Abstract
This paper offers a conceptual analysis of the OECD’s Programme of International Student Assessment (PISA) through the lens of the organizational sociology. Building upon a narrative review of the literature, it explores drivers behind the current prominence of PISA, using concepts derived from rational systems, social efficiency, and new institutionalist approaches. From the analysis of PISA’s rationales, logics of operation and impacts, the key finding is that PISA’s power and limitations function as a mirror, reflecting coinciding features of the program’s design and OECD’s characteristics mobilized by critics and supporters in opposite directions. Given PISA’s appeal for policymakers, the paper calls for further research to uncover its cross-cultural learning potential, rather than reinforce it as a tool of global accountability and standardization.
Published Version
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