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

Woody Powell, Stanford University
Description
Semester:
- Winter 2015
Speakers:
Lecture Time:
Fri, January 30, 2015 @ 1:30 pm to 3:00 pm
Lecture Location:
Room R1240, Ross School of Business
Speaker Webpage(s):
https://ed.stanford.edu/faculty/woodyp
Introduced By:
No introduction available.
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