IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/bla/jomstd/v58y2021i5p1294-1330.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Building Character: The Formation of a Hybrid Organizational Identity in a Social Enterprise

Author

Listed:
  • Joep P. Cornelissen
  • Ona Akemu
  • Jeroen G. F. Jonkman
  • Mirjam D. Werner

Abstract

The formation of a hybrid organizational identity is a significant challenge for many social enterprises. Drawing on in‐depth longitudinal data from the first three years of a successful social enterprise – Fairphone, founded in Amsterdam – we induce an empirically grounded theoretical model of how a hybrid organizational identity is formed. We identify a general process of organizational identity formation, with founders, leaders and members experimenting with different organizational characters describing ‘who they are’ as well as with alternative social impact strategies defining ‘what they do’. As part of this experimental process, we elaborate the role of a key leadership process – ‘rekeying’, which involves leaders re‐figuring prior understandings into more dual readings – which we found facilitates ongoing adaptation and helps members of the organization to become progressively better able at combining multiple objectives and values as part of a shared hybrid identity. Our theoretical model of hybrid organizational identity formation has a number of direct implications for ongoing research on organizational identity formation and hybrid organizations.

Suggested Citation

  • Joep P. Cornelissen & Ona Akemu & Jeroen G. F. Jonkman & Mirjam D. Werner, 2021. "Building Character: The Formation of a Hybrid Organizational Identity in a Social Enterprise," Journal of Management Studies, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 58(5), pages 1294-1330, July.
    • Handle: RePEc:bla:jomstd:v:58:y:2021:i:5:p:1294-1330
    DOI: 10.1111/joms.12640
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://doi.org/10.1111/joms.12640
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1111/joms.12640?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Todd W. Moss & Jeremy C. Short & G. Tyge Payne & G.T. Lumpkin, 2011. "Dual Identities in Social Ventures: An Exploratory Study," Entrepreneurship Theory and Practice, , vol. 35(4), pages 805-830, July.
    2. Jeffery S. McMullen & Benjamin J. Warnick, 2016. "Should We Require Every New Venture to Be a Hybrid Organization?," Journal of Management Studies, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 53(4), pages 630-662, June.
    3. Ona Akemu & Gail Whiteman & Steve Kennedy, 2016. "Social Enterprise Emergence from Social Movement Activism: The Fairphone Case," Journal of Management Studies, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 53(5), pages 846-877, July.
    4. Israel Drori & Benson Honig & Zachary Sheaffer, 2009. "The Life Cycle of an Internet Firm: Scripts, Legitimacy, and Identity," Entrepreneurship Theory and Practice, , vol. 33(3), pages 715-738, May.
    5. Paul Tracey & Nelson Phillips & Owen Jarvis, 2011. "Bridging Institutional Entrepreneurship and the Creation of New Organizational Forms: A Multilevel Model," Organization Science, INFORMS, vol. 22(1), pages 60-80, February.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Simona Fiandrino & Francesco Scarpa & Riccardo Torelli, 2022. "Fostering Social Impact Through Corporate Implementation of the SDGs: Transformative Mechanisms Towards Interconnectedness and Inclusiveness," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 180(4), pages 959-973, November.
    2. Lamberto Zollo & Massimiliano M. Pellegrini & Gugliemo Faldetta & Riccardo Rialti, 2023. "How to combine multiple identities and gaining stakeholders legitimacy in hybrid organizations? An organizational design response," Journal of Management & Governance, Springer;Accademia Italiana di Economia Aziendale (AIDEA), vol. 27(4), pages 1189-1222, December.
    3. Seokwon Chang & Mugoan Jeong, 2021. "Does Leadership Matter in Performance of Social Enterprises in South Korea?," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(20), pages 1-19, October.
    4. Peter Kalum Schou, 2023. "Coming Apart While Scaling Up – Adoption of Logics and the Fragmentation of Organizational Identity in Science‐Based Ventures," Journal of Management Studies, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 60(3), pages 688-721, May.
    5. John W. Schouten & Beth Leavenworth DuFault, 2022. "Social Enterprise as a Broker of Identity Resources," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(6), pages 1-21, March.
    6. Siqueira, Erica H.S. & Fischer, Bruno Brandão & Bin, Adriana & Kickul, Jill, 2023. "Entrepreneurial ecosystems’ readiness towards knowledge-intensive sustainable entrepreneurship: Evidence from Brazil," Technovation, Elsevier, vol. 126(C).
    7. Youxin Feng & Yuko Nishide, 2024. "Public trust in Chinese elder-care social enterprises: common awareness and diverse perspectives from key stakeholders," Palgrave Communications, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 11(1), pages 1-13, December.
    8. Rosaria Ferlito & Rosario Faraci, 2022. "Sustainable Hybrid Business Model of Benefit Corporation: The Case of an Italian Film Production Company," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(10), pages 1-17, May.
    9. Teresa Dieguez & Paula Loureiro & Sulaiman Isabel Ferreira & Mário Basto, 2024. "Transformative Forces: Social Entrepreneurship as Key Competency," International Journal of Innovation and Economic Development, Inovatus Services Ltd., vol. 10(1), pages 23-33, April.
    10. Fabien Martinez, 2023. "Exploring the syncretic dynamics involved in dyadic business–NGO partnerships," Business Strategy and the Environment, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 32(7), pages 4068-4083, November.

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Pradeep Kumar Hota, 2023. "Tracing the Intellectual Evolution of Social Entrepreneurship Research: Past Advances, Current Trends, and Future Directions," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 182(3), pages 637-659, January.
    2. Lien De Cuyper & Bart Clarysse & Nelson Phillips, 2020. "Imprinting Beyond the Founding Phase: How Sedimented Imprints Develop over Time," Organization Science, INFORMS, vol. 31(6), pages 1579-1600, November.
    3. Iain A. Davies & Bob Doherty, 2019. "Balancing a Hybrid Business Model: The Search for Equilibrium at Cafédirect," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 157(4), pages 1043-1066, July.
    4. McMullen, Jeffery S., 2018. "Organizational hybrids as biological hybrids: Insights for research on the relationship between social enterprise and the entrepreneurial ecosystem," Journal of Business Venturing, Elsevier, vol. 33(5), pages 575-590.
    5. Gideon D. Markman & Michael Russo & G. T. Lumpkin & P. Devereaux (Dev) Jennings & Johanna Mair, 2016. "Entrepreneurship as a Platform for Pursuing Multiple Goals: A Special Issue on Sustainability, Ethics, and Entrepreneurship," Journal of Management Studies, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 53(5), pages 673-694, July.
    6. Paola Bernardi & Alberto Bertello & Canio Forliano & Ludovico Bullini Orlandi, 2022. "Beyond the “ivory tower”. Comparing academic and non-academic knowledge on social entrepreneurship," International Entrepreneurship and Management Journal, Springer, vol. 18(3), pages 999-1032, September.
    7. Gupta, Parul & Chauhan, Sumedha & Paul, Justin & Jaiswal, M.P., 2020. "Social entrepreneurship research: A review and future research agenda," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 113(C), pages 209-229.
    8. Patrick Gregori & Malgorzata A. Wdowiak & Erich J. Schwarz & Patrick Holzmann, 2019. "Exploring Value Creation in Sustainable Entrepreneurship: Insights from the Institutional Logics Perspective and the Business Model Lens," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(9), pages 1-28, April.
    9. Guillermo Casasnovas & Jessica Jones, 2022. "Who Has a Seat at the Table in Impact Investing? Addressing Inequality by Giving Voice," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 179(4), pages 951-969, September.
    10. Pradeep Kumar Hota & Balaji Subramanian & Gopalakrishnan Narayanamurthy, 2020. "Mapping the Intellectual Structure of Social Entrepreneurship Research: A Citation/Co-citation Analysis," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 166(1), pages 89-114, September.
    11. Stefan Dimitriadis & Matthew Lee & Lakshmi Ramarajan & Julie Battilana, 2017. "Blurring the Boundaries: The Interplay of Gender and Local Communities in the Commercialization of Social Ventures," Organization Science, INFORMS, vol. 28(5), pages 819-839, October.
    12. Bacq, Sophie & Hertel, Christina & Lumpkin, G.T., 2022. "Communities at the nexus of entrepreneurship and societal impact: A cross-disciplinary literature review," Journal of Business Venturing, Elsevier, vol. 37(5).
    13. Vasilii Erokhin & Dmitry Endovitsky & Alexey Bobryshev & Natalia Kulagina & Anna Ivolga, 2019. "Management Accounting Change as a Sustainable Economic Development Strategy during Pre-Recession and Recession Periods: Evidence from Russia," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(11), pages 1-23, June.
    14. Junyon Im & Sunny Sun, 2015. "Profits and outreach to the poor: The institutional logics of microfinance institutions," Asia Pacific Journal of Management, Springer, vol. 32(1), pages 95-117, March.
    15. Muhammad Farooq Islam & Ozge Can, 2024. "Integrating digital and sustainable entrepreneurship through business models: a bibliometric analysis," Journal of Global Entrepreneurship Research, Springer;UNESCO Chair in Entrepreneurship, vol. 14(1), pages 1-18, December.
    16. Jayanti, Rama K. & Raghunath, S., 2018. "Institutional entrepreneur strategies in emerging economies: Creating market exclusivity for the rising affluent," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 89(C), pages 87-98.
    17. Emmanuelle Reuter, 2022. "Hybrid business models in the sharing economy: The role of business model design for managing the environmental paradox," Business Strategy and the Environment, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 31(2), pages 603-618, February.
    18. Tomas Karlsson & Caroline Wigren, 2012. "Start-ups among university employees: the influence of legitimacy, human capital and social capital," The Journal of Technology Transfer, Springer, vol. 37(3), pages 297-312, June.
    19. Robin Stevens & Nathalie Moray & Johan Bruneel, 2015. "The Social and Economic Mission of Social Enterprises: Dimensions, Measurement, Validation, and Relation," Entrepreneurship Theory and Practice, , vol. 39(5), pages 1051-1082, September.
    20. Lepori, Benedetto & Montauti, Martina, 2020. "Bringing the organization back in: Flexing structural responses to competing logics in budgeting," Accounting, Organizations and Society, Elsevier, vol. 80(C).

    More about this item

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:bla:jomstd:v:58:y:2021:i:5:p:1294-1330. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Wiley Content Delivery (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.blackwellpublishing.com/journal.asp?ref=0022-2380 .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.