Originating from the American organisational studies the neoinstitutionalist organisational theory is one of the foremost organisational theories. At the centre of this approach lies social embeddedness of Organisations as well as the important role of the social and cultural environment for the legitimacy of organisational structures and practices of management.The book gives a comprehensive introduction to the basics of neoinstitutionalist organisational theory. Results of the empirical research as well as conceptual developments of the approach are introduced and discussed. Using contemporary problems the varying positions within neoinstitutionalism, potential links to other organisational theories and the range of possible research methods are pointed out and discussed.

Prof. Dr. Peter Walgenbach teaches organisational theory and management at the university of Jena. Prof Dr. Renate Meyer teaches public management at the economic university of Vienna.