Can social enterprises remain sustainable and mission-focused? Applying resiliency theory

Purpose - The purpose of this paper is to adapt concepts from resiliency theory to understand the conditions under which social enterprises may remain true to form and purpose or are likely to change their character. This leads us to consider issues of governance, economic incentives associated with different organizational forms of social enterprise and the effects of the financial environment, the role of organizational slack and the influence of organizational leadership on the dynamics of social enterprises. Three case studies of organizations in the USA are analyzed to illustrate the application of resiliency theory to the stability of social enterprises. The fact that all forms of social enterprise must reconcile the tensions of social purpose and market raises important questions about the dynamics of these enterprises. Design/methodology/approach - Theory and case study analysis. Findings - Governance, financial incentive structure, organizational slack and leadership influence the stability of social enterprises. Originality/value - First application of resiliency theory to the analysis of social enterprise stability.