Formation and Change of Issue Fields: A Longitudinal Study about the Digitalization in Germany

• Applicant: Dr. Jan Goldenstein
• Subject Area: Accounting and Finance
• Term: since 2020
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 452069887

So far, neo-institutional theory has neglected to consider the processes of formation and change in issue fields. In particular, neo-institutional theory largely omitted to conceive issue fields as social spheres in which organizations and groups of organizations construct a shared meaning, that is, a relational meaning system. In this research project, the implicit field processes will be focused. Implicit field processes in issue fields implies that organizations mutually recognize how they communicatively reflect certain issues and that each organization takes these communicative reflections into account for their own communication. Specifically, this project considers the pathways of issue fields and the interdependence of issue fields with its social environment. Furthermore, the project investigates the impact of the specific field formation at a given point of time as well as the identity of participating organizations on the further development of issue fields. The focus on implicit field processes is relevant because these evolutionary processes is attributed a significant impact on the development of societies. The topic of the digitization of the German economy and society serves as research object in this project. Methodologically, this project applies a mixed-method approach, namely combines a quantitative, (computer-)linguistically supported analysis with “close reading” to conduct a longitudinal analysis of text data produced in the Federal Republic of Germany from 2000 to 2018. The project uses data from media discourse and organizational publications. The proposed research project aims to derive implications for both neo-institutional theory and the scientific discourse on the digitization in Germany.

• DFG Programme: Research Grants