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Institutional entrepreneuring in social media: women influencers and instagram

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  • Valéria Silva Mortari

    (State University of Mato Grosso Do Sul, Mato Grosso Do Sul)

  • Felipe Almeida

    (Federal University of Paraná)

Abstract

This study examines how influencers perform institutional entrepreneuring through social media. The study relies on the original institutional economics approach in order to explore the emulation of social identities expressed by the top ten profiles of women influencers on Instagram in 2019. 2946 posts from June to December 2019, are analyzed in this study. We classify these posts as selfies, beauty, lifestyle, culture, travel, social or environmental movements, donations, and product placement associated with technology. We address influencers as exhibitors of social identities and we analyze how their social media activity culminates in emulation as assets of institutional entrepreneuring. We were able to identify the main emulation items exposed by the influencers. The achieved results help us understand the social values expressed by influencers acting as institutional entrepreneurs in this age of social media.

Suggested Citation

  • Valéria Silva Mortari & Felipe Almeida, 2025. "Institutional entrepreneuring in social media: women influencers and instagram," Evolutionary and Institutional Economics Review, Springer, vol. 22(1), pages 63-81, April.
    • Handle: RePEc:spr:eaiere:v:22:y:2025:i:1:d:10.1007_s40844-025-00304-7
    DOI: 10.1007/s40844-025-00304-7
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    JEL classification:

    • B52 - Schools of Economic Thought and Methodology - - Current Heterodox Approaches - - - Historical; Institutional; Evolutionary; Modern Monetary Theory;
    • D91 - Microeconomics - - Micro-Based Behavioral Economics - - - Role and Effects of Psychological, Emotional, Social, and Cognitive Factors on Decision Making

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