This section discusses the relevant theories to the themes of the study. Two theories, Institutional Isomorphism and Feminism, will be discussed. They entails the background of the theories and their application to the critical issues raised by the study such as the accreditation process and the women’s education in Saudi Arabia.
Institutional Isomorphism Theory
The institutional isomorphism theory posits that the social values and beliefs shape the organizations, thus, granting them powerful legitimization for the access of resources and for survival in our increasingly interconnected society (Kossentini and Othman, 2015). The Institutional Isomorphism theory was proposed by DiMaggio and Powell (1983). DiMaggio …show more content…
The adoption of new technologies is also caused by political influences which therefore bring about rapid transformation in many organizations (Almansour et al., 2015). The institutional isomorphism theory also states that small changes within the structures of the organization may eventually lead to cumulative effects (DiMaggio and Powell, 1983). This implies that bigger institutions can easily influence the smaller ones to conform to the new standards. Therefore, the institutional isomorphism is a sociological phenomenon that transforms the rules of efficiency in the marketplace to institutional constraints (DiMaggio and Powell, 1983). However, the adoption of innovations reaches a threshold at which the institution fails to improve its …show more content…
The main construct of the second wave feminism was addressing the legal obstacles and slowly shifted to addressing gender inequalities. The issues addressed by the second wave feminists included sexuality as well as the role of women with regard to male dominance and the patriarchal cultures. The third wave feminism began in the 1980s and continues today (as cited in Acker, 1987). The third wave movement has vastly criticized the political system that claims to generalize women’s experiences, and it addresses intersectional issues like racism and homophobia.
According to Lorber (as cited in Acker, 1987), liberal feminism states that the biological difference in sex and gender are socially constructed. In other words, this theory suggests that men and women are not different. It follows that, if men and women are not different, then they should be treated equally under the natural law. The theory focuses on various kinds of discrimination against women like job types, low wages, and inferior positions in authority. Modern sociologists call for women’s education as a means of giving them a stronger voice. Finally, feminism states that inequalities against women have persisted due to the monopolization of knowledge and culture by men (Acker, 1987). In order to overcome the subordination, the theory states that women’s agendas must be made