| Abstract [eng] |
This master's thesis examines the strategic management of hybrid organizations, based on a case study of a municipality-owned heat supply company and using a multi-theoretical foundation of agency, stakeholder, and resource dependence theories. The object of the research is the strategic management of hybrid organizations in Lithuanian municipally owned companies. The aim of the thesis is to identify strategic management problems in hybrid organizations and to develop a theoretical model to address these issues. The aim was achieved through the following objectives: investigating and identifying strategic management problems of hybrid organizations mentioned in the academic literature, based on the multi-theoretical approach of agency, stakeholder, and resource dependence theories; developing a theoretical model to mitigate these problems; conducting a case study of a municipality-owned heat supply company in Lithuania to test the applicability of the theoretical model; and determining how the existing legal framework in Lithuania influences the strategic management problems of municipality-owned companies. The master's thesis consists of theoretical, methodological, and empirical sections, as well as conclusions and recommendations. The theoretical part examines the strategic management problems of hybrid organizations from the perspective of agency, stakeholder, and resource dependence theories. It explores the tensions in hybrid organizations and their causes, the issue of multi-level representation, the origins of collective principal problems, and the tensions caused by control. Key insights are identified and used to create a strategic management model aimed at reducing the problems of hybrid organizations. The second part presents the methodological framework of the research, including a qualitative research strategy that combines content analysis of academic literature, document analysis, and case study methods. It employs thematic and contextual analyses, as well as qualitative research hypotheses using the process-tracing method. Research ethics principles are also discussed. The empirical section examines the case of a municipality-owned heat supply company. The study found that both agents and principals contribute to the problems faced by hybrid organizations. However, at the macro level, only the problems created by agents are addressed. Consequently, the adoption of strategically significant decisions in the public interest may, in some cases, depend on political contingencies. The case study revealed that the key elements of the theoretical model for strategic management – organizational autonomy, the process of interest alignment, and output control – can help reduce the tensions faced by hybrid organizations and ensure more effective management. The thesis provides recommendations aimed at improving the management of municipality-owned companies, emphasizing the need for the application of organizational autonomy, output control, and the interest alignment process, as well as the improvement of legal frameworks. |
