How to avoid swinging: A social enterprise's quest for authenticity in tourism

Abstract

This study explores the role of authenticity in social enterprises. It argues that the quest for authenticity, which is composed of different constructs and entails several internal actions, helps a social enterprise navigate the typical risks inherent to its organizational form: mission drift and mission lock-in. Drawing on an inductive case study of a social enterprise which operates in the field of tourism, the study shows that the authenticity sought by the enterprise takes the form of consistency, conformity, connection, and exploration. This helps the social enterprise plot a course through the abovementioned risks.

Introduction

From ancient philosophers to current psychologists, the concept of authenticity has fascinated scholars across a wide variety of disciplines (Harter, 2002; Liedtka, 2008). Recently, this concept knocked on the door of several areas of management studies (Lehman, O'Connor, Kovács, & Newman, 2019). Entrepreneurship scholars have also recognized its importance in guiding entrepreneurial actions (O'Neil, Ucbasaran, & York, 2020; Wagenschwanz & Grimes, 2021). Similarly, in the field of tourism studies, authenticity has emerged as a relevant concept related to experiences, objects or places (e.g. Taheri, Farrington, Curran, & O'Gorman, 2018; Zhou, Zhang, Zhang, & Li, 2018).

This paper aims to explore the interplay between authenticity and the concepts of mission drift and mission lock-in in social enterprises (SEs) working in the tourism sector. SEs, considered as a fresh and novel way to tackle complex social issues, have received a great deal of attention in recent years (Mair & Marti, 2006; Defourny & Nyssens, 2010; Doherty, Haugh, & Lyon, 2014; Gupta, Chauhan, Paul, & Jaiswal, 2020). Among the plethora of studies, scholars have explored the risk of mission drift; i.e. “that self-interested values, motivations, and commercial objectives that are associated with the ‘business model’ could overpower the social mandate of a social enterprise” (Ramus & Vaccaro, 2017, pp. 307–308; Battilana, Lee, Walker, & Dorsey, 2012; Battilana & Dorado, 2010). This risk is connected to a loss of authenticity, which has been identified as an asset used by entrepreneurs to gain legitimacy among like-minded audiences (O'Neil et al., 2020). Mission drift might appear as a sign of inconsistency —and hence of inauthenticity– and result in negative external perceptions of the organization. On the other hand, although much less studied, mission lock-in is another important risk for SEs, occurring when “they systematically over-emphasize social objectives and lose sight of economic aspects” (Staessens, Kerstens, Brunel, & Cherchye, 2019, p. 32; Copestake, 2007). The rigidity associated with mission lock-in can also be perceived as a loss of authenticity, insofar as it leads to inability to improve both social and economic performance overtime.

Given the double risk of SEs, how does the search for authenticity help avoid them in the field of tourism? To answer this question, we engage in an exploratory case study of a SE that consists of an online platform connecting visitors with local experiences to ensure they positively impact cities. The data analysis shows the relevance of three constructs of authenticity—consistency, conformity, and connection—previously identified in the management literature (Lehman et al., 2019), but not discussed specifically in the field of tourism. We also contribute by identifying a fourth dimension—authenticity as exploration—unrecognized in previous studies in management or tourism. Finally, we suggest that the quest for authenticity in these different constructs helps the SE navigate between mission drift and mission lock-in. We discuss the implications for the field of social entrepreneurship and tourism management.