New development: Performance promises and pitfalls in hybrid organizations—five challenges for managers and researchers

Abstract

Public and non-profit organizations can contain apparently irreconcilable institutional logics—such as public service and market survival. These logics can hybridize to frame an organization’s work and the identity of employees, volunteers and clients in particular ways. These offer both performance promises and performance pitfalls. The authors identify five challenges of hybrid organizations for managers and researchers: measuring performance; innovation; governance; regulation; and sustainability.

Keywords:

• Hybridity
• management
• non-profit
• performance
• public

Acknowledgements

The authors are indebted to Putnam Barber and the editors for feedback on earlier versions of this article. Meghan McConaughey provided valuable research assistance.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Chris Skelcher

Chris Skelcher is Professor of Public Governance, Institute of Local Government Studies (INLOGOV), University of Birmingham, UK.

Steven Rathgeb Smith

Steven Rathgeb Smith is the Executive Director of the American Political Science Association, USA.