Toward a Foundation of Material Approaches in Neo-Institutional Theory: A Bricolage Approach

Socio-material approaches of innovation are currently developing fast in neo-institutional theory yet they lack global coherence. As a result, their contribution to the understanding of institutional innovation is fragile. This paper develops a coherent view on socio-material approaches of innovation in neo-institutional theory. Drawing on a literature review, we propose that material approaches of institutional innovation focus on the design of institutions. We build on the concept of bricolage to unveil the three activities involved in the design of institutions: crafting, testing and evaluating. Eventually, we articulate these findings with existing insights on institutional innovation and develop a multilevel model of institutional innovation.