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AbstractWhy do economic agents conform with existing institutions? Drawing on economics and organizational institutionalism, this article identifies existing explanations, extends or refines some of them, suggests new ones, classifies these various explanations, and integrates them into an organized framework. One set of explanations focuses on conformity out of habit. The other refers to more conscious thought and behavior and considers coordination and increasing returns to adoption, social sanctions, informational differences, uncertainty, legitimacy, naturality, and lack of power/resources to deviate.

Este artigo discute a relação entre economia e sociologia, destacando as instituições, entre outros objetos sociais de estudo. O artigo mostra como é difícil separar a economia e a sociologia quando esta última estuda assuntos econômicos. Separar economia e sociologia econômica, definindo cada campo em termos de uma abordagem, não funciona porque existem diferentes abordagens no interior de cada uma delas, assim como semelhanças entre algumas abordagens da economia e outras da sociologia econômica. É melhor definir economia e sociologia econômica em termos de um objeto amplo de estudo, mas isso não implica sua separação, porque o econômico é social e, em particular, institucional. As instituições estão dentro do econômico e dos próprios agentes econômicos, por afetarem profundamente suas motivações e sua cognição. Por outro lado, é possível diferenciar algumas práticas de economistas e sociólogos econômicos. De qualquer modo, a distinção mais importante é uma entre abordagens e não entre disciplinas.

ABSTRACT. The paper discusses the role of uncertainty in economic sociology, aiming to clarify some controversial issues in the related literature. Initially, some conceptual remarks are made about the relation between economic sociology, neoclassical economics, and rational choice theory. Next, in light of the existing literature on uncertainty and economic sociology, we distinguish between complexity and different types of uncertainty. We also identify different versions of the maximization hypothesis and examine their relations to the different types of uncertainty. Then we defend a concept of fundamental uncertainty that emphasizes the role of institutions. A theory that combines fundamental uncertainty and institutions should emphasize not only the existence of behavior in accordance with institutions, but also the possibility of creative, bold, unconventional behavior, discussed next, as people may use the knowledge provided by institutions to go against the tide. Finally, we suggest that the primary distinction should be that between approaches to economic issues, not between disciplines.

ABSTRACT Contrasting different views on the topic, this article examines whether short-term expectations involve uncertainty, arguing in favour of an affirmative answer and thus invalidating any association with the rational or adaptive expectations hypothesis. It is then argued that the presence of uncertainty precludes any tendency towards equilibrium. After the notion of the state of short-term expectations is introduced, this conclusion is affirmed to be valid even if one considers that producers often follow conventional behaviour. Defending the view that uncertainty should be considered as gradable, the article maintains that conventions reduce but do not eliminate uncertainty.