Based Perspective on the Institutionalization of Practices

ABSTRACT We develop an activity-focused process model of how new ideas can be transformed into front line practice by reviving attention to the importance of habitualization as a key component of institutionalization. In contrast to established models that explain how ideas diffuse or spread from one organization to another, we employ a micro-level perspective to study the subsequent intra-organizational processes through which these ideas are transformed into new workplace practices. We followed efforts to transform the organizationally accepted idea of ‘interdisciplinary teamwork ’ into new everyday practices in four cases over a six year time period. We contribute to the literature by focusing on de-habitualizing and re-habitualizing behaviours that connect micro-level actions with organizational level theorizing. Our model illuminates three phases that we propose are essential to creating and sustaining this connection: micro-level theorizing, encouraging trying the new practices, and facilitating collective meaning-making