Evolution of an Independent Research Institution: A Reflective Analysis

This article examines the idea of institutions and the elements of the process of institutionalisation, using the features of and experiences in an independent research organisation, which was established in 1998, in India. The author, using her experience of heading this organisation for nearly 13 years, and drawing from the Scott’s three pillar approach, reflects on the aspects of why and how an organisation becomes an institution, and what the joys and challenges of leading the process of institution building are. She argues that institution-building is a continuous process where Scott’s three pillars support each other, and change over time and space. The real test of an organisation in becoming an institution is in the capacity to respond to the emergent needs both inside the organisation, and to the external environment, while managing to work as per the vision and perceived mandate, maintain order and stability, within given resources and legal frameworks that guide the functioning of the organisation. Using her own experiences, she identifies plurality as the most important principle that helped in the process of institutionalisation in this case.