The goal of this on-going research programme is to contribute to the development of process theory of legitimation which explains how and why new, emerging phenomena legitimate and institutionalise over time.
The Legitimation Theory programme is led by Norman M. Fraser, Adjunct Professor at the Aalborg University Business School in Denmark.
The Legitimation Theory programme is grounded in typology of legitimation (Turcan 2018) that is rooted in several legitimatioin research streams. One research stream focuses on the creation and legitimation of new ventures, the other focuses on the maintenance of legitimacy in already established ventures, while the third distinguishes between new ventures that emerge within an established sector or an industry and those that emerge within emerging industries.
This programme commenced with a longitudinal ethnographic case study research that explored the process of emergence of an international new venture from an emerging economy, Republic of Moldova, and the effect such venture has on the process of industry creation in that economy (Turcan and Fraser 2016). A process model of legitimation of a new venture and a new sector emerged as a result of this longitudinal ethnographic case study research.
The Legitimation Theory has become an integral part of an EU funded, MSCA ETN project, LNETN - Legitimation of Newness and Its Impact on EU Agenda for Change - that addresses the need for training of a new generation of ESRs with quadruple-i – inter-disciplinary, inter-sectoral, inter-technology and international – and transferable knowledge, skills and broad vision. LNETN responds to MSCA ETN objectives and addresses the urgent need for new legitimation perspectives, theories, approaches and methods to learn and know how best to interpret and respond to newness, committing to and ensuring a positive social impact. LNETN has 15 innovative, legitimation of newness and theory building research projects addressing contemporary real world challenges involving non-academic partners, to develop a community of highly skilled, innovative, impact focused legitimation of newness and theory building scientists in Europe, bridging practice and theory.
TBRP partnered with the Organizational Legitimacy Observatory. The Organizational Legitimacy Observatory is a knowledge hub that brings together researchers from around the world who are passionate about organizational legitimacy and legitimation, supports them in this endeavour and facilitates their cooperation via various activities and resources. Alicia Blanco-González, also as TBRP faculty, can be contacted for further information about the Organizational Legitimacy Observatory. The Organizational Legitimacy Observatory is actively involved in the LNETN project.
A blog has been initiated in the Reserach Gate to follow recent trends on these phenomenon: Legitimation of Newness and Its Impact on EU Agenda for Change
