Exploring a Social Cooperative in the Circular Economy Through the Resource Orchestration Theory

This study explores how social and solidarity economy (SSE) principles are incorporated into the circular economy (CE) to establish the social and solidarity circular economy (SSCE). While CE primarily focuses on economic and environmental aspects, SSCE incorporates social value creation. Using the resource orchestration theory, this research explores how a social cooperative manages resources to balance social, environmental, and economic objectives. The findings demonstrate how key resource orchestration processes-structuring, bundling, and leveraging-interact to enable the social cooperative to build circular economy (CE) capabilities, drive innovation, and advocate for supportive policies. The study emphasizes the importance of reinvesting profits, forming strategic partnerships, and engaging in policy advocacy. By advancing the theoretical understanding of the SSCE, it offers practical insights to strengthen cooperative resilience and sustainability within hybrid organizational frameworks.