Social Business Journal

Social Business Journal

Designing a Model to Assess the Readiness of Mission-Driven Industrial Organizations for the Ecosystem Orchestrator Role in Social Business Ecosystems

Document Type : Original Article

Authors
Arman Azarli 1
Mohammad Barzegar Mohammadi 2
Mohammadmehdi Jaferi 3
mohammadhadi askari 4
1 Department of Strategic Management, National Defense University, Tehran, Iran.
2 Department of Industrial Engineering, Islamic Azad University, Central Tehran Branch, Tehran, Iran.
3 Department of Industrial Engineering, Islamic Azad University, South Tehran Branch, Tehran, Iran.
4 Department of Management, Faculty of Economics & Management, Islamic Azad University, Science & Research Branch, Tehran, Iran.
10.22059/jsbu.2025.394526.1024
Abstract
Mission-driven industrial organizations face intensifying challenges such as insular perspectives, low productivity, and mounting environmental pressures, requiring fundamental structural and strategic transformation to sustain themselves in today’s dynamic competitive environment. Overcoming these challenges necessitates departing from traditional management approaches and leveraging collaboration opportunities within social business ecosystems—ecosystems that facilitate interaction among non-profit organizations, local communities, and social enterprises aiming to create social value and sustainability. In this context, organizations’ role as ecosystem orchestrators—by establishing trusted networks, resource sharing, and alignment of stakeholder objectives—can play a crucial role in mission fulfillment and achieving sustainability. This study aims to develop and validate a practical model to assess the readiness of mission-driven industrial organizations for the orchestrator role within social business ecosystems. Using a sequential mixed-method approach, qualitative thematic analysis of semi-structured interviews with industry and academic experts identified key readiness dimensions, which informed a structured questionnaire applied in the quantitative phase. Data collected from 20 industry experts were analyzed using the Friedman test. Results indicated that the dimensions of “key activities,” “revenue streams,” and “value proposition” had the highest priority, while “cost structure” and “customer relationships” were less emphasized. Content validity of the model was confirmed by academic experts, and its reliability was established through Cronbach’s alpha. The primary contribution of this research is a validated and practical tool enabling managers to assess and enhance their organizations’ readiness and capacity for ecosystem orchestration, facilitating strategic restructuring and effective collaboration with stakeholders to create sustainable value.
Keywords
Business Ecosystem orchestrator
Mission-driven Industrial Organization
Social Business Ecosystem
Social Responsibility
.Sustainable Development
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