This article synthesizes the large but diverse literature on organiza-tional legitimacy, highlighting similarities and disparities among the
leading strategic and institutional approaches. The analysis identi-fies three primary forms of legitimacy: pragmatic, based on audience self-interest; moral, based on normative approval: and cognitive,based on comprehensibility and taken-for-grantedness. The article then examines strategies for gaining, maintaining, and repairing legitimacy of each type, suggesting both the promises and the pitfalls of such instrumental manipulations.


Suchman, Marc C. 1995. “Managing legitimacy: Strategic and institutional approaches.”
Academy of Management Review 20: 571–611.
这篇文章长达40多页，萨奇曼对合法性的定义进行了归纳和分类。
文中首先认为合法性的研究分为两大集团——战略的和制度的。
文中将合法性分为三大类：pragmatic（实用主义）, moral（道德的）, cognitive（认知的）。