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PERSPECTIVE article

Front. Polit. Sci.
Sec. Comparative Governance
Volume 7 - 2025 | doi: 10.3389/fpos.2025.1563937

Expanding the Lens of Institutions: A Holistic Approach

Provisionally accepted
Julia Barbar Julia Barbar *
  • Doha Institute for Graduate Studies, Doha, Qatar

The final, formatted version of the article will be published soon.

    This article critically examines the reliance on the concept of institutional voids in emerging market studies within institutional research, advocating for a more nuanced and configurational understanding of institutional dynamics and complexities, particularly in the MENA region. It reviews various strands of Institutional Theory, assesses the limitations of the institutional voids concept, and underscores the need for a holistic approach to institutional research—one that is both theoretically and methodologically comprehensive. It argues for the importance of disentangling institutional concepts and ensuring that methodological approaches are contextually relevant and appropriate. The essay concludes by presenting four key takeaways for developing a more comprehensive and nuanced approach to institutional research.

    Keywords: Institutional theory, Institutional voids, governance, MENA region, Emerging markets

    Received: 20 Jan 2025; Accepted: 10 Feb 2025.

    Copyright: © 2025 Barbar. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.

    * Correspondence: Julia Barbar, Doha Institute for Graduate Studies, Doha, Qatar

    Disclaimer: All claims expressed in this article are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of their affiliated organizations, or those of the publisher, the editors and the reviewers. Any product that may be evaluated in this article or claim that may be made by its manufacturer is not guaranteed or endorsed by the publisher.