Collision of Three Worlds: Legitimacy of Social Enterprises from the Perspective of Collective Actors

A key aspect in legitimacy from an institutional perspective is the social evaluation of collective actors that create a generalized perception that an organizations action is desirable within some socially constructed system. Based on an empirical case based research, this paper interprets legitimacy highlighting the complex dynamics in a social enterprise in regards to the dualistic institutional logics. By adapting the evaluators perspective on legitimacy, we interpret the collective actors perception on the social enterprise examining the actors from various economic sectors. We further discuss the implication of the complex dynamic arguing for the impact from the institutional setting on the perception of social enterprises, suggesting that the social welfare system influences the perception and thus the positioning of the social enterprise. Lastly, we discuss the positioning of the social enterprise and its implication on the long-term sustainability in organization