Institutional Theory and the Governance of TVET in Nigeria: Examining Isomorphic Pressures and Organizational Change

This study applied institutional theory, specifically DiMaggio and Powell's neo-institutional framework of isomorphism, to examine how coercive, mimetic, and normative pressures shape governance practices and organizational change in Nigerian TVET institutions. Despite decades of reform efforts, TVET institutions in Nigeria exhibit persistent structural inertia, inefficiency, and resistance to meaningful change, suggesting that environmental and inter-organizational pressures may be driving isomorphic conformity rather than genuine improvement. The study employed a qualitative interpretive design using institutional ethnography and 70 semi-structured interviews with administrators, policymakers, and instructors from 12 institutions across Kano, Lagos, Rivers, and Benue States. Documentary analysis of policy texts and accreditation records supplemented interview data. Findings revealed that coercive pressures from regulatory agencies produced surface-level compliance without substantive change, mimetic pressures led institutions to copy prestigious universities rather than high-performing TVET models, and normative pressures from professional associations were weak and fragmented. The study proposes an Institutional Reform Leverage Model that identifies entry points for catalyzing genuine organizational change in TVET governance. This study makes a significant theoretical contribution by applying institutional theory to TVET governance in a sub-Saharan African context, extending neo-institutional scholarship beyond its Western organizational management origins. Keywords: institutional theory, TVET governance, Nigeria, isomorphism, organizational change.