Activity: Talk or presentation › Science to science
Description
Institutional theory has long been criticized for black-boxing power or pursuing research from a privileged and seemingly neutral standpoint. We respond to calls to scrutinize the underlying power dynamics of institutional processes by drawing on insights from power theories and phenomenologically grounded neo-institutionalism. In so doing, we conceptualize how institutionalized workplace myths positionalize typified actors, i.e., groups of individuals with common ascribed features, along a categorical distinction that depicts them as either able or disabled. We address possible approaches to undermine the categorical nature of power positionalization inherent in institutionalized myths. We conclude with presenting guiding questions for future research that aim at identifying the flipside of institutional arrangements and the underlying dynamics.