This open access book presents case studies of twelve organisations which the public have come to view as institutions. From the BBC to Doctors Without Borders, from the Amsterdam Concertgebouw Orchestra to CERN, this volume examines how some organisations rise to prominence and remain in high public esteem through changing and challenging times. It builds upon the scholarly tradition of institutional scholarship pioneered by Philip Selznick, and highlights common themes in the stories of these highly diverse organizations; demonstrating how leadership, learning, and luck all play a role in becoming and remaining an institution. This case study format makes this volume ideal for classroom use and practitioners alike. In an era where public institutions are increasingly under threat, this volume offers concrete lessons for contemporary organisation leaders.
Author(s): Arjen Boin, Lauren A. Fahy, Paul 't Hart
Publisher: Palgrave MacMillan
Year: 2021
Language: English
Pages: 353
City: Cham
Acknowledgements
Contents
Notes on Contributors
List of Figures
List of Tables
1 Guardians of Public Value: How Public Organizations Become and Remain Institutions
Institutions as Enigmas
How Do We Know an Institution When We See One?
Institutions as Guardians of Public Value
Are Institutions ‘Good’ by Definition?
Studying the Rise and Fall of Public Institutions
Schools of thought
The Analytical Approach of This Volume
Task 1: Shape the Identity of the Organization
Task 2: Build and Nurture a Workforce That Can Deliver (and Loves to Do That)
Task 3: Preserve a Strong Relation with the Authorizing Environment
A Catalogue of Institutions: Introducing the Case Studies
What Do the Cases Tell Us About the Dynamics of Institutions?
Pattern 1: Virtuous Cycles
Pattern 2: Institution-Building Leadership
Pattern 3: Mature Management of Conflict
Pattern 4: Adaptive Capacity
The Future of Institutions in Turbulent Times
References
2 The Election Commission of India: Guardian of Democracy
From Quiescent Bureaucracy to Powerful Institution1
The Indian Election Commission in the Time of Congress Dominance and Decline
A Turning Point
The Pivotal Role of the Entrepreneurial Chief Election Commissioner
Institutional Development and Evidence of Mandate Expansion
Model Code Implementation
Election Duration
Credibility: The EC’s Core Institutional Currency
Return to Quiescence?
Conclusion
Questions for Discussion
References
3 Singapore’s Corrupt Practices Investigations Bureau: Guardian of Public Integrity
From Crooked Cops to a Valued Institution
The CPIB as an Institution
The CPIB’s Structure, Functions and Tasks
CPIB’s Institutionalization
The 1960 Prevention of Corruption Act (POCA)
Driving Forces of Sustained Institutionalization
Lessons for Agency Design and Leadership
Political Will and Continued Support
Adequate Legislative Backing and Mandate
Clearly Defined and Demarcated Roles and Responsibilities
Competitive Compensation and a Performance Culture
Questions for Discussion
References
4 The BBC: Guardian of Public Understanding
An Institution at the Crossroads
The Birth of the BBC
A Very British Institution
Structures, Crises, Adaptations
Craft
Governance
Leaders and Members
Precedent as Compass
Today’s Challenge: A Revolution in the Architecture of Understanding
Conclusion: The Interconnectedness of Decency
Questions for Discussion
References
5 Sweden’s Riksbank: Guardian of Monetary Integrity
The Oldest Central Bank in the World
Central Banks as Institutions
The Parliament’s Bank
The Politics of Independence
Rising to the Challenge of Economic Crisis
The 1991–1993 Recession
The Post-2008 Great Recession
Debates and Innovations
Institutionalizing Central Banks: Lessons from the Swedish Case
Questions for Discussion
References
6 The European Court of Justice: Guardian of European Integration
A Most Influential Court
Foundation, Organization and Impact
The Institutionalization of the Court
A Clear Mission: Furthering ‘Europe’
A Dedicated Workforce
A High Level of Legitimacy
Explaining Institutionalization: Path Dependency and Institutional Leadership
Creating a Mission
Engineering Cohesion
Protecting and Adapting the Institution
The Unplanned Institutionalization of the ECJ
Questions for Discussion
References
7 The Amsterdam Concertgebouw Orchestra: Guardian of Symphonic Music
An Institution Under Pressure
An Auspicious Beginning
Institution-Building Leadership
Tensions and Conflicts
Post-War Consolidation: Towards Self-Governance
Dealing with New Maestros
Balancing Artistic and Commercial Interests
A New Lease on Life
Thriving Despite Turbulence: A Resilient Institution
Maintaining Balance in the Face of Future Challenges
Questions for Discussion
References
8 The World Anti-Doping Agency: Guardian of Elite Sport’s Credibility
Introduction
A Moral Crisis in Elite Sport
A Global Public–Private Body
Establishing Performance and Reputation
Mission Mystique in a Challenging Environment
Mission
Passion and Commitment
Transparency, Autonomy and Renewal
An Institutional Crisis
Challenges to Institutional Resilience
WADA’s Experience in Perspective
Questions for Discussion
References
9 CERN: Guardian of the Human Aspiration to Understand the Universe
High Modernity in Geneva
Working on a Dream: Building CERN
The Early Years: Overcoming Challenges
Achieving Momentum
How CERN Is Governed and Managed
Smart Institutional Design
A Conducive Culture
The Importance of Leadership
A Path-Dependent Collaborative Regime
A Case in Point: The Large Hadron Collider Project
Sustaining the Mystique: Challenges of Consolidation
Questions for Discussion
References
10 Rijkswaterstaat: Guardian of the Dutch Delta
Ruler of the Dutch Delta1
The Birth of Rijkswaterstaat
Building the Institution: Professionalism and Technocracy
Water Wizards
A Technocratic Mission Mystique
Under the Gun: Turbulent Times
Riding the Waves of Change Through Proactive Adaptation
The Ecological Turn: Integrated Water Management and Impact Assessment
The Managerial Turn: Efficiency Operations and New Forms of Project Management
The Strategic Turn: Scenario Thinking and Organizational Learning
Towards a New Managerial Mission
A New Mission: ‘From A to Better’
HRM as Instrument for Organizational Learning
Centralization, Simplification and Standardization
The Phoenix Rises Again
The Continued Quest for Public Legitimacy
Questions for Discussion
References
11 Médecins Sans Frontières: Guardian of Humanitarian Values
Provocateurs of the Humanitarian Sector
MSF as an Institution: A Distinctive Identity and Unique Competence
Distinctive Identity: A Truly Independent Organization “Bearing Witness”
Unique Competence: Experts in Emergency Medicine
MSF’s Institutional Development
The 1970s and 1980s: Ideological Battles and Organizational Splits
The 1990s: Increasing Recalcitrance
The Early 2000s: Professionalization and Internal Criticism
From 2010 Onwards: More Provocative Acts
How to Remain a Well-Respected Provocateur?
Nonconformity as an Institutional Characteristic
The Viability of Nonconformity
Questions for Discussion
References
12 The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change: Guardian of Climate Science
A Global Authority on Climate Change
A Brief History of the IPCC
Consequences of Institutional Design
The IPCC’s Impact
The Creation of Scientific Credibility and Epistemic Authority: Practices and Processes
Challenges to the IPCC’s Legitimacy and Authority: Critique and Crisis
Climategate: An Existential Crisis
Conclusions
Questions for Discussion
References
13 The ACCC: Guardian of Viable Markets and Consumer Rights
Introduction
Rooted in History: The ACCC’s Precursors
Building the ACCC
Crafting a Combative Regulatory Machine
Securing Public Legitimacy
Adapting to Challenges and Changes
The ACCC’s ‘Mission Mystique’: Lessons for Regulatory Institution-Building
Reflections
Questions for Discussion
References
Index
