This is another episode following on from our Academy of Management Symposia on work and organizations and introduces us to one of the foundational works behind Steven Barley’s contributions to bridging institution theory and structuration theory.
For his dissertation, Barley studied the introduction of new technologies into established organizational settings to see how patterns of work changed. The sites of his studies were hospitals and the new technologies were CT scanners (computed tomography) that used X-rays and digital computing capabilities. CT scanners generate cross-sectional images of soft tissues in the body, allowing for better diagnosis of various conditions that X-rays alone were insufficient. Good for doctors and patients, to be sure, but what about the radiologists? Barley correctly presumed that the introduction of new computer-based skills and knowledge in the form of CT technologists would alter the institutionalized patterns of behaviors in radiology departments. The question was how this would occur and what new structures would result.
The one of several articles Barley produced in this area was an Administrative science quarterly article titled “Technology as an occasion for structuring: Evidence from observations of CT scanners and the social order of radiology departments.” In this article, Barley presents a comparison of two hospitals, code-named Urban and Suburban, where the scanners were introduced and he captured the resulting episodes of cooperation, conflict, and reconciliation that the established radiologists and young technologists underwent. Barley took the important step of beginning his observations months prior to the arrivals of the scanners, allowing him to understand the behavior patterns already being enacted so to best capture the drama as the scanners and technologists disrupted the status quo. He noted how due to decisions made on how the scanners would be introduced, the stories unfolded very differently at the two hospitals. In Suburban, the technologists began with using their specialized knowledge to negotiate their relationships with the radiologists, but would soon usurp the radiologists’ superior positions and bring about a role reversal where the technologists were practically doing the diagnosis. In Urban, the result was similar but the path differed because they employed radiologists who already knew something about the technology. They would instead usurp the technologists and prevent them from exercising the same level of autonomy. However, this proved unsustainable and eventually the ignorance of the radiologists would cause them to yield to the technologists’ knowledge of the equipment.
Barley used these experiences to develop a generalized form of “script” that reflects how institutionalized patterns influenced actions undertaken, which in turn would cause changes to the institutionalized patterns. This continuous loop would over time cause deep institutional changes to occur. Barley further developed the script concept into a more generalized conceptual framework in a 1997 article with Pamela Tolbert.
You may also download the audio files here: Part 1 | Part 2 | Supplement
Read with us:
Barley, S. (1986). Technology as an occasion for structuring: Evidence from observations of CT scanners and the social order of radiology departments. Administrative science quarterly, 31(1), 78-108.
To know more:
Barley, S. R., & Tolbert, P. S. (1997). Institutionalization and structuration: Studying the links between action and institution. Organization studies, 18(1), 93-117.
Related episodes from the Talking About Organizations Podcast:
118: Organizational Structures & Digital Transformation — AoM 2024 Symposium