Hybrid organizations and the circular transition: A scoping review of the social and solidarity economy

Abstract

Objective: The article investigates how hybrid organizations operating within the social and solidarity economy (SSE) help drive the shift toward a circular economy. Situated at the intersection of work on organizational hybridity, the SSE, and the circular economy, a junction that remains theoretically fragmented, this scoping review synthesizes current scholarship and develops an integrated analytical framework. The inquiry is structured around four questions: (RQ1). How does the literature define and position hybrid SSE organizations in relation to the circular economy? (RQ2) Which organizational forms and practices are most prevalent? (RQ3) Which theoretical perspectives and methodological approaches underpin existing studies? And (RQ4) Which gaps and blind spots set priorities for future research? Method: A scoping review was conducted following Arksey and O’Malley (2005), with refinements by Levac et al. (2010) and PRISMA-ScR guidelines (Tricco et al., 2018). Searches across Scopus, Web of Science, and Google Scholar covered peer-reviewed publications in English and French from January 2016 to March 2026. An initial set of 45 records was identified; following systematic screening and full text review, 10 peer-reviewed studies were retained. The synthesis combined descriptive mapping and qualitative thematic analysis. Findings: The field is recent, largely European, and dominated by qualitative case-based studies. The literature converges around recurring practices such as reuse, repair, recycling, work integration, participatory governance, and community empowerment. Three analytical streams dominate the field: internal hybrid organizing, ecosystem coordination, and social outcomes. Hybrid SSE organizations appear as distinctive circular actors because they link material recovery with social inclusion and territorial embeddedness. Yet the field remains conceptually dispersed and methodologically uneven. Conclusion: The article structures an emerging field, proposes an integrative multilevel framework linking hybrid mission orientation, organizational circular capabilities, and ecosystem governance to inclusive circular value creation, and identifies future research priorities concerning governance quality, outcome measurement, contextual diversity, and blended-value assessment. »