Organizational Hybridity in Flemish Civil Society Organizations: Past Developments, Present Trends and Future Research Possibilities

Comprising of a wide array of organizational forms, actors and activities, non-profit scholars define civil society organizations as formal, private, non-profit entities. Drawing on the non-profit literature, this working paper examines both the causes and effects of civil society organizations hybridizing towards the market sphere. Additionally, we review the predominant concepts linked to the hybrid field between the communal and civil society sphere, which remains to date rather absent in the non-profit management literature. The focus is on the redefinition of the organizational mission and strategies, changing governance arrangements and shifting management practices. The main conclusion of this working paper is twofold. First, we underline the importancy of incorporating organizational variables (e.g., age, culture, roots) in addition to environmental variables (e.g., norms, values, resources) when explaining organizational behavior. Second, we argue that research on the organizational effects of hybridization towards the market sphere is rather fragmentary, critical and characterized by an Anglo-Saxon bias.

Jaar van publicatie:2017

Toegankelijkheid:Open