Hostile takeover or joint venture: Connections between institutional theory and sport management research

One of the current dominant theories in the management literature is institutional theory. Scholars within the institutional theory tradition have examined the creation and evolution of institutions, the impact that institutions have on organizations and their actions, and the constraints that institutions place on arenas of organizational activity. Much of institutional theory is reflected within in the sport management literature. However, we argue in this review piece, that there is more to institutional theory than the concepts that are currently being used in the sport management literature. First, we provide a review of the dominant concepts of institutional theory, and a summary of how institutional theory has been used in the sport management literature. Then we offer two broad discussion points about the use of institutional theory in sport management research. The first point is a call for further elaboration of institutional theory in sport management by examining issues of institutional change and organizational field dynamics. The second is point as to suggest that scholars extend the use of institutional theory into different types of sport management questions.