Diffusion in Organizations and Social Movements: From Hybrid Corn to Poison Pills

TLDR

Diffusion research across organizations and social movements has expanded rapidly, driven by institutional, network, and dynamic analytical interests. The study develops a sociologically grounded account of change that emphasizes the channels through which practices flow, argues for closer theoretical attention to differential diffusion rates and pathways, and proposes three strategies for further development: broader comparative designs, deeper inspection of social relations, and greater focus on media‑ and expert‑run diffusion industries. The review focuses on characteristic lines of argument that highlight the structural and cultural logic of diffusion processes, and proposes three strategies for further development: broader comparative research designs, closer inspection of the content of social relations between collective actors, and more attention to diffusion industries run by the media and communities of experts.

Abstract

There has been rapid growth in the study of diffusion across organizations and social movements in recent years, fueled by interest in institutional arguments and in network and dynamic analysis. This research develops a sociologically grounded account of change emphasizing the channels along which practices flow. Our review focuses on characteristic lines of argument, emphasizing the structural and cultural logic of diffusion processes. We argue for closer theoretical attention to why practices diffuse at different rates and via different pathways in different settings. Three strategies for further development are proposed: broader comparative research designs, closer inspection of the content of social relations between collective actors, and more attention to diffusion industries run by the media and communities of experts.