The Challenge of Navigating the Double Hybridity in the Relationship between Community Enterprises and Municipalities

Abstract

Collaboration between municipalities and community enterprises, a spatially confined subset of social enterprises, can be advantageous for both parties in theory, but there also is discussion on whether and how these benefits really come to pass in practice. Based on a small-scale exploratory study in the Dutch city of Rotterdam, we discuss double hybridity as a complicating factor in the relationship between community enterprises and municipalities, as it leads to challenges concerning (1) awareness and recognition, (2) funding and procurement, (3) fragmentation and (4) accountability and impact.