Becoming Similar but Drifting Apart: Institutional Complexity and Inter-Organizational Partnerships in Science and Technology

Taran Thune and Siri Brorstad Borlaug
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Taran Thune: Centre for technology, innovation and culture (TIK), University of Oslo
Siri Brorstad Borlaug: Nordisk institutt for studier av forskning, innovasjon og utdanning (NIFU)

No 20200824, Working Papers on Innovation Studies from Centre for Technology, Innovation and Culture, University of Oslo

Abstract: How do different organizations in the same field cope with increasing institutional complexity and how this influences their roles and relationships? We investigate this question through a longitudinal case study of the relationship between two organizations within the organizational field of technical sciences—a university and a research institute. Our results show that combining the institutional logics of science and commerce has been a constant challenge for both organizations. In the first phases of the relationship, complexity was handled through a strategy of “structural differentiation” where the university outsourced the commercial science logic to the research institute, while in the later phase, growing external demands led to a “blending” strategy where the university reincorporated the commercial science logic, contributing to increased institutional complexity. This has had a fundamental impact on the relationship between the two organizations in terms of increased competition and the blurring of roles and identities. Theoretically, the study underlines the importance of studying institutional changes over time and on multiple levels—both within and across organizations.

Pages: 33 pages
Date: 2020-08
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