Celebrating interdisciplinary institutional research: the WINIR Conference
The Europe Strategy Research Institute is pleased to feature the participation of its scholars to the global institutional research forums. Réka Mathe PhD attended the tenth WINIR (World Interdisciplinary Network for Institutional Research) Conference. This is one of the most specialized international conferences on the multi-disciplinary study of the form, function and evolution of social structures – called “institutions”. WINIR aims to promote communication between scholars from all branches of the social sciences and humanities. Its honorary presidents include Nobel laureate Douglass North and Daron Acemoglu, and the celebrated Hungarian economist, János Kornay, a testament to the prominence of this organization within the field.
WINIR is a scientific society which was established in 2013. Its main focus is to develop the understanding of institutions as social systems of rules that govern human behavior and social cooperation and the distribution of wealth. This includes conducting interdisciplinary global conferences, workshops, and symposia, as well as targeted projects. WINIR emphasizes that “formal” institutions (laws) and “informal” institutions (social and cultural rules) are fundamental to the wellbeing of society.
This year, the conference's thematic focus was on the importance of institutions in encouraging entrepreneurial activity in an era of dramatic change in technology, society, politics, and the environment. The conference was a venue for serious scholarly debate on the role of formal and informal institutions in promoting or blocking innovation, social integration, and sustainable development. Presentations spanned the range from the development of governance and property rights to the effects of social capital on entrepreneurial ecosystems. Keynote speakers, such as Professor Magnus Henrekson, Professor Maria Minniti, and Professor Erik Stam, spoke on the creation of pathways for entrepreneurship, institutional change, and the resilience of the economy.
During the conference, the major fields of study represented included institutional economics, political economy, governance, legal institutions, and socio-technological innovation. Scholars discussed a range of topics, including governance frameworks on entrepreneurship, institutional context of technological innovation, and the legal context of entrepreneurship, as well as cultural frameworks for collective action. These debates underscored the need for cross disciplinary research on the changing role of institutions in the advancement of societies—reflections
Being part of the WINIR conference reflects the devotion of our Institute to participating in emerging cross-disciplinary research as well as contributing to the future of institutional inquiry. Participation in the international discourse augments the ability of our scholars and researchers to produce high value insights — those that shape policies, enrich the theory, and tackle critical issues. Particularly during times of wicked problems and multifaceted crises, engaging with platforms such as WINIR is critical in promoting research and enhancing our contribution to the international pool of knowledge on institutions and social structures.