Religion and the European External Action Service

This contribution analyses the diplomacy of religion carried out by the European External Action Service (EEAS), and questions its autonomy and distinctiveness vis-à-vis other diplomacies. Several dimensions are studied: how foreign policy is dealing with the ‘return’ of religion in international affairs; the practices of the EEAS regarding religion against the general background of what Member States, third countries, and international organizations do in this respect; how the EEAS balances the interests of Member States, the requirements of the geopolitical contexts and field realities; the EEAS’s advocacy for specific causes such as the freedom of religion and belief (FoRB) and the establishment of religion as a standard diplomatic issue. The conclusion characterizes the EU’s external strategy on religion as the outcome of both its political and institutional logic and Europe’s societal secularization in a world that is still highly religious.

Bringing the Family Logic in: From Duality to Plurality in Social Enterprises

Social enterprises combine activities, processes, structures, and meanings associated with multiple institutional logics that may pose conflicting goals, norms, values, and practices. This in-depth multi-source case study of an ecological social enterprise in Malaysia reveals how the enactment of the family logic interacts with the market and ecological logics not only in conflicting but also in synergetic ways. By drawing attention to the institutional logic of the family in social entrepreneurship, this study highlights the heterogeneity of social enterprises. The findings have implications for research with social enterprises and family-owned firms in relation to the ethical obligations of these organizations and the interactions of multiple logics.

The professionalization of financial planning in Australia: an institutional logics perspective

PurposeThis paper researches the professionalization of financial planning in Australia. The authors investigate how the institutional logic of major institutions inhibits this occupation from moving toward a professional status.Design/methodology/approachThe study uses documentary analysis of government inquiries into Australian financial services from 1997 to 2017 to ascertain the various institutional logics relating to the professionalization of financial planning. The method involves generating ideas from the data and applying an institutional logic framework to make sense of impediments to the professionalization of financial planning in Australia.FindingsThe regulator adopted a self-regulation logic that empowered financial institutions to govern financial advice. These financial institutions have a logic of profit maximization that creates conflicts of interest in financial planning. The financial planning professional bodies adopted a logic of attracting and retaining members due to a competitive professional environment. Thus, financial planners have not been defined as fiduciaries, professional standards have not increased and an ineffective disciplinary resolution system exists.Research limitations/implicationsThis research illustrates the various institutional logics that need to be addressed to professionalize financial planning in Australia. However, the data used is limited to that drawn from the parliamentary inquiries.Originality/valuePrior research on the emergence of professions such as accounting has shown that financial institutions are sites of professionalization. This research shows that financial institutions impede professionalization in financial planning. Also, where the state granted legitimacy to other professions, this research indicates that the state regulator's logic of self-regulation has not legitimized financial planning.

Institutional logic of corruption

Our aim was to verify the ‘institutional logics’ of corruption through the discursive patterns of managers. We conducted an exploratory survey using a qualitative-quantitative method. The interviews were submitted to content analysis, using the Atlas.TI software and the questionnaire was applied by SurveyMonkey. As a methodological contribution, four categories and levels for analyzing the logic of corruption were constructed: Individual, Organization, Networks, and Interinstitutional System. We infer that understanding the institutional logic of corruption can promote a transformation of corrupt behavior and an institutional change by individual cognition that can lead to practical change in society.

The Institutional Logic of Digitalism: Exploring The Aftermath of Large-Scale Technology In Healthcare Organisations

Background: Healthcare organisations experience organisational difficulties and inertia in the implementation of large-scale information and communication technology (ICT). The ongoing discussion concerns the full understanding of these changes and the interplay between ICT, innovation and organisational change.Methods: We introduce ‘digitalism’ as a new institutional logic in healthcare organisations, alongside managerialism and professionalism. To develop our argument, we combine organisational and institutional logic theory with information systems research into enterprise architecture and large-scale ICT systems. We illustrate our arguments with a multi-source case study of a process of organisational development before and after the implementation of centralised large-scale ICT systems at a large Norwegian university hospital in 2015. Conclusion: Understanding of digitalism, blending and competing with traditional institutional logics in healthcare organisations, gives insight into how large-scale technology and organisations are tied together and can contribute to effective healthcare management and prevent organisational inertia.