Symbiotic hybridity: strategic action pathways for social enterprises in institutional complexity

Purpose This study aims to explore how social enterprises coordinate social and economic goals through key strategic actions, and how institutional logic evolves dynamically in this process. It addresses the gap in understanding mechanisms that reconcile dual tensions in hybrid organizations. Design/methodology/approach Using an exploratory case study of a Chinese social enterprise (Tianjie), the authors adopt the Structured–Pragmatic–Situational (SPS) methodology. Data from 20+ years of archival records, interviews and field observations are analyzed to trace strategic actions and institutional logic interactions. Findings Four strategic actions – mission anchoring, model building, resource linking and iterative innovation – drive a four-stage evolution: logical symbiosis → dynamic adjustment → structural integration → ecological penetration. Dual goals achieve symbiotic coupling through “opportunity anchoring–resource integration–value creation” loops, rather than persistent tension. Hybrid advantages emerge when organizations establish value-sharing interfaces. Practical implications Practitioners should design mission-driven products with logic symbiosis in early stages; build dual-target key performance indicator (KPI) systems for governance integration; and leverage digital tools to reduce synergy costs. Policymakers ought to refine certification standards by adding “strategic action maturity” criteria. Originality/value This study contributes three novel perspectives: proposes a symbiotic coupling mechanism challenging the dominance of paradox theory in dual-goal research; constructs a nonlinear strategic action framework where iterative innovation operates as an adaptive continuum; and expands institutional logic theory by identifying ecological penetration as a new stage for scaling social impact.