Organizational Fields and the Structuration Perspective: Analytical Possibilities

Brazilian Administration Review, Vol. 3, No. 2, pp. 32-56, July/December 2006

25 Pages Posted: 14 Sep 2009

See all articles by Clovis L. Machado-da-Silva

Clovis L. Machado-da-Silva

Federal University of Minas Gerais (UFMG) (Deceased)

Edson Ronaldo Guarido Filho

Universidade Positivo - Programa de Mestrado e Doutorado em Administração

Luciano Rossoni

UnB - Universidade de Brasília

Date Written: July/December 2006

Abstract

The concept of the organizational field has been greatly dealt with in the literature on institutional theory in recent years. As the concept of field involves a relational and symbolic dimension, we propose that the theory of structuration, based on the logic of recursiveness between agency and structure should be adapted to the understanding of the field dynamically. In this way, the objective of this theoretical essay is to deal with the dynamic of the organizational field using structurationist logic, allowing that from this logic we recall both the importance of the practice in the structuration process of the organizational field and the historical and recursive character which may constrain or enable the actions of social actors. To this end, we revise the concept of field in different perspectives of analysis, reflecting on the implication of the theoretical presuppositions of each approach and then discuss in a critical manner the theoretical foundation of the structuration process of organizational fields based on the structurationist approach. We conclude the paper with propositions pertaining to the revision of the concept of field from a multiparadigmatic viewpoint in which structure and agency are recursively implied.

Keywords: agency, institutional theory, organizational fields, social actors, social structure, structuration theory

Suggested Citation

Machado da Silva, Clovis L. and Guarido Filho, Edson Ronaldo and Rossoni, Luciano, Organizational Fields and the Structuration Perspective: Analytical Possibilities (July/December 2006). Brazilian Administration Review, Vol. 3, No. 2, pp. 32-56, July/December 2006, Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=1472713

Clovis L. Machado da Silva

Federal University of Minas Gerais (UFMG) (Deceased)

Edson Ronaldo Guarido Filho (Contact Author)

Universidade Positivo - Programa de Mestrado e Doutorado em Administração ( email )

Curitiba, Paraná
Brazil
55-41-33173104 (Phone)

Luciano Rossoni

UnB - Universidade de Brasília ( email )

Brazil

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