This introduction to the special issue on hybrid organizations defines hybrids, places them in their historical context, and introduces the articles that examine the strategies hybrids undertake to scale and grow, the impacts for which they strive, and the reception to them by mainstream firms. It aggregates insights from the articles in this special issue in order to examine what hybrid organizations mean for firms and practicing managers as they continue to grow in number and assume a variety of missions in developing and developed countries.

The Tragedy of the Commons refers to the depletion of a shared resource by individuals acting independently and rationally, according to self-interest, despite knowing that an abuse of the common resource is contrary to their long-term interests. The Tragedy is a model of many of society’s resource-based problems, including over-irrigation, habitat destruction, over-fishing, traffic congestion, and air pollution. The Free Rider problem refers to when an individual benefits from another’s work without paying for it. The two practical ways to overcome this problem are through compulsory participation (e.g. carbon tax, cap-and-trade) and through linking the public good to a desirable private good (getting people to pay voluntarily). Both methods are controversial and politicized. <br><br> Social entrepreneurs have attempted to solve the Free Rider problem, including Verdant Power, a developer in the design and application of marine renewable energy. The obstacles it faces are the same as those that stymie most social entrepreneurs. The firm lacks revenue streams and profits, is at the mercy of private equity investors and/or the government, and must counter existing bureaucratic and regulatory impediments. The good news, however, is that institutional support for social entrepreneurs has grown enormously into a support ecosystem. Ultimately, the problem for social entrepreneurs may not be opportunity recognition as much as obstacle recognition and finding solutions within this burgeoning ecosystem.

In today's often complicated and fast-paced world, individuals are pulled in many different directions. Balancing work and personal roles-including those of parent, spouse, caregiver, volunteer, and so forth-can be a daunting task. In the literature, identity theory speaks to the multi-faceted existence employees face, beyond that of just "worker." The differing roles individuals occupy have traditionally been viewed as competing, implicitly suggesting that attention to one area of a person's life necessarily detracts from the others, and that juggling and managing multiple roles causes stress and emotional strain. To explore the verity of this notion we conducted a study, which is described herein. Of significance, 55% of our sample indicated that they were dual-centric; that is, individuals who value both their work and non-work roles equally. In this article, we build on extant research and find support for the belief that dual-centrics experience more overall satisfaction, greater work-life balance, and less emotional exhaustion. Given the seeming increase in employees' dual-centric focus, it is rational to suggest that one way in which organizations can improve and enhance employee well-being is by embracing them as whole individuals. This article explores that notion, and provides innovative examples from Fortune magazine's "100 Best Companies to Work For" list regarding how this objective can be accomplished.