Competition and Isomorphism

Abstract This article studies organizational isomorphism as a force of religious change and highlights the importance of competition in inciting the isomorphic behaviors of religious organizations. Empirically, it tackles the puzzle of why, facing competitive pressure, Chinese Buddhist organizations actively copied organizational traits of their rivals during the Republican China era (1912–1949) and in Taiwan under Chiang Kai-shek (1949–1975), but not in post-Mao mainland China since 1978. Theoretically, it aims to amend the institutional isomorphism theory of DiMaggio and Powell by suggesting that competition remains a significant force in organizational change in the modern age. The analysis suggests that for incumbent religious organizations to launch competitive isomorphic moves, they must meet at least two prerequisites: first, they must acutely perceive competitive pressure; second, without the resources or means to neutralize the challenge, they must learn from their rivals’ strengths to (re)gain dominance. This article also stresses the vital and pervasive role of the state, in terms of its nature and patterned behaviors, in conditioning incumbent organizations’ perceptions of and responses to their rivals.