plus actif au sein de leur communauté. En conclusion, nous discutons des leçons tirées de l’incorporation de la responsabilité populationnelle au niveau d’une organisation productrice de soins et services. Nous échangeons sur les enjeux liés au développement d’une plus grande synergie entre la santé publique et le système de soins au sein d’une gouverne locale. Également, nous présentons un modèle synthèse d’un processus de mise en œuvre d’un changement mandaté dans un champ organisationnel fortement institutionnalisé en approfondissant les rôles des entrepreneurs institutionnels dans ce processus. Cette situation a été peu analysée dans la littérature jusqu’à maintenant.

Développement d’une approche de régulation des essais cliniques dans un contexte de pays en développement : le cas du Mali

Le Mali est devenu un milieu attractif pour les essais cliniques. Cependant, le cadre de réglementation pour leur surveillance y est très limité. Le pays manque de l’expertise, de l’infrastructure et des ressources nécessaires pour mettre en œuvre pleinement la régulation. Ceci représente un risque pour la sécurité des sujets de recherche et l’intégrité des résultats scientifiques. Il ne permet pas non plus de s’aligner sur les normes internationales en vigueur, telles que la déclaration d’Helsinki, les directives éthiques internationales du Conseil des organisations internationales des sciences médicales (CIOMS) ou les réglementations de pays industrialisés comme les États-Unis, le Canada ou l’Union Européenne. Pour améliorer la situation, la présente étude vise à comprendre les enjeux de la régulation des essais cliniques au Mali afin de suggérer des pistes de solutions et des recommandations. L’étude a été réalisée à l’aide de méthodes qualitatives, soit l’examen de documents officiels et des entrevues semi-dirigées avec les principaux acteurs impliqués dans les essais cliniques. La théorie néo-institutionnelle a servi de toile de fond à l’analyse des données. L’approche néo-institutionnelle consiste à expliquer l’influence de l’environnement sur les organisations. Selon cette approche, l’environnement s’assimile à des champs organisationnels incluant les connexions locales ou non, les liens horizontaux et verticaux, les influences culturelles et politiques ainsi que les échanges techniques. Les résultats présentés dans un premier article montrent l’existence de nombreux enjeux reflétant la carence du système de régulation au Mali. La coexistence de quatre scénarios d’approbation des essais cliniques illustre bien l’inconsistance des mécanismes. Tout comme l’absence d’inspection, l’inconsistance des mécanismes traduit également l’intervention limitée des pouvoirs publics dans la surveillance réglementaire. Ces enjeux résultent d’une double influence subie par les autorités réglementaires et les comités d’éthique. Ceux-ci sont, d’une part, influencés par l’environnement institutionnel sous pressions réglementaires, cognitives et normatives. D’autre part, les pouvoirs publics subissent l’influence des chercheurs qui opèrent comme des entrepreneurs institutionnels en occupant un rôle central dans le champ de la régulation. Dans un second article, l’étude propose une analyse détaillée des facteurs influençant la régulation des essais cliniques. Ces facteurs sont synthétisés en cinq groupes répartis entre deux sphères d’influence. L’analyse montre combien ces facteurs influencent négativement la régulation, notamment : 1) la structuration inachevée du champ de régulation due à un faible degré d’interactions, une absence de structure de coordination, d’informations mutuelles et de conscience dans la constitution des interdépendances; et 2) les positions relatives des acteurs impliqués dans la construction du champ de régulation se manifestant par une faible autorité des pouvoirs publics et l’ascendance des groupes de recherche. Enfin, dans un troisième article nous proposons quelques mécanismes qui, s’ils sont mis en œuvre, pourraient améliorer la régulation des essais cliniques au Mali. Ces mécanismes sont présentés, en référence au cadre théorique, sous trois types de vecteurs d’influence, notamment réglementaires, normatifs et cognitifs-culturels. En guise de conclusion, l’étude envoie un signal fort pour la nécessité d’une régulation appropriée des essais cliniques au Mali. Elle montre que la plupart des problèmes de fond en matière de régulation relèvent d’un besoin de restructuration du champ organisationnel et de renforcement de la position des pouvoirs publics.

Discursos e a construção do "real": um estudo do processo de formação e institucionalização do campo da biotecnologia

Comprehension of the processes of formation of new organizational fields is the main objective that stimulated the theoretical reflection and empirical research that I present in this paper. My intention here is to uphold the potential for the application of seemingly dichotomous perspectives in terms of the objectivity/subjectivity dimension in the comprehension of the objective in question. The contribution of Foucault, with his concept of discourse, is linked to the proposal of critical constructivism represented by Latour and studies of science and technology. Juxtaposing these perspectives, I examined the dynamics of the biotechnological field on the basis of the dialectic of movements of demarcation/circularity, which is basically a simultaneous movement of (dis)construction of the boundaries of a field. The dialectic of demarcation/circularity is made up of the set of relations established between heterogeneous elements ¿ institutions, economic and social processes, behavioral patterns, systems of norms, techniques, types of classification, forms of characterization, in other words it finds ways of emerging in the course of discursive formations. This theoretical proposal ¿ which incorporates an overlooked dimension in institutional analysis, especially in organization studies (power) ¿ has the advantage of contributing to enhancing comprehension of the dynamics of institutionalization. By proposing that the institutional processes arise within discursive fields, the argument put forward is that such processes contribute to the productivity of the power relations in these fields. In empirical terms, I conducted a descriptive and exploratory research directed at the biotechnology sector. The research was based on a historical perspective, since the analysis spans the period from the origins of genetic science (beginning of the 20th century) through to recent developments in biotechnology in the USA (beginning of the 21st century). The USA was chosen as the locus of research, principally due to the fact that structuring of the field of biotechnology originated in that country, subsequently spreading to other countries around the world. Starting from this theoretical and methodological framework, three discursive formations are highlighted: organization, information and network. Each of the discursive formations is characterized by a dominant set of discourses that prepare the ground for the appearance and (trans)formation of the focus-objects under analysis. In this process, organizations appear in at least two ways: as boundary-organizations ¿ which are important for understanding the movement of the approximation of different discursive domains ¿ and as new organizations, which accompany the (trans)formation of new fields, whereby prevailing discourses materialize at a given historical moment and contribute to breathe life into new discourses, which in turn spark off new power relations. Among the conclusions of this work, I would highlight the following: questioning the 'organizational' dimension of the fields; the relationship revealed not only between the discourses and the institutionalized practices, but also with the process of construction of legitimacy; and the redefinition of the concept of organizations, based on new conceptions relating to the limits of the topic, the objectivity/subjectivity, and space/time dichotomy.

Estudo do campo organizacional de reciclagem de latas de alumínio do Estado do Rio de Janeiro

The objective of this study is to discuss and analyze the structure of the organizational field of recycling of aluminum cans in Rio de Janeiro state, using as reference the institutional theory. The recycling of aluminum cans field, despite its early history, has presented important modifications, with impacts in others recycle material industries. The present study aims to understand such modifications through the analysis of the organizational field. With this intention, it is used a theoretical basis to define the institutionalization concept, focusing on the differences of functional organization theory, as well to define the legitimacy concept and isomorphism. As a contribution to institutional studies, and as reference to this research, it is analyzed some organizational field studies published in Brazil, comparing them with others from Europe and America, as well as a discussion about the applicability of institutional studies. The structure and analysis presented here were elaborated through a survey, based on semi-structured interviews with representatives of organizations of the organizational field. This study is sectional with longitudinal perspective, including a qualitative analysis, in order to get information regarding the past that can contribute to explain the current structure of the organizational field. There is a perception that border actors, represented in this work by recyclers cooperatives, on the contrary of other studies, intend do change the structure of the organizational field by the mean of social pressures.

O campo de energia elétrica no Brasil - de 1880 a 2002

Since electric power is an essential element in modern society, this paper analyzes the historic and institutional factors that have contributed to the formation and organization of the Brazilian electric sector, from the time when it started to be used in this country until the end of year 2002. This analysis is based on a linear description of historic facts, giving emphasis to crucial events ¿ or critical incidents, as they were called for the purpose of this paper. As to these happenings, the social actors who played an important role in the development of the Brazilian electric power sector were analyzed. An analytical model based on the theoretical references offered by the Institutional Theory was used. The study also highlights the elements that comprehend the development of the phenomenon in face of the ambivalence existing in a developing country, which is the case of the Brazilian electric power sector. The organizational fields that were established at the time determined by the main crucial incidents presented throughout the length of time covered by this study. The resources that the main social actors involved in the electric power sector may use by are also identified, as well as their main interests and level of influence these actors may have. Several documents were analyzed. The qualitative methodology was used. Also, many semi-structured in-depth interviews of the people who have made the history of this sector for reliability were conducted. Finally, this study includes the main elements that have shaped the institutional model of the Brazilian electric sector. It also characterizes the external environment as the element which has most influenced the sector and has also led its way throughout the different developmental phases, especially with respect to funding. The growing rates of power consumption indicate the need for a constant increase in the supply of electric power to meet the needs of society and economic development. This requires constant investment. Lack of investment is a limiting factor. Not only does it hinder the development of the country but it may also result in very unfortunate mishaps such as electric power rationing, such as the kind we had to endure a while ago.

A presença do Estado no setor financeiro brasileiro: o caso de uma instituição financeira pública

A presente pesquisa analisa a presença do Estado no setor financeiro brasileiro, a partir do estudo da atuação de um de seus agentes. Para tanto, toma por referência as teorias organizacionais, em especial a corrente do institucionalismo e os fundamentos da administração burocrática. As empresas financeiras públicas têm exercido um importante papel na formação e no desenvolvimento do Estado brasileiro, apresentando-se como instrumentos indispensáveis tanto para sua economia quanto para sua consolidação institucional. Postula o trabalho que o desenvolvimento e a forma de organização desses agentes não são ditados apenas pela sua natureza constitutiva, mas também por um conjunto de elementos e características decorrentes de um processo de institucionalização que acaba por determinar suas condições de sobrevivência, a ampliação de seus papéis e responsabilidades e, ainda, a sua conformação organizacional. Discute elementos teóricos e práticos que explicam a combinação de componentes estruturais e simbólicos que, aliados a circunstâncias históricas, culminaram na institucionalização de uma organização financeira pública brasileira. A metodologia escolhida privilegia a pesquisa bibliográfica para configuração de sua consistência teórica e também opta por um estudo de caso para averiguação de suas hipóteses de investigação: o caso da Caixa Econômica Federal. O trabalho realizou ampla pesquisa documental e desenvolveu uma análise qualitativa do material reunido com a finalidade de obter os elementos e informações que contribuíram para a explicação dos fenômenos analisados.

Institutional Complexity and Technology Transfer: A Theoretical and Empirical Analysis

This Doctoral Thesis unfolds into a collection of three distinct papers that share an interest in institutional theory and technology transfer. Taking into account that organizations are increasingly exposed to a multiplicity of demands and pressures, we aim to analyze what renders this situation of institutional complexity more or less difficult to manage for organizations, and what makes organizations more or less successful in responding to it. The three studies offer a novel contribution both theoretically and empirically. In particular, the first paper “The dimensions of organizational fields for understanding institutional complexity: A theoretical framework” is a theoretical contribution that tries to better understand the relationship between institutional complexity and fields by providing a framework. The second article “Beyond institutional complexity: The case of different organizational successes in confronting multiple institutional logics” is an empirical study which aims to explore the strategies that allow organizations facing multiple logics to respond more successfully to them. The third work “ How external support may mitigate the barriers to university-industry collaboration” is oriented towards practitioners and presents a case study about technology transfer in Italy.

Constructing institutional change: emergence, contestation and convergence of business models in the field of Java application servers

How are innovative new business models established if organizations constantly compare themselves against existing criteria and expectations? The objective is to address this question from the perspective of innovators and their ability to redefine established expectations and evaluation criteria. The research questions ask whether there are discernible patterns of discursive action through which innovators theorize institutional change and what role such theorizations play for mobilizing support and realizing change projects. These questions are investigated through a case study on a critical area of enterprise computing software, Java application servers. In the present case, business practices and models were already well established among incumbents with critical market areas allocated to few dominant firms. Fringe players started experimenting with a new business approach of selling services around freely available opensource application servers. While most new players struggled, one new entrant succeeded in leading incumbents to adopt and compete on the new model. The case demonstrates that innovative and substantially new models and practices are established in organizational fields when innovators are able to refine expectations and evaluation criteria within an organisational field. The study addresses the theoretical paradox of embedded agency. Actors who are embedded in prevailing institutional logics and structures find it hard to perceive potentially disruptive opportunities that fall outside existing ways of doing things. Changing prevailing institutional logics and structures requires strategic and institutional work aimed at overcoming barriers to innovation. The study addresses this problem through the lens of (new) institutional theory. This discourse methodology traces the process through which innovators were able to establish a new social and business model in the field.

Boundary weaving : the social structure and processes of organizational boundaries

Boundaries are an important field of study because they mediate almost every aspect of organizational life. They are becoming increasingly more important as organizations change more frequently and yet, despite the endemic use of the boundary metaphor in common organizational parlance, they are poorly understood. Organizational boundaries are under-theorized and researchers in related fields often simply assume their existence, without defining them. The literature on organizational boundaries is fragmented with no unifying theoretical basis. As a result, when it is recognized that an organizational boundary is "dysfunctional". there is little recourse to models on which to base remediating action. This research sets out to develop just such a theoretical model and is guided by the general question: "What is the nature of organizational boundaries?" It is argued that organizational boundaries can be conceptualised through elements of both social structure and of social process. Elements of structure include objects, coupling, properties and identity. Social processes include objectification, identification, interaction and emergence. All of these elements are integrated by a core category, or basic social process, called boundary weaving. An organizational boundary is a complex system of objects and emergent properties that are woven together by people as they interact together, objectifying the world around them, identifying with these objects and creating couplings of varying strength and polarity as well as their own fragmented identity. Organizational boundaries are characterised by the multiplicity of interconnections, a particular domain of objects, varying levels of embodiment and patterns of interaction. The theory developed in this research emerged from an exploratory, qualitative research design employing grounded theory methodology. The field data was collected from the training headquarters of the New Zealand Army using semi-structured interviews and follow up observations. The unit of analysis is an organizational boundary. Only one research context was used because of the richness and multiplicity of organizational boundaries that were present. The model arose, grounded in the data collected, through a process of theoretical memoing and constant comparative analysis. Academic literature was used as a source of data to aid theory development and the saturation of some central categories. The final theory is classified as middle range, being substantive rather than formal, and is generalizable across medium to large organizations in low-context societies. The main limitation of the research arose from the breadth of the research with multiple lines of inquiry spanning several academic disciplines, with some relevant areas such as the role of identity and complexity being addressed at a necessarily high level. The organizational boundary theory developed by this research replaces the typology approaches, typical of previous theory on organizational boundaries and reconceptualises the nature of groups in organizations as well as the role of "boundary spanners". It also has implications for any theory that relies on the concept of boundaries, such as general systems theory. The main contribution of this research is the development of a holistic model of organizational boundaries including an explanation of the multiplicity of boundaries . no organization has a single definable boundary. A significant aspect of this contribution is the integration of aspects of complexity theory and identity theory to explain the emergence of higher-order properties of organizational boundaries and of organizational identity. The core category of "boundary weaving". is a powerful new metaphor that significantly reconceptualises the way organizational boundaries may be understood in organizations. It invokes secondary metaphors such as the weaving of an organization's "boundary fabric". and provides managers with other metaphorical perspectives, such as the management of boundary friction, boundary tension, boundary permeability and boundary stability. Opportunities for future research reside in formalising and testing the theory as well as developing analytical tools that would enable managers in organizations to apply the theory in practice.

The Networks of Learning in Technological Innovation : The Emergence of Collaboration Across Fields of Expertise

This study addresses four issues concerning technological product innovations. First, the nature of the very early phases or "embryonic stages" of technological innovation is addressed. Second, this study analyzes why and by what means people initiate innovation processes outside the technological community and the field of expertise of the established industry. In other words, this study addresses the initiation of innovation that occurs without the expertise of established organizations, such as technology firms, professional societies and research institutes operating in the technological field under consideration. Third, the significance of interorganizational learning processes for technological innovation is dealt with. Fourth, this consideration is supplemented by considering how network collaboration and learning change when formalized product development work and the commercialization of innovation advance. These issues are addressed through the empirical analysis of the following three product innovations: Benecol margarine, the Nordic Mobile Telephone system (NMT) and the ProWellness Diabetes Management System (PDMS). This study utilizes the theoretical insights of cultural-historical activity theory on the development of human activities and learning. Activity-theoretical conceptualizations are used in the critical assessment and advancement of the concept of networks of learning. This concept was originally proposed by the research group of organizational scientist Walter Powell. A network of learning refers to the interorganizational collaboration that pools resources, ideas and know-how without market-based or hierarchical relations. The concept of an activity system is used in defining the nodes of the networks of learning. Network collaboration and learning are analyzed with regard to the shared object of development work. According to this study, enduring dilemmas and tensions in activity explain the participants' motives for carrying out actions that lead to novel product concepts in the early phases of technological innovation. These actions comprise the initiation of development work outside the relevant fields of expertise and collaboration and learning across fields of expertise in the absence of market-based or hierarchical relations. These networks of learning are fragile and impermanent. This study suggests that the significance of networks of learning across fields of expertise becomes more and more crucial for innovation activities.

Managing teams: Comparing organizational and sport psychological approaches to teamwork

This paper examines how teams and teamwork research have been conceptualised in the fields of sport psychology and organizational psychology. Specifically, it provides a close inspection of the general theoretical assumptions that inhere in the two disciplines. The results of a discursive analysis of research literature suggest that the fields have significantly different ways of conceptualising teams and teamwork and that conceptual borrowing may prove fruitful. A key argument is however, that in order for meaningful cross-fertilisation to take place a sound understanding of these differences is necessary. Working from this premise, the essential differences between sport and organizational approaches to teams are outlined. The paper is concluded with a discussion of contributions that organizational psychology can make to understandings of sport-oriented teams.

Organizational and financial transparency in the website of the foundations: an empirical study for Spain

Transparency in nonprofit sector and foundations, as an element to enhance the confidence of stakeholders in the organization, is a fact shown by several studies in recent decades. Transparency can be considered in various fields and through different channels. In our study we focused on the analysis of the organizational and economic transparency of foundations, shown through the voluntary information on their Website. We review the theoretical previous studies published to put to the foundations within the framework of the social economy. This theoretical framework has focused on accountability that make foundations in relation to its social function and its management, especially since the most recent focus of information transparency across the Website.In this theoretical framework was made an index to quantify the voluntary information which is shown on its website. This index has been developed ad hoc for this study and applied to a group of large corporate foundations.With the application of these data are obtained two kind of results, to a descriptive level and to a inferential level.We analyzed the statistical correlation between economic transparency and organizational transparency offered in the Website through quantified variables by a multiple linear regression. This empirical analysis allows us to draw conclusions about the level of transparency offered by these organizations in relation to their organizational and financial information, as well as explain the relation between them.

Critical incident study on forgiveness in the organizational context

Forgiveness has been subject of interest, mainly in the psychology fields of study. Relatively to the organizational context, this topic has been somehow put aside and settled as something that is purely an intra-individual phenomenon which organizations cannot force, or even stimulate. As conflicts are common within organizations and being often difficult to overcome, eyes have turned into the role forgiveness might take in this scenario. Despite forgiveness being accepted as an intrapersonal decision and a result of predisposition as it is a result of education and culture. This study, as some already done, refuses to accept forgiveness as an unchangeable behavior that cannot be manipulated or induced by managers or by organizational context. Therefore, offering a set of incidents as well as their classification, that have been identified by individuals performing different types organizational roles in different organization which is believed as being a genuine way of delivering to the reader a set of actions and behaviors that if taken, may incentivize or inhibit forgiveness.

Can outcome prediction data change patient outcomes and organizational outcomes?

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: Intensive care medicine consumes a high share of healthcare costs, and there is growing pressure to use the scarce resources efficiently. Accordingly, organizational issues and quality management have become an important focus of interest in recent years. Here, we will review current concepts of how outcome data can be used to identify areas requiring action. RECENT FINDINGS: Using recently established models of outcome assessment, wide variability between individual ICUs is found, both with respect to outcome and resource use. Such variability implies that there are large differences in patient care processes not only within the ICU but also in pre-ICU and post-ICU care. Indeed, measures to improve the patient process in the ICU (including care of the critically ill, patient safety, and management of the ICU) have been presented in a number of recently published papers. SUMMARY: Outcome assessment models provide an important framework for benchmarking. They may help the individual ICU to spot appropriate fields of action, plan and initiate quality improvement projects, and monitor the consequences of such activity.