This thesis aims to review and synthesise existing journal articles investigating the intersection of culture and institutions to answer the question of how and in which areas theory of culture and institutions have together been applied. In the form of a systematic literature review, we include articles that were divided into one of eight categories, namely economics; historical events and development; public sector; sociology and gender studies; international business; corporate governance; ethics, CSR and reputation; and finance.
Over the last few decades, an increasing scholarly interest in the topics of culture and institutions has developed and led to a stark rise in published related work. Especially since the early 2000s, the two topics have gained significant ground in a variety of academic disciplines and caused an increase of available literature, which is also confirmed by the results of our search process. Cultural or institutional theory fits into several scientific fields ranging from psychology and sociology to law and economics. Views on culture and institutions vastly differ.
While some academics see them primarily as endogenous, others perceive them as exogenously given and representing the equilibrium of a game. Bowles (1998), on the contrary, views them as exogenous too, although they lead to the creation of endogenous preferences in society. A change of cultural and institutional settings, however, can be both exogenous and endogenous. In addition, research is also still not completely conclusive about which and how variables affect the formation of culture and institutions. Likely effects stem from geographic factors, language, education, war, pandemics and available technology, amongst others.
On the other hand, theory of new institutional economics highlights the implication of path dependence for both concepts. Path dependence suggests that history matters for current and future decisions and potential outcomes. Similarly, random events, in contrast to systematic forces, can have significant impacts. It so implies a certain lock-in effect created by prior events which can figuratively speaking, make it challenging to leave an already adopted path even if there exist superior ones. Also, because culture and institutions interact, they create space for multiple stable outcomes.
Inhaltsverzeichnis (Table of Contents)
- 1. Introduction
- 1.1 Overview
- 1.2 Research objectives and questions
- 2. Concepts and measurements
- 2.1 Culture
- 2.2 Institutions
- 3. Research design and methodology
- 4. Literature review
- 4.1 Economics
- 4.2 Historical events and development
- 4.3 Public sector
- 4.4 Sociology and gender studies
- 4.5 International business
- 4.6 Corporate governance
- 4.7 Ethics, CSR and reputation
- 4.8 Finance
- 4.9 Summary of the results
- 5. Discussion
- 5.1 Findings of the literature review
- 5.2 Future research
- 5.3 Limitations
- 6. Conclusions
Zielsetzung und Themenschwerpunkte (Objectives and Key Themes)
This thesis aims to provide a comprehensive review of existing journal articles that investigate the intersection of culture and institutions. The central research objective is to understand how and in which areas cultural and institutional theory have been applied together in previous research. By conducting a systematic literature review, the study aims to analyze the various linkages between these two concepts, explore the different theoretical perspectives and methodologies used, and identify key causal relationships and their effects. The research focuses on synthesizing the findings of existing studies, going beyond simply stating that culture and institutions are important. This review will contribute to building a foundational knowledge base for future research in this area.
- The interplay of culture and institutions and their impact on various social phenomena.
- The different roles of culture and institutions in shaping social interaction, both directly and through formal institutions.
- The potential for culture and institutions to create multiple stable equilibria and their mutual feedback effects.
- The dynamics of culture and institutions in a variety of contexts, including economics, history, public sector, sociology, international business, and finance.
- The implications of culture and institutions on third factors such as economic performance, entrepreneurship, corporate social responsibility, and human health.
Zusammenfassung der Kapitel (Chapter Summaries)
The thesis begins with an overview of the growing interest in the study of culture and institutions, highlighting the increasing amount of research published in this area since the early 2000s. The introduction outlines the diverse perspectives on culture and institutions, from those who see them as endogenous to those who view them as exogenous. The chapter also discusses the complex relationship between the two concepts and the various factors that influence their formation, including geography, language, education, war, pandemics, and technology.
The second chapter delves into the definitions and measurements of culture and institutions, emphasizing the importance of clear definitions given the abstract and broad nature of these concepts. The chapter clarifies the distinction between formal and informal institutions and explores the potential for overlap with the definition of culture. It also examines the various dimensions and metrics used to measure both cultural and institutional factors.
The third chapter outlines the research design and methodology used for the systematic literature review. It details the search strategy, including the search terms, tools, and additional criteria employed to identify relevant journal articles. The chapter also explains the process of categorizing and reviewing the selected literature.
Chapter four presents the core of the thesis, encompassing the literature review itself. It divides the reviewed literature into eight categories based on their primary theme, covering topics such as economics, historical events and development, public sector, sociology and gender studies, international business, corporate governance, ethics, CSR and reputation, and finance.
Chapter five delves into a discussion of the findings from the literature review in relation to the research questions. It examines the implications of the reviewed work, explores potential limitations, and proposes avenues for future research.
Schlüsselwörter (Keywords)
The thesis focuses on the intersection of national culture and institutions, exploring their dynamics and impact on social interaction and various outcomes. Key themes include the interplay between cultural and institutional factors, their role in creating multiple stable equilibria, and their influence on third factors such as economic performance, entrepreneurship, and human health. The research utilizes concepts such as path dependence, mutual feedback effects, and the importance of understanding the complex interactions between culture and institutions.
- Arbeit zitieren
- Alexander Staffel (Autor:in), 2020, Culture, institutions and their interlinkages. How are theories of culture and of institutions applied together?, München, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/1191496
