What role did James G. March and Johan P. Olsen play in developing new institutionalism?

James G. March and Johan P. Olsen are widely recognized as two of the leading founders of new institutionalism. Their work was instrumental in shifting the focus of political science back toward the study of institutions, arguing that analyzing individual political behavior without considering institutional constraints leads to a skewed understanding of political reality.1

Their foundational contributions include:

• Influential Publications: They published the seminal article "The New Institutionalism: Organizational Factors in Political Life" (1984), followed by the book Rediscovering Institutions: The Organizational Basis of Politics (1989) and Democratic Governance (1995), which collectively argued for the necessity of institutional analysis.1
• Logic of Appropriateness: March and Olsen coined the term "logic of appropriateness," a concept describing how behavior is guided by rules and norms that define what is considered right or suitable for a specific role or situation, rather than by simple cost-benefit calculations.2

By emphasizing how institutions shape identities, roles, and behaviors, March and Olsen helped bridge the gap between traditionalist structural studies and the behavioralist focus on individual actors.1