Theorizing Institutional Entrepreneuring: Arborescent and rhizomatic assembling

A growing body of research has cataloged the myriad actors involved in tackling persistent institutional problems. Yet we lack a theoretical toolkit for explicitly conceptualizing and comparing diverse modes of institutional entrepreneuring—the processes whereby actors are created and equipped for institutional action—capable of ameliorating grand challenges. Drawing on assemblage theory, we articulate two ideal-typical modes of assembling actorhood: arborescent and rhizomatic. We differentiate each mode along four principles: association, combination, division, and population. Building on our theorization, we propound an arborescent-rhizomatic space comprising clusters of arborescent, rhizomatic, and hybrid actorhood. To explore the generativity of our framework, we revisit selected research at the intersection of institutional entrepreneurship and grand challenges. We close by articulating how our concept of assembling actorhood reorients research toward institutional entrepreneur ing and contributes to the application of assemblage theory within organization studies.

Bases para un modelo «pro-persistencia» estudiantil en educación superior aplicable en contextos socio-académicos desfavorables

La investigación que se reseña en este artículo se centró en dos focos problemáticos: (i) la afectación que las características estructurales del contexto socio-académico en el que se inscribe una organización de Educación Superior (ES), cuando su cualidad es desfavorable, produce en las condiciones inherentes al estudiante que ingresa, en especial en su disposición y motivación hacia el aprendizaje; (ii) la evaluación del grado en que esa afectación pone en riesgo la persistencia estudiantil. En el caso de Rivera, en el noreste de Uruguay, la estructura de oportunidades laborales y fundamentalmente educacionales terciarias –escasas y poco diversificadas– constituye un caldo de cultivo de eventos de riesgo de abandono de los estudios. El objetivo capital de la investigación fue aportar insumos teóricamente consistentes y empíricamente sustentados para la elaboración de un modelo «pro-persistencia» estudiantil en ES aplicable a contextos socio-académicos desfavorables y entonces superador, en su aplicabilidad, del modelo más aceptado en el actual mundo académico: el «Model of Institutional Action for Student Success» (MIASS) formulado por Tinto en 2012. En la investigación se tuvieron especialmente en cuenta algunos relevantes planteos teóricos y conceptuales sobre la temática, entre los que se destacan, por su profundidad y rigor, los más recientes de Tinto, Seidman, Kuh y Pascarella & Terenzini. La investigación asumió un enfoque meso-estructural y una estrategia metodológica predominantemente cualitativa: análisis documental, entrevista en profundidad, grupo de discusión; también se aplicó una encuesta censal. El más relevante de los resultados alcanzados es que en lugares que, como Rivera, ofrecen pocas opciones de estudios superiores, las posibilidades de la persistencia estudiantil resultan notoriamente restringidas, ya que en esos casos la motivación intrínseca del estudiante hacia sus estudios suele ser débil: una considerable cantidad de estudiantes, al egresar de la Educación Media, decide cursar alguna de las pocas ofertas de ES existentes en su ciudad y no la que preferiría cursar si existiera esa opción. Esa débil motivación es, pues, el principal factor de riesgo de abandono, sobre todo en el primer año. Tal constatación es la base sustantiva sobre la que habrá de elaborarse un modelo «pro-persistencia» estudiantil alternativo al MIASS, en tanto aplicable en contextos socio-académicos desfavorables. Aquí radica la principal contribución que esta investigación puede ofrecer a organizaciones de ES inscriptas en contextos con oportunidades educacionales y laborales reducidas, tanto en cuanto a una inserción laboral atractiva (durante los estudios superiores o al finalizarlos) como, muy especialmente, a una oferta de ES escasa y poco diversificada. The research reviewed in this article focused on two problem areas: (i) the affectation that the structural characteristics of the socio-academic context in which a Higher Education (HE) organization is inscribed, when its quality is unfavorable, produces in the inherent conditions of the entering student, especially in his/her disposition and motivation towards learning; (ii) the evaluation of the degree to which this affectation puts student persistence at risk. In the case of Rivera, in the northeast of Uruguay, the structure of labor and mainly tertiary educational opportunities -scarce and not very diversified- constitutes a breeding ground for dropout risk events. The main objective of the research was to provide theoretically consistent and empirically supported inputs for the development of a "pro-persistence" student model in HE applicable to unfavorable socio-academic contexts and thus surpassing, in its applicability, the most accepted model in the current academic world: the "Model of Institutional Action for Student Success" (MIASS) formulated by Tinto in 2012. The research especially took into account some relevant theoretical and conceptual approaches on the subject, among which the most recent ones by Tinto, Seidman, Kuh and Pascarella & Terenzini stand out for their depth and rigor. The research assumed a mesostructural approach and a predominantly qualitative methodological strategy: documentary analysis, in-depth interview, discussion group; a census survey was also applied. The most relevant of the results obtained is that in places which, like Rivera, offer few options for higher education studies, the possibilities of student persistence are notoriously restricted, since in these cases the intrinsic motivation of students towards their studies is usually weak: a considerable number of students, upon graduating from high school, decide to study one of the few HE offers existing in their city and not the one they would prefer to study if that option existed. This weak motivation is, therefore, the main risk factor for dropping out, especially in the first year. This finding is the substantive basis on which an alternative "pro-persistence" student model to MIASS will have to be developed, as it is applicable in unfavorable socio-academic contexts. Herein lies the main contribution that this research can offer to HE organizations in contexts with reduced educational and employment opportunities, both in terms of an attractive labor market insertion (during or upon completion of higher education) and, especially, to a scarce and poorly diversified HE offer.

Old Rhetoric and New Devices: Quarantine Ships as an Instrument of Externalization

The article aims to illustrate and explore the rhetoric and institutional approach toward migrants – asylum seekers in particular – undertaken by Italy following the COVID-19 crisis. Through the account of the different “narrative phases” and the consequent institutional action undertaken, this article intends to demonstrate how the health crisis has sharpened and even intensified pre-existing attitudes and practices. The actions taken in the last year can be understood as a further step in the process of externalizing the borders. Through the instrumental use of rhetoric and illegitimate practices, a sort of de-territorialization has been implemented through the use of quarantine ships.

Conclusion

The chapter summarizes the three main innovations presented in this book. First, contrary to institutionalist theories, this book shows how to understand the main threats political corruption poses to the well-functioning of public institutions, one must look inside of those institutions, at the officeholders’ interrelated conduct. Second, contrary to consequentialist theories, by making political corruption itself—not just its consequences—an object of public ethics, the book brings out the constitutive dimension of the wrongness of political corruption as a kind of interactive injustice for which all officeholders are responsible in their interrelatedness. Third, contrary to legalistic and regulatory approaches to anticorruption, this book argues for the importance of internalizing answerability institutional practices as the components of a public ethics of office accountability capable of giving officeholders practical guidance for their institutional action.

Causality and Blame Judgments of Negative Side Effects of Actions May Differ for Different Institutional Domains

Cognitive factors are known to influence lay assessments of causality and blame for negative side effects of intentional actions but specific social determinants of such assessments remain relatively unexplored. In a full-factorial, intraindividual experiment using two blocks of analogous vignettes constructed for two particular institutional action domains (“medical” and “corporate dress code”), we tested the propositions that causality and blame judgments differ between (a) domains and depend on (b) the type of action originator; (c) the type of damage; and (d) the “remoteness” of damage from the originator. Our data demonstrate a significant difference between two institutional action domains: actors in “medical”-related vignettes are generally estimated to be more causally effective and blameworthy than actors in “dress code”–related vignettes. In addition to the pronounced main effects of institutional domain as a factor influencing cause and blame judgments, we revealed few significant interaction effects of the latter with other experimental factors used for vignettes construction.

Defensa ciudadana de la seguridad privada. Una lectura desde la perspectiva de la desviación social

En la sociedad chilena, los delincuentes encarnan el paradigma de lo que Howard Becker define como subcultura marginal. Circulan narrativas que marcan la presencia de una “carrera delictual”: se trataría de un grupo homogéneo, cerrado en sí mismo, y que despliega formas específicas de socialización capaces de habilitar prácticas como el robo, la violación o el asesinato. Menor consenso existe respecto a la pertinencia de la respuesta que la sociedad entrega frente a la conducta delictiva. En relación con ello, este artículo examina cómo algunas formas de defensa ciudadana de la seguridad –esto es, de reacciones inhibitorias del comportamiento delictivo que son externas al actuar institucional– pueden también configurarse como prácticas desviadas en sí mismas, utilizando para ello el mismo marco conceptual propuesto por Becker. ---- In Chilean society, criminals embody the paradigm of what Howard Becker defines as a marginal subculture. Narratives circulate that mark the presence of a “criminal career”: it would be a homogeneous group, closed in on itself, and that deploys specific forms of socialization capable of enabling practices such as theft, rape or murder. Less consensus exists regarding the pertinence of the response that society provides against criminal conduct. In this regard, this article examines how some forms of citizen defense of security –that is, of inhibitory reactions to criminal behavior that are external to institutional action– can also be configured as deviant practices in themselves, using the same framework conceptual proposed by Becker.

Institutional Expression

The chapter demonstrates that the very act of reacting to atrocities, and institutionalization itself, has expressive meaning. Institutions rely on symbolism, rituals, and mimetic practices in order to ensure their own survival. This also applies to international criminal courts and tribunals. Sometimes the ‘medium is the message’. Throughout history, the establishment of institutions has sent different signals, such as memory and remembrance, shame and apology, renewal of community relations, hope and belief or protest. International criminal justice relies on action. Speech act theory is helpful to understand the various meanings of institutional action. Acts, such as jurisdictional determinations (e.g. complementarity), preliminary examinations or investigations, arrests, or cooperation create new narrative subjects, entail commands or incentives for action, or convey attitudes. Outreach and legacy strategies involve strong didactic rationales. They are often more geared towards one-sided expression rather than two-way communication or mutual learning