Maintaining Collective Legitimacy During Crisis: A Case of Social Enterprise Intermediaries in Scotland

Abstract

Existing research offers little insight into how governance networks can maintain their legitimacy during institutional disruption. Through an in-depth case study of a network of third sector organizations in Scotland that worked to deliver government funds and support during the COVID-19 pandemic to social enterprises and charities, this paper sheds light on this topic. Our analysis highlights the importance of work to retain the structure of the network by affirming mission focus and rules of collaboration, promoting and aligning the network with external stakeholders, and building and breaking relationships. We propose a conceptual model illustrating how these efforts to maintain legitimacy interact dynamically, demonstrating that successful network management during crises relies on the collective ability to adapt to evolving pressures. These insights contribute to the extant research on network governance and institutional maintenance.