Scott's Institutional Framework

Scott’s Institutional Framework is a way of understanding how organizations and societies develop shared rules, norms, and structures that influence behavior. It highlights three key elements: the cultural-cognitive (beliefs and shared understanding), the social-procedural (standard routines and procedures), and the material/organizational (infrastructure and physical resources). These components interact to shape how individuals and groups operate within institutions, fostering stability and consistency over time. The framework helps explain why certain practices persist or change, emphasizing the importance of both visible structures and underlying cultural beliefs in organizational and societal functioning.