ABSTRACT
It is not easy to grasp institutional meaning because of its multiplicity and dependence on normative interpretation. This chapter discusses the characteristics of institutional meaning and makes methodological choices in order to make complex institutions researchable. The use of distinguished paradigms is a useful methodology to deal with this complexity. This is also a helpful device to expound on comparative empirical research. Paradigms filter the observation of reality with “selected lenses.” The choice of a paradigm depends on the specific problem statement of a researcher. By alternating the lenses in additional research, the exploration and explanation of the intractable reality may be enriched via accumulation in plurality.
