Cyclical Change of Partnership Practices in Hybrid Settings

Practice-driven institutionalism (PDI) is a conceptual lens that explains how practices connect macro-level phenomena with micro-level behaviours. Effective practices matter in hybrid organisational settings, such as cross-sector partnerships, where actors from diverse institutional backgrounds collaborate. Despite its potential, PDI has yet to fully explore the dynamics and interactions among practices, which are essential for understanding their collective and temporal impact in any hybrid setting. Our study addresses this gap through a qualitative multi-case analysis of three cross-sector partnerships tackling complex social and environmental challenges. We identify three interconnected sets of partnership practices that help actors navigate the complexities that occur when the logics of business, government, and civil society clash. We reveal a cyclical pattern where collaboration oscillates between motivation and fatigue, driven by these practices. We introduce a conceptual model that transcends the so far static and isolated view on practices, advancing the PDI lens beyond its current limitations. Furthermore, it illuminates the role of the individual in hybrid settings of collaboration.