SOCIAL SKILL AND INSTITUTIONAL THEORY

The problem of the role of actors in institutional theory can be addre ssed in considering a model of institutional entrepreneurship. A socio logical posing of this question defines institutional entrepreneurs as actors who have social skills, that is, the ability to motivate coope ration of other actors by providing them with common meanings and iden tities. The author argues that skill is applied differently across org anizational field that are forming, become stable, and are being trans formed To illustrate some of these principles, the author considers th e example of the role of Jacques Delors in the framing of the Single M arket Program of the European Union.