Scholars have given considerable attention to how activists influence social change in organizations. These studies have primarily examined how external pressures (e.g., protests, boycotts) affect the likelihood of firm concessions to social activists. However, extant research has not given due attention to internal organizational factors that motivate responses to activists’ demands. Additionally, the literature does not adequately address the issue that many organizations do not respond to social activist threats, and that when they do, concessions may be purely superficial. In this dissertation, I argue that it is the organization’s interpretation of the social movement threat that influences its responses to activists. Particularly, I contend that organizational responses to activists are dependent on (1) the extent to which the changes demanded by activists are consistent with the values and beliefs of the organization and (2) the external pressures affecting an organization’s interpretation of the salience of the social movement threat. I investigate these predictions in a unique empirical context, looking at the spillover of the Black Lives Matter (BLM) social movement from the field of criminal justice agencies into the organizational field of colleges and universities. / A Dissertation submitted to the Department of Management in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy. / Spring Semester 2018. / February 20, 2018. / Activism, Institutional theory / Includes bibliographical references. / Bruce T. Lamont, Professor Directing Dissertation; Deana A. Rohlinger, University Representative; R. Michael Holmes, Jr., Committee Member; Gerald R. Ferris, Committee Member; David Maslach, Committee Member.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:fsu.edu/oai:fsu.digital.flvc.org:fsu_654717 |
| Contributors | Devine, Richard A. (author), Lamont, Bruce T. (professor directing dissertation), Rohlinger, Deana A. (university representative), Holmes, R. Michael (committee member), Ferris, Gerald R. (committee member), Maslach, David (committee member), Florida State University (degree granting institution), College of Business (degree granting college), Department of Management (degree granting departmentdgg) |
| Publisher | Florida State University |
| Source Sets | Florida State University |
| Language | English, English |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Text, text, doctoral thesis |
| Format | 1 online resource (148 pages), computer, application/pdf |
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