An Institutional Lens on Firm Responses to Activism

Scholars have given considerable attention to how activists influence social change in organizations. These studies have primarily examined how external pressures (e.g., protests, boycotts) affect the likelihood of firm concessions to social activists. However, extant research has not given due attention to internal organizational factors that motivate responses to activists’ demands. Additionally, the literature does not adequately address the issue that many organizations do not respond to social activist threats, and that when they do, concessions may be purely superficial. In this dissertation, I argue that it is the organization’s interpretation of the social movement threat that influences its responses to activists. Particularly, I contend that organizational responses to activists are dependent on (1) the extent to which the changes demanded by activists are consistent with the values and beliefs of the organization and (2) the external pressures affecting an organization’s interpretation of the salience of the social movement threat. I investigate these predictions in a unique empirical context, looking at the spillover of the Black Lives Matter (BLM) social movement from the field of criminal justice agencies into the organizational field of colleges and universities.

Grantor dc:publisher

Tallahassee, Florida: Florida State University

Year dc:date

2018

Contributors dc:contributor

• Devine, Richard A. (author)
• Lamont, Bruce T. (professor directing dissertation)
• Rohlinger, Deana A. (university representative)
• Holmes, R. Michael (committee member)
• Ferris, Gerald R. (committee member)
• Maslach, David (committee member)
• Florida State University (degree granting institution)
• College of Business (degree granting college)
• Department of Management (degree granting departmentdgg)

• Management

Language dc:language

English, eng

Identifier

fsu:654717
(IID) 2018_Sp_Devine_fsu_0071E_14458

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:diginole.lib.fsu.edu:fsu_654717