THE ROLE AND CONTRIBUTIONS OF SOCIOLOGICAL INSTITUTIONAL THEORY TO THE SOCIO-TECHNICAL APPROACH TO INNOVATION THEORY

This study seeks to broaden the analytical scope of the socio-technical approach to innovation theory through the incorporation of a few theoretical constructs from sociological institutional theory. This work is relevant due to its linking of these two theories which have points in common in the explanation of the variables and phenomena that they study, such as the possibility that innovation is diffused through the institutional bases and legitimacy of Institutional Theory, as well as the fact that the relationships between system actors can influence these results. This study uses a narrative literature review to compare these two theories and presents a significant result in applying contributions from institutional theory to the theory of innovation.