Using a Professional Organization to Enhance its Reputation. The Case of the Parisian Haute Couture. A Longitudinal Study (1973-2008)

It has been shown (Selznick 1949) that an organization’s objectives can be diverted by the action of an ideologically homogeneous minority. The membership collective organization may result from the presence of selective incentives (Olson 1965), and may also be characterized by the possibility of quitting or publicly criticizing (Hirschman 1970). It can also result from the fact (Meyer and Rowan (1977) institutions tend to resemble each other. Moe (1980) considers that Olson relies on hypotheses as regards individuals which are too restrictive, Olson considering individuals as rational, perfectly informed and economically selfish. Olson, on his view, thinks that member- ships with a political finding have a strong role. Moreover, he introduces a leadership dimension, the “political entrepreneur” enabling participants like the personnel of organizations or the outsiders to exist. We accept from this view the accountancy of the plurality of interest but also the recognition of the role of third parties.