Trautman, Benjamin E.

The link between organizational theory and its application in practice is explored in this research through the lens of Peircian semiotics. An investigation is conducted of how organizations convey their culture through mission and vision statements and the reflection of these statements within New Institutionalism. Through the use of a novel computational model that merges quantitative analysis with traditional qualitative methods, this study evaluates the relevance and effectiveness of institutional theories. The three main schools of New Institutionalism—rational choice, historical, and sociological institutionalism —are examined to determine how well municipal mission and vision statements align with the theories' principles. The analysis interprets organizational communications identifying similarities or differences between theoretical concepts and the expressions of found organizational culture. The findings produced by the analyses offer insights into the relationship between theory and practice. It highlights the challenges in interpreting the intended meanings behind organizational communications, as well as, the practical utility of theoretical models for organizational behavior. This study contributes to the organizational theory library by introducing a new methodological approach to examine and compare institutional theories and the communicative strategies.