Are Hybrid Organizations Always Beneficial?

We examined a new type of hybrid organization—an Israeli private-public organization created during COVID-19 to serve older adults and schoolchildren—and the effects of its hybrid nature on its organizational culture. Using the results of 18 interviews, 10 direct observations, and the insights of Schein’s iceberg model, we determined that the relationships within the organization were characterized by widespread mistrust among members, influenced by the director’s authoritarian and unsupportive leadership style. This case study illuminates the complicated sustainability of the organizational culture in a hybrid organization combining features of adhocracy and bureaucracy. Based on the findings, we make practical and theoretical suggestions for overcoming the weaknesses of hybrid organizations.