Theorizing hybrid organizing for grand challenges

Grand challenges are evaluative, uncertain, and volatile. Robust action strategies of multivocality, participation, and experimentation have been promoted as effective conceptual and practical responses to address these features. However, robust actions suffer from limitations, for example: when many actors have their say, but some actors assume sovereignty of interpretation and shape goals according to their own needs; when stakeholders participate, but fail to mobilize action; or when, despite distributed experimentation, involved actors deviate from joint progress when they face adversity. We propose theory on hybrid organizing, typically situated in reference to small-scale organizations such as social enterprises, has much to offer to meet these limitations in addressing grand challenges. We first conceptualize a grand challenges grid that helps explain the complexity of grand challenges better. We then develop a theoretical model of hybrid organizing for grand challenges, which proposes six ways in which hybrid organizing can amplify robust actions and thereby meet the complexity of grand challenges more effectively. We combine the two fields of research in new ways and thereby promote theoretical advancements in each of them, and specifically at their intersection.