An institutional entrepreneur changing institutional logics of an organizational field

Abstract

Drawing on interviews, newspaper articles, internal documents, this thesis investigates how institutional entrepreneurs change the institutional logics of an organizational field. Research have been done towards institutional entrepreneurs maintaining the institutional logics in an organizational field, although never from the perspective of an institutional entrepreneur changing the institutional logics of an organizational field. In this thesis the opportunity arose to examine an organization that wants to change the institutional logics of an organizational field. A single case study towards chocolate brand Tony’s Chocolonely provides insight in how an institutional entrepreneur takes action to change the logics of the organizational field. The findings describe several ways that account for how institutional entrepreneurs change the institutional logics of an organizational field. By creating awareness, creating social movement, creating social activism, and lobbying for legal change an institutional entrepreneur is able to change the institutional logics of an organizational field. By explaining how an institutional entrepreneur is able to change the institutional logics of an organizational field, this study provides a deeper understanding of this occurrence and contributes to the literature of institutional entrepreneurship, institutional logics, and the organizational field.