Institutions under a microscope: Experimental methods in institutional theory

Alex Bitektine, Jeffrey W. Lucas, and Oliver Schilke describe the unconventional use of experimental research designs, using fundamental or applied research logics, to develop understanding of institutions in organizational contexts. The advantages and challenges of experimental designs are explored, and examples of experimental research in institutional theory are reviewed, emphasizing their methodological distinctions and the theoretical questions that they address. Institutional theory has traditionally focused on contextual, higher-order factors such as culture, norms, and beliefs, where experimental designs were largely overlooked. The approach advocated here, in contrast, focuses on the micro-foundations of institutions in individual cognition and agency. Practical guidance for researchers who are interested in using experimental designs in institutional theory studies is provided. Promising future directions for experimental research in institutional theory are explored, such as developing multilevel conceptualizations of institutional processes, and improving our understanding of the links between micro-level mechanisms and macro-level effects, and vice versa.