This research project is dedicated to the question of how organizations succeed in selecting the right applicants from a large, competitive pool. We want to develop an organizational sociological model for the valuation and selection of aspiring members on the empirical subject of talent selection.

Conceptually, the system-theoretical organization theory and the sociology of conventions are linked in a way that makes the tension between social norm expectations (such as gender justice, meritocracy, etc.) and organizational rationalities analytically tangible. To date, it has not been understood with sufficient precision from an organizational-sociological point of view how exactly organization (as its own level of order formation) and normative expectations interact in such a way that firstly problems of conflicting expectations can become solutions and solutions can in turn become problems, secondly what exactly the problem is for whom and third, when the problem is framed as a problem and/or a solution. This theoretical project is preceded by comprehensive, process-oriented and multi-method field research in two types of organization: foundations and art schools.