The Second WINIR Conference took place in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil’s second largest city, at the Hotel Windsor Atlantica. This 5-star hotel is located on the famous Copacabana beach in one of the culturally richer neighbourhoods of Rio.
WINIR CONFERENCE ON DEVELOPMENT & GLOBALIZATION (RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL, SEPTEMBER 2015) — While economic development depends on investment and technology, it is now widely accepted that appropriate political, legal, economic and other social institutions have also to be in place. But there is less agreement on what those institutions (broadly defined as systems of established social rules) may be, especially at different stages of the process of economic development. There are also ongoing debates about whether globalization is leading to institutional convergence, or whether national institutional diversity can be maintained.
Browse the full academic programme of the Inaugural WINIR Conference on Institutions that Change the World. Download the conference brochure. Click links to download papers (members only).
The WINIR Conference on Institutions That Change the World featured keynotes by Geoffrey Ingham (University of Cambridge, UK), Timur Kuran (Duke University, USA), Katharina Pistor (Columbia Law School), Barry Smith (SUNY Buffalo, USA) and Kathleen Thelen (MIT, USA).
The Inaugural WINIR Conference was held in South-East London, in the Royal Borough of Greenwich, on the grounds of the Old Royal Naval College, currently used as its main campus by the University of Greenwich.
INAUGURAL WINIR CONFERENCE ON INSTITUTIONS THAT CHANGE THE WORLD (LONDON, UK, SEPTEMBER 2014) — Although the nature and role of institutions are matters of active research in several academic disciplines, including (but not limited to) economics, history, law, philosophy, politics and sociology, there is a need for the development of shared understandings that can help promote creative conversations across disciplinary boundaries. WINIR has been established to advance this agenda.
WINIR YOUNG SCHOLARS PRE-CONFERENCE WORKSHOP ON GOVERNING EMERGING TECHNOLOGIES (ROME, ITALY, JULY 2026) — As technologies such as AI, blockchain, biotechnology, and data-driven systems increasingly shape economic, social, and political life, their governance reveals how institutions balance public interests—transparency, fairness, accountability—with private incentives.
WINIR YOUNG SCHOLARS PRE-CONFERENCE WORKSHOP ON INNOVATION, ENTREPRENEURSHIP & INSTITUTIONS (PRAGUE, CZECHIA, SEPTEMBER 2025) — Institutional theory is at the heart of debates around post-growth paradigms in the Global North, sustainable development imperatives in the Global South, and the role of entrepreneurship across public, private, and cooperative sectors in driving social and environmental change. The Workshop seeks to explore how institutional dynamics influence and are influenced by the ways societies produce, consume, and thrive, fostering innovative and sustainable pathways for the future. Contributions should engage institutional methods
WINIR YOUNG SCHOLARS WORKSHOP ON AI AND INSTITUTIONS (ONLINE, MAY 2025) — Artificial Intelligence (AI) is profoundly transforming the global landscape, reshaping not only technological innovation but also institutional operations and social structures. This Symposium seeks to critically interrogate the intricate and multidimensional impacts of AI across diverse institutional domains. Specifically, it aims to explore the intersections of technological advancements and societal structures through the lens of institutional theory, considering how AI both disrupts and reconstitutes
WINIR YOUNG SCHOLARS PRE-CONFERENCE WORKSHOP ON BRIDGING DIVIDES (PITTSBURGH, USA, SEPTEMBER 2024) — Institutional theory can be used as a starting point to help us look at how societies with deep cultural and political differences can coexist peacefully and thrive amidst the challenges posed by globalization and technological revolutions. It can help us scrutinise existing governance and social arrangements to manage growing disparities, exacerbated by information technology, immigration, and cultural exchanges, leading to a crisis in political and governance frameworks.