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Lookup NU author(s): Professor Andrea Whittle, Professor Frank Mueller
In this paper we contribute to the body of work on agency and institutional transmission by proposing two new concepts: distributed agency and dialogue. 'Distributed agency' is a companion concept to 'institutional entrepreneurship'. Whilst institutional entrepreneurship emphasizes the deliberate institution-building by a select few, distributed agency highlights the emergent institution-building that involves all organizational members. In turn, 'dialogue' supplements the models of institutional diffusion by drawing attention to the situated interactions between the 'champions' and the 'recipients' of institutional innovations. We analyze the micro-discursive processes during a crucial event in the institutionalization of a new organizational template in a UK public-private partnership. We found that institutional transmission hinged upon enabling the recipients to act as agents (hence, distributed agency) through dialogue around the audience's identity, interests and local concerns vis-à-vis coercive institutional pressures.
Author(s): Whittle A, Suhomlinova O, Mueller F
Publication type: Article
Publication status: Published
Journal: Journal of Management and Organization
Year: 2011
Volume: 17
Issue: 4
Pages: 548-569
Print publication date: 01/07/2011
Online publication date: 02/02/2015
Acceptance date: 15/12/2010
Date deposited: 24/04/2015
ISSN (print): 1833-3672
ISSN (electronic): 1839-3527
Publisher: eContent Management Pty Ltd
URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.5172/jmo.2011.17.4.548
DOI: 10.5172/jmo.2011.17.4.548
Notes: http://journals.cambridge.org/action/displayAbstract?fromPage=online&aid=9229963&fileId=S1833367200001449
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