The Changing World of Chinese Enterprise: An Institutional Perspective

Recent developments in institutional theory are reviewed in order to provide a conceptual framework within which to locate and consider studies of changes in Chinese enterprise. Institutional theory emphasizes the role played by regulative, normative, and cultural-cognitive processes in shaping social behavior and social structure. Changes in Chinese organizations are described and evaluated at three levels: societal, organizational field (state-owned enterprises), and individual organizations. Western models of organizing are introduced via numerous mechanisms, but must be adapted to fit the distinctive institutional characteristics of China.