The Value of Categorical Ambiguity for Religious Organizations

• In Event: 436 - Regular Session. Non-Profit Organization: Resources, Growth, and Power

Abstract

Though denominations have historically organized the Christian church market, nondenominational churches, a categorically-ambiguous organizational form, have been uniquely successful in recent years. I account for the success of nondenominational churches by attending to the norms of the churchgoer audience. I argue that both organizational outcomes and the salience of market categories are dependent on audience members' norms. While the high value placed on salvific certitude drove the initial expansion of denominational churches, I show that shifts toward modernity have led many contemporary churchgoers to value individualistic ends. These new norms have reversed the historically-positive effect of categorical conformity on church outcomes, and instead benefit the category-rejecting nondenominational church form. I demonstrate support for this argument across levels of analysis using multiple nationally-representative datasets.

Author

• Nick Bloom, Duke University