Shcheglov Ya.I. Institutional sustainability and institutional changes: a theoretical review. Sociology. 2025. No. 4. Pp. 126-131.

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Abstract

The article examines the issues of institutional stability and change, which are among the key topics of modern sociology. It addresses problems associated with the lack of clarity in understanding the processes of institutional change: how they occur, why the stability of institutions is maintained, and what leads to its disruption. An analysis of various approaches to studying these processes is conducted. The approach of growing returns and the path-dependence effect is considered, which explains institutional stability through positive feedback but assumes drastic and significant changes, without accounting for the possibility of gradual transformations. The theory of point shocks is analyzed, linking periods of stability to the accumulation of small changes and significant changes to major crises. Special attention is given to factors of sustainability such as institutional myth and institutional isomorphism. The results of the study include refined approaches to the analysis of institutional changes, encompassing institutional design, institutional work, and institutional entrepreneurship. The findings contribute to the development of the theory of social institutions and provide practical solutions for managing change.