Title: Institutions and Development: A Conceptual Reanalysis
Abstract: This essay reviews the concept of "institutions" as used in the recent economic literatures on firms and national development and notes its limitations. An alternative framework is proposed that draws on classic and contemporary sociological theory to position the concept of institutions in relation to other basic elements of culture and social structure. The framework is used to analyze (1) the failure of attempts to transplant institutions of developed countries into the global South and (2) the dynamics of massive privatization in Mexico. The bearing of this framework on current institutional theories of social change is examined, leading to the identification of sources of change at different levels of causal significance and scope. This modified theory of change is applied to the longstanding demographic debates on historical and institutional determinants of fertility transitions. The bearing of the proposed "thick institutionalist" framework on social theory and future development policies is discussed.
Publication Year: 2006
Publication Date: 2006-06-01
Language: en
Type: article
Indexed In: ['crossref']
Access and Citation
Cited By Count: 177
AI Researcher Chatbot
Get quick answers to your questions about the article from our AI researcher chatbot