Woody Powell, Stanford University

Neither Contestation nor Convergence:The Proto-Institutionalization of Nonprofit Performance Metrics
Woody Powell, Sociology, Stanford University

Description

Semester: 
Winter 2015
Lecture Time: 
Friday, January 30, 2015 - 1:30pm to 3:00pm
Lecture Location: 

Room R1240, Ross School of Business

Abstract

Transitional periods between the unraveling of an established order and the dawn of a new one elude both social movement and institutional theories. We offer novel theory and methods to examine an interregnum that characterizes current debates over impact in the social sector. We posit mechanisms of proto-institutionalization that fuel interactions among former strangers, working to create new approaches to evaluation. Our Web-based relational and discursive analysis of organizations from the domains of civil society, science, and management finds that an interstitial community has formed, populated by well-connected entities that converse in multiple discourses, proselytize new practices, create safe spaces through convening, and provide resources to ease the strains of transition. Our analytical snapshot, or “social x-ray”, is contrasted with alternative configurations representing different moments between contestation and convergence. Our approach contributes to understanding the relationship between culture and connectivity, and provides a lens through which to analyze the development of fields.

Recording & Additional Notes

Introduced by Education PhD student Jandi Kelly