The Iron Cage Revisited: Institutional Isomorphism and Collective Rationality in Organizational Fields
1983 · American Sociological Review
Overview
A central organisational neo-institutionalist account of fields and isomorphism.
Core Question
Why do organisations in a field become similar?
Central Argument
Organisational similarity must be explained through specified institutional mechanisms and field relations.
Theoretical Contribution
Anchors organisational fields and institutional isomorphism.
Theory Relationships
- Institutional Theory — founding text
Reading Focus
- Identify the mechanism before inferring isomorphism.
- Do not treat resemblance alone as evidence of coercion, imitation, or normativity.
Legal Access Path
- Open the authoritative bibliographic record — Use the linked publisher, DOI, university, journal, library, or institutional record to locate lawful access through a library or the rights holder.
Sources & verification
- VerifiedThe linked record verifies this work's bibliographic details and lawful access route. — DiMaggio, P. J., & Powell, W. W. (1983). The iron cage revisited. American Sociological Review, 48(2), 147-160.
- Editorially ReviewedThe central argument, theoretical contribution, relationship, and reading emphasis are bounded Syntag editorial syntheses, not quotations or claims of universal consensus.
- Research GuidanceReading priorities should be adapted to the research question, prior knowledge, access, and disciplinary guidance.
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