Institutions define the rules and norms of conduct in a society; organizations are players in the society that interpret and act upon those rules. For a long time, research on institutions and organizations has been conducted almost independently through different theoretical lenses. Economists, sociologists, management scholars and political scientists have all embraced the study of institutional environments and institutional arrangements within and between firms. However, the contributions of those distinct streams have not been properly debated and integrated. For instance, while scholars associated with organizational economics have largely focused on formal mechanisms to govern exchanges (such as explicit contracts and hierarchies), sociologists and other social theorists have stressed the role of informal mechanisms including trust-based networks, political relations, and social-cognitive processes.

The VII Research Workshop on Institutions and Organizations is an effort by six research-oriented schools in Brazil (Fundação Getúlio Vargas, Insper, Federal University of Bahia, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, University of São Paulo and Federal University of São Carlos) to discuss relevant academic and practical issues of institutions and organizations in an interdisciplinary way. Seminar participants will discuss recent developments in the analysis of institutions and organizations through the lens of several disciplines (economics, management, sociology, law, among others). Instead of focusing on the contributions of specific disciplines dealing with institutions and organizations, workshop presenters and discussants will try to emphasize differences and commonalities among distinct approaches, leading to potential advances and refinements in the field. Although the Workshop will be jointly organized by six schools in Brazil, we encourage the participation of scholars from all over the country, as well as from abroad.

The VII Research Workshop on Institutions and Organizations will take place in São Carlos, Brazil, on October 1st-2nd, 2012