"A fascinating book. Although the organic food sector emerged from a call to transform agribusiness, Haedicke intriguingly documents how this movement was itself intertwined with expansionary, market-building activities. Using an institutional logics approach, Haedicke masterfully traces a fundamental tension that fueled both conflict and compromise as organics went mainstream."—Michael Lounsbury, University of Alberta

"Working at the intersection of social movements and organizational theory, Haedicke has fashioned a rich, innovative portrait of the history and contemporary dynamics of the organic sector. Anyone interested in organic farming or the dynamics of strategic action fields will want to read this book."—Doug McAdam, Stanford University

"Michael Haedicke's superb analysis of the organic foods sector complicates popular accounts of good guy farmers and activists versus bad guy grocery conglomerates. He demonstrates how social and economic factors compel members from both sides of the movement to navigate their divergent understandings of purity and profit. This book will be of great interest to social scientists and people working in the organics field alike."—Amy Binder, Amy Binder, University of California-San Diego and author of Becoming Right: How Campuses Shape Young Conservatives

"Michael Haedicke deftly tells the story of the organic food industry, which spans farming, co-ops, and the trendy for-profit grocers that are taking over what was once an idealistic niche. Rich with detail but also broad insights, Haedicke skillfully integrates the literatures on food studies, social movements, organizations, and economic sociology. A marvelous contribution from an important new voice."—Tim Hallett, Indiana University

"Haedicke's work provides a nuanced examination of the organic sector's compromises and contradictions. Drawing from a broad swath of empirical data, the reader learns why something like an 'organic Twinkie' can be seen as both a market accomplishment and a symbol of Big Organics' moral failings. This book enriches our understanding of the cultural and economic evolution of organic markets, while shedding new light on old tensions of movements versus markets."—Josée Johnston, University of Toronto

"Michael Haedicke's book, Organizing Organic: Conflict and Compromise in an Emerging Market, is a welcome contribution to the study of the organic sector, which has seen tremendous growth since the late twentieth century...Haedicke has persuasively argued for the importance of emotional and cultural elements of institutional logics to enable compromise within a sector characterized by conflict."—Joshua L. Carreiro, Social Forces

"After so many books taking a political economy approach to agriculture or a cultural history approach to food, it's rewarding to see the organic food sector through fresh conceptual eyes."—E. Melanie DuPuis, American Journal of Sociology


"Haedicke covers an impressive breadth of theoretical concepts, provides lucid explanations of each one, and uses them adeptly to explain the market's emergence and growth....Organizing Organic is of tremendous value for its rich and compelling illustrations of important and wide-ranging ideas. It is a worthwhile and engaging read not only for those interested in cultural and ethical markets but also for any organizational theorist interested in processes of social change."—Mary Besharov, Organization Studies

"In Organizing Organic: Conflict and Compromise in an Emerging Market, Michael Haedicke provides a well-written, informative historical overview and analysis of the development of the organic food industry....This analysis, rooted in organizational theory, is sophisticated and original....[G]raduate students and more advanced scholars interested in organizational theory as applied to this important social and economic development will find great value in Organizing Organic."—Brian K. Obach, Contemporary Sociology

Michael A. Haedicke is Associate Professor of Sociology at Drake University.