The Networked Field: How Social Network Structures Shape Institutional Isomorphism and Differentiation

While Younis et al. (2023) demonstrated network analysis's value for predicting turnover, and Valeri & Baggio (2020) applied SNA to tourism management, institutional theory has inadequately integrated network perspectives. This study would examine how an organization's position within inter-organizational networks shapes its susceptibility to institutional isomorphic pressures and its capacity for institutional innovation. Building on Nawaz & Guribie's (2022) work on isomorphic pressures in construction, I'd hypothesize that network centrality, structural holes, and network closure moderate the effectiveness of coercive, mimetic, and normative pressures. This creates a more nuanced understanding of institutional diffusion that accounts for relational structures, extending isomorphism theory beyond its focus on field-level pressures to include network-level contingencies.

References:

1. Impacts of institutional isomorphism on the adoption of social procurement in the Chinese construction industry. Ahsan Nawaz, Francis Lanme Guribie (2022). Construction Innovation.
2. An employee retention model using organizational network analysis for voluntary turnover. Sundus Younis, A. Ahsan, Fiona Chatteur (2023). Social Network Analysis and Mining.
3. Social network analysis: organizational implications in tourism management. Marco Valeri, R. Baggio (2020). The International Journal of Organizational Analysis.