How actors move from primary agency to institutional agency: A conceptual framework and empirical application

This article contributes to the understanding of actors and agency in the theorization of institutional work. We analyse institutional work as a specific kind of social action that involves exercising institutional agency (with an articulate awareness of institutions) as opposed to primary agency (taking institutions for granted). We propose a conceptual framework for combining a view of actors, who have agency and may engage in institutional work, with a view of actors as socially constructed, in line with critical-realist ontology. Applying this framework to the empirical case of the Spanish social movement 15M, we examine how actors moved from having primary agency to having institutional agency and how organization mattered for this process. We find that organizing by experienced organizers, the founding of new organizations and prefigurative organization were of crucial importance for the increase in institutional agency

Repression of the Spanish Protest Movement - Mechanisms and Consequences

Based on longitudinal qualitative research, the paper analyses manifestations and mechanisms of the repression of activists of the Spanish protest movement 15M, and effects of this repression perceived by activists. To contextualize this, the background of the movement, its goals, and its achievements are described. The movement started in 2011, protesting the social crisis, the consequences of austerity policies, and corruption. It had viable effects on the framing of the current situation, in political attitudes and also, indirectly, on the political system. The Spanish government has responded to movement activities with repression and with new laws that interviewees characterize as a further restriction of the civil right to demonstrate and protest. Findings indicate that the combination of overt and covert repression have effects far beyond the manifest acts of the repression itself

Arbeit außerhalb der Arbeitswelt - neue Organisationen im Rahmen sozialer Bewegungen am Beispiel Spaniens

Auf Basis von empirischer Feldforschung in Spanien diskutiert dieser Artikel organisationale Charakteristika von sozialen Bewegungsorganisationen. Soziale Bewegungsorganisationen gewinnen in quantitativer und qualitativer Hinsicht an Bedeutung. Sie haben häufig präfigurativen Charakter, d. h. sie versuchen, organisationalen Strukturen und Prozesse den angestrebten Zielen entsprechend zu gestalten. Der Artikel schließt mit Überlegungen, was aus den Experimenten und der Erfahrung dieser untypischen, sehr partizipativen und wenig hierarchischen Organisationen für die Führung und das Management auch von konventionellen Organisationen gelernt werden kann

Leadership in Organisationen sozialer Bewegungen: Kollektive Reflexion und Regeln als Basis für Selbststeuerung

Dieser Beitrag in der Zeitschrift Gruppe. Interaktion. Organisation analysiert Leadership in Organisationen der spanischen Protestbewegung. Es werden Idealvorstellungen der AktivistInnen von Führung, deren Umsetzung in der Praxis, damit einhergehende Probleme und der Umgang mit diesen Problemen dargestellt. Theoretische Grundlage sind Critical Leadership Studies, die Führung nicht als das Handeln einzelner Personen, sondern als Prozess des gesamten beteiligten Systems interpretieren und damit klar zwischen Leadership und Führungspersonen unterscheiden. Ferner werden Konsequenzen für die Führungspraxis auch in konventionellen Organisationen diskutiert

Gesellschaftliche Folgen neoliberaler Sozialpolitik in Spanien: Ausprägungen und Antworten der Zivilgesellschaft

Im Artikel wird zunächst die gegenwärtige soziale und politische Situation in Spanien dargestellt. Das Land erlebt eine gravierende ökonomische, soziale und politische Krise, die durch die Finanzkrise ausgelöst und durch neoliberale Sparpolitik verstärkt wurde. Basierend auf Feldfor schung in mehreren größeren spanischen Städten werden Reaktionen der Zivilgesellschaft auf diese Situation diskutiert. Im Jahr 2011 entwickelte sich eine landesweite Protestbewegung der Empörten (Indignados). Anders als in vielen Ländern, in denen sich KrisenverliererInnen rechtspopulisti- schen Strömungen zuwenden, kam es hier zu starken Solidarisierungseffekten und zu vielfältigen zivilgesellschaftlichen Aktivitäten, die von Protest und politischer Arbeit bis zu engmaschiger sozialer Hilfe und Unterstützung reichen. Die Bewegung hat sich auch institutionalisiert, regionale und nationale aus der Bewegung hervorgegangene Parteien haben zum Teil überraschende Erfolge erzielt. Gleichzeitig hat die etablierte Politik mittels Restriktion und gesetzlichen Einschränkungen der Bürgerrechte scharf auf diese Entwicklung reagiert. Ob die Bewegung dominante Strukturen der globalen Ökonomie und Politik ändern kann, bleibt abzuwarten

Organizing the Unexpected: How Civil Society Organizations Dealt with the Refugee Crisis

The capability of organizations to respond to unexpected events has been investigated from different theoretical angles: organizational learning, improvisation, ambidexterity, resilience, to name but a few. These concepts, however, hardly ever refer to structural characteristics. Against this backdrop, the aim of this paper is twofold. First, based on systems and organizational learning theory, it will theoretically link the characteristics of organizational structure with organizational responses to unexpected external jolts, thus contributing to better understand the reactions of organizations to the unexpected. Second, it will empirically illustrate the relation of organizational structure with organizational responses by investigating how Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) in Austria reacted to the unexpected inflow of refugees from Central Europe. In 2015, CSOs accepted a wide range of responsibilities and worked together with government entities to provide shelter, catering, and transport for almost one million refugees. Based on participant observations during opera- tion, in-depth interviews (2015 and 2016) and focus groups with decision-makers (2017), we will sketch three longi- tudinal case studies of organizations with very different structures, concentrating on the processes and operations they developed during the crisis. Our findings show that their responses are closely related to their structure, specifically to the flexibility and the stability of structural elements. Remarkable changes took place in all organizations investigated. Initial responses and first structural changes occurred mainly where the structure already allowed for flexibility. Yet in the long run, the adaptations also impacted the stable structural elements

Symbolic struggles over solidarity in times of crisis: trade unions, civil society actors and the political far right in Austria

As a consequence of the recent financial and economic crisis, social cohesion and integration are in jeopardy all over Europe. In this context, scholars also speak of decreasing solidarity, which is defined as a normative obligation to help each other and to make sacrifices to reach common goals. By taking the empirical example of Austria, we argue that the meaning of solidarity is increasingly being contested. Various collective actors such as trade unions, civil society actors, but also right-wing populist parties are engaged in symbolic struggles over solidarity. To show this, we examine the different concepts and foundations of solidarity and analyse where and why they conflict with each other, referring to recent debates on political issues, such as the needs-based minimum benefit system and the access to the labour market for refugees

SROI as a Method for Evaluation Research: Understanding Merits and Limitations

NPOs and their funders are increasingly drawn to the Social Return on Investment (SROI) method to evaluate the social impact of programs, organizations or organization networks. While many claims about the benefits of SROI have been expressed, various points of criticism have also been raised. On the basis of both current research and our own experience in conducting SROI analyses, we develop a comprehensive assessment of this method, which is structured along two dimensions: the observer's paradigmatic perspective, on the one hand, and positive or negative valuation, on the other. We identify two major merits: SROI analysis can provide legitimacy to NPOs or their funders, and it can assist in allocating resources. We identify limitations from three perspectives: From an interpretative-sociological perspective, criticism of commensuration and utilitarianism calls the method as a whole into question. From a technical-instrumental perspective, there are a number of difficulties that could however be overcome as the method matures. From an intermediary perspective, a number of limitations become apparent that, while inherent to SROI analysis, are no reason for abandoning it, as long as they are thoroughly understood. We conclude by providing suggestions for the responsible use of SROI analysis

Leadership und Veränderung - Veränderung von Leadership

In dem Beitrag geht es um die Frage, wie Leadership zu Veränderung beitragen kann bzw. welche Formen von Leadership für Veränderung in sozialen Organisationen günstig sind. Sozialorganisationen sind eine sehr heterogene Gruppe, auch Ansprüche an und Bedingungen für Führung sind hier sehr unterschiedlich ausgeprägt. Die meisten dieser Organisationen sehen sich aber eher rauen Rahmenbedingungen in Bezug auf die Ressourcenausstattung sowie generell sehr widersprüchlichen Anforderungen gegenüber. Neben klassischen Führungskonzepten werden auch neuere theoretische Entwicklungen, wie geteilte Führung oder agile Führung, vorgestellt und Möglichkeiten des Lernens von Organisationen sozialer Bewegungen diskutiert. (DIPF/Orig.)This article deals with how leadership can contribute to change and which forms of leadership are favorable for change in social organizations. Social organizations are very heterogeneous, and the demands on and conditions for leadership vary greatly. However, most of these organizations face rather harsh conditions in terms of resources and generally very contradictory demands. In addition to classical leadership concepts, newer theoretical developments, such as shared leadership or agile leadership, are presented, and possibilities for learning from social movement organizations are discussed in this chapter. (DIPF/Orig.