Navigating Between Market and Solidarity: The Strategies of Circular Organizations in the Social and Solidarity Economy

Marie-France Vernier (), Pascale Blanchetière and Lucie Cortambert ()
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Marie-France Vernier: UR CONFLUENCE : Sciences et Humanités (EA 1598) - UCLy - UCLy (Lyon Catholic University), ESDES - ESDES, Lyon Business School - UCLy - UCLy - UCLy (Lyon Catholic University)
Lucie Cortambert: UR CONFLUENCE : Sciences et Humanités (EA 1598) - UCLy - UCLy (Lyon Catholic University), ESDES - ESDES, Lyon Business School - UCLy - UCLy - UCLy (Lyon Catholic University)

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Abstract: This article explores how circular enterprises navigate the tensions between market logics and social ambitions by mobilizing the framework of the Social and Solidarity Economy. While the circular economy is promoted as a response to environmental crises, it has been criticized for its technicist orientation and lack of attention to social issues. In contrast, social and solidarity economy emphasizes democratic governance and prioritizes social aims over profit, offering fertile ground for rethinking circular economy as a "strong circular economy." Drawing on nineteen interviews and fifteen hours of participant observation with entrepreneurs from Les Boucles, an incubation program in Lyon dedicated to circular and social and solidarity economy organizations, we identify four structuring tensions: value proposition, relations with private firms, financial and legal choices, and integration of the social dimension. Our findings reveal three organizational profiles—social-oriented, business-oriented, and a third path—that develop differentiated strategies. We show how fragile, yet innovative compromises emerge at the intersection of circular economy and social and solidarity economy.

Keywords: Hybrid organizations; social entrepreneurship; social incubator; Social and Solidarity Economy (SSE); Circular economy; incubateur social; entrepreneuriat social; organisations Hybrides; Economie Sociale et Solidaire; Economie Circualire (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025-10-13
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Published in 30eme Forum de l'Innovation, Réseau de Recherche sur l ’Innovation et EDC Paris Business School, Oct 2025, Paris, France

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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:hal:journl:hal-05593115

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