Changing Rules, Changing Practices: The Direct and Indirect Effects of Tight Coupling in Figure Skating

In this article, I examine the effects of tight coupling on organizational activities through a case study of the judging changes in figure skating following the 2002 Olympic judging scandal, which have transformed skating. In keeping with research that has called for a more complete understanding of the relationship between organizational structures and daily activities, I argue that institutional theory has treated coupling too broadly and that we need a better understanding of what tight coupling looks like at the micro level. Drawing on a mixed-methods approach, I contribute to this agenda by highlighting the direct and indirect effects of a specific type of tight coupling: one that arises from rule changes and is based on quantification. In doing so, this article also underscores how members of organizations actively shape their fields through their everyday practices and contributes to our understanding of the microfoundations of institutions.