Relating rationality to context: interinstitutional complexity and embedded individual agency within industrial training in the UK tableware sector |
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Authors: | Neil J. Lambert |
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Affiliation: | 1. King’s Business School, King’s College London , London, UK neil.1.lambert@kcl.ac.ukhttps://orcid.org/0000-0002-1872-1776 |
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Abstract: | ABSTRACT The central contribution of this paper lies in showing a need to consider the complexity of interinstitutional systems, thereby more effectively relate rationality to context. Drawing on an institutional logics perspective, it presents a study of workplace training in a particular industrial sector in the UK: ceramic production. While identifying a vicious circle in the form of, what can be termed, a ‘high-quality/low-(formal-)skill’ system state, rather than simply privileging structure over action, findings show embedded individual agency. Besides being directed by goals, interests and self-seeking behaviour, a dominant logic for senior management personnel towards technology and home-based production was guided by issues of social identity and identification. ‘Nested’ in different opportunities and constraints presented at the levels of organizations and institutions, this individual-level logic was translated into not one, but two alternative corporate logics towards existing state-led intermediate-level workforce training arrangements. Both perpetuated a low-(formal-)skill situation in the sector. |
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Keywords: | VET UK institutional logics case study qualitative study |
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