Hybridity for legitimacy building

Abstract

Mission-driven organizations have a high bar for legitimacy, which influences survival, trust, and access to resources. This chapter examines how hybrid organizations build, maintain, and sometimes lose legitimacy in digital and multistakeholder contexts. Different approaches to legitimacy (e.g., conforming, strategic, and optimal distinctiveness) are discussed alongside different types of legitimacy (e.g., pragmatic, moral, and cognitive). Hybrid organizations face challenges such as mission drift, organizational silence, and conflicting stakeholder demands. At the same time, hybridity can enhance legitimacy by signaling innovation and responsiveness, as illustrated by case studies. Research-informed strategies are suggested for sustaining legitimacy, including guidance for information visibility, organizational listening, and cross-sector partnerships.