SOURCES OF LEGITIMATION AND THEIR EFFECTS ON GROUP ROUTINES: A THEORETICAL ANALYSIS

Abstract

The use of routines in the decision-making process of individuals, groups and organizations is a well accepted yet taken for granted phenomenon. One goal of organizations is to develop group routines that are efficient, but at the same time flexible. However, this presents a paradox because routines that are efficient at one point in time, or for a particular task, may persist, be unquestioned, and become increasingly inefficient for the group and the organization. This chapter develops a formal theory that describes the processes by which the legitimation of particular group structures impacts the development and use of group routines. The theory presented draws from theories of legitimation, expectation states theory, and institutional theory. The theory formally depicts three sources of legitimation: a referential belief structure (set of cultural beliefs) about expertise and leadership, authorization or superordinate support of a leader, and endorsement (support by group) of a leader. Specifically, the theory addresses: (1) how different sources of legitimation make groups more or less hierarchical; and (2) how the different sources of legitimation make group routines more or less flexible.

Citation

Johansson, A.C. and Sell, J. (2004), "SOURCES OF LEGITIMATION AND THEIR EFFECTS ON GROUP ROUTINES: A THEORETICAL ANALYSIS", Johnson, C. (Ed.) Legitimacy Processes in Organizations (Research in the Sociology of Organizations, Vol. 22), Emerald Group Publishing Limited, Leeds, pp. 89-116. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0733-558X(04)22003-1