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Inhabited Actors : Internalizing Institutions through Communication and Actorhood Models
Author(s) -
Bitektine Alex,
Haack Patrick,
Bothello Joel,
Mair Johanna
Publication year - 2020
Publication title -
journal of management studies
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 4.398
H-Index - 184
eISSN - 1467-6486
pISSN - 0022-2380
DOI - 10.1111/joms.12560
Subject(s) - microfoundations , metaphor , perspective (graphical) , generative grammar , function (biology) , sociology , inversion (geology) , epistemology , political science , economics , computer science , linguistics , paleontology , philosophy , structural basin , artificial intelligence , evolutionary biology , biology , macroeconomics
Abstract We argue that accounts of relationships among actors, actorhood and institutions are predominantly based on a spatial metaphor of actors operating within institutions. We outline how an inversion of this metaphor – i.e., the perspective that institutions inhabit actors – may prove generative for theory, particularly with respect to recent discussions about the microfoundations of institutions. We outline how communication and actorhood models function as transmission mechanisms of institutions from one actor to another. We conclude with a discussion of how the inverted metaphor of institutions inhabiting actors can be useful for future theoretical developments.