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Social entrepreneurs: making sense of tensions through the application of alternative strategies of hybrid organizations

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Abstract

Through the use of qualitative analysis, this paper examines the diverse tensions that social entrepreneurs have to deal with in their daily business activity. By using paradox theory and the hybrid organization model as a framework for analysis, we have found three principle causes of tension among social entrepreneurs: social vs economic sustainability; work vs family life; and resistance to change vs innovation. The results show the way in which social entrepreneurs in hybrid organizations resolve these conflicting tensions, usually through a selective coupling strategy, which is eventually complemented with alternative approaches such as compromising or decoupling. Social entrepreneurs tend to focus on one aspect of the tension and deal with it individually, which makes it more manageable. Change and innovation are the triggers for using strategies other than selective coupling, such as compromising or decoupling. When the level of tension rises further, compromising is then used. Decoupling is the last option chosen by social entrepreneurs, and is used only in cases where resolution is not possible with the other two strategies mentioned.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Organizational Behavior & Human Resources, IE Business School, IE University, Madrid, Spain

    Ignacio Alvarez de Mon

  2. Department of Economics, IE Business School, IE University, Madrid, Spain

    Patricia Gabaldón

  3. ESIC Business & Marketing School, Madrid, Spain

    Margarita Nuñez

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  1. Ignacio Alvarez de Mon
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  2. Patricia Gabaldón
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  3. Margarita Nuñez
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de Mon, I.A., Gabaldón, P. & Nuñez, M. Social entrepreneurs: making sense of tensions through the application of alternative strategies of hybrid organizations. Int Entrep Manag J 18, 975–997 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11365-020-00731-5

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