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The Role of the Institutional Entrepreneur in Academic Protocol

Abstract Details

2019, MA, University of Cincinnati, Arts and Sciences: Communication.
In this study, protocol roles at academic institutions are explored, particularly how they are created and by whom. The research is guided by a growing trend among universities and colleges to incorporate protocol roles into an organization in order to help elevate their ceremonies, events, and overall reputation. This is an interesting development as the 21st century academic institution is turning attention on ways to leverage access to global thinkers and resources. There are two theories driving this study. The first is institutional theory, providing insight into how change is practiced in an institution and by whom. Key concepts that are used to explore this study are: the institutional entrepreneur, institutional work, and stages of institutionalization. Research indicates that anyone inside the institution who has an interest in establishing protocol can be an institutional entrepreneur. This study examines behaviors associated with creating a protocol role through the stages of institutionalization. The second theory used to explore this topic is the communicative constitution of organizations, or CCO. This is a useful perspective for examining how organizations perform and discursively communicate. The presence and use of authoritative texts are analyzed to identify how, if at all, changes are communicated by an institutional entrepreneur. Using qualitative research methods, data from interviews are analyzed to find out `what is happening’ with regards to authoritative texts and stages of institutionalization. This iterative analytical approach seeks insight into how an institutional entrepreneur moves an innovative idea, such as creating a protocol role on campus, to a taken-for-granted practice.
Gail Fairhurst, Ph.D. (Committee Chair)
Zhuo Ban, Ph.D. (Committee Member)
John Lynch, Ph.D. (Committee Member)
133 p.

Recommended Citations

Citations

  • Postell, F. (2019). The Role of the Institutional Entrepreneur in Academic Protocol [Master's thesis, University of Cincinnati]. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=ucin1571061568295881

    APA Style (7th edition)

  • Postell, Florine. The Role of the Institutional Entrepreneur in Academic Protocol. 2019. University of Cincinnati, Master's thesis. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center, http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=ucin1571061568295881.

    MLA Style (8th edition)

  • Postell, Florine. "The Role of the Institutional Entrepreneur in Academic Protocol." Master's thesis, University of Cincinnati, 2019. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=ucin1571061568295881

    Chicago Manual of Style (17th edition)