Organisations adopt structures because they are socially expected rather than because they work, then buffer real operations from them.
Meyer and Rowan's 1977 argument. Organisations adopt the structure the environment expects — strategic plans, quality programmes, diversity offices — and then buffer daily operations from it so work can continue.
In practice
- A firm appoints a Chief Innovation Officer because firms of that size have one, and routes actual innovation through the same channels as before.
- A charity adopts a theory of change document for its funders and runs its programmes on the judgement it always used.