Neoinstitutionalists

Neoinstitutionalism is a school of thought in the social sciences, primarily sociology and political science, that emphasizes the role of institutions in shaping human behavior and societal outcomes. Unlike older institutionalism that focused on formal organizations and their structures, neoinstitutionalism views institutions as broader sets of rules, norms, cognitive scripts, and cultural understandings that constrain and enable action. It posits that individuals and organizations conform to institutional pressures not only out of rational calculation but also due to taken-for-granted beliefs, social pressures, and a sense of legitimacy.

Key concepts within neoinstitutionalism include isomorphism, which describes the tendency for organizations to become similar to others in their field due to coercive, mimetic, or normative pressures. Coercive isomorphism stems from formal regulations and rules, mimetic isomorphism arises from organizations imitating successful counterparts, and normative isomorphism is driven by professionalization and shared values. Another important idea is decoupling, where an organization's formal structures and policies may not align with its actual practices, often to maintain legitimacy in the eyes of external stakeholders.

Neoinstitutionalists argue that understanding social phenomena requires looking beyond individual agency or purely economic rationality. Instead, they focus on how established patterns of thought, social expectations, and taken-for-granted rules influence decisions and perpetuate social structures. This perspective has been applied to analyze a wide range of topics, including organizational change, policy diffusion, the development of international norms, and the persistence of social inequalities.