Utilizing institutional perspectives to investigate the emergence, rise, and (relative) decline of corporate universities

The emergence, rise, and relative decline of corporate universities (CUs) is somewhat puzzling given the increasing emphasis and investment in training and development (T&D). We utilize institutional theory to identify environmental factors and forces external to the organization to better understand the historical growth and development of CUs. Our findings suggest that CUs cannot be dismissed as a passing fad. Rather, these changes illustrate the evolution and transformation of traditional T&D departments into new institutional forms over time. We generate a discussion on the ongoing challenges and future trends for T&D and present implications for HRD research and practice.