The strategic use of decentralized institutions: Exploring certification with the ISO 14001 management standard

• 成果类型: Article
• 署名作者: King, AA; Lenox, MJ; Terlaak, A
• 署名单位: Dartmouth College; Duke University; University of Wisconsin System; University of Wisconsin Madison
• 刊物名称: ACADEMY OF MANAGEMENT JOURNAL
• ISSN/ISSBN: 0001-4273
• DOI: 10.5465/AMJ.2005.19573111
• 发表日期: 2005
• 页码: 1091-1106
• 关键词: performance; diffusion; COMMUNICATION; COMPETITION; models; COSTS; trust

摘要

In this article, we respond to calls by previous researchers to clarify the function of decentralized institutions by analyzing the strategic motives of individual actors. We investigated an important type of decentralized institution, certified management standards, and theorized that firms use these institutions to reduce problems that might arise with exchange partners that lack information or fear opportunism. We tested this theory using the pattern of certification with the ISO 14001 management standard.