A Hybrid Concept of Hybrid Entrepreneurship: How, When and Why Structural Conditions Matter

Hybrid entrepreneurship is often seen as a strategy to reduce risk when entering the entrepreneurial sector. However, not everyone may be able to pursue this path equally because of structural conditions. This study examines how structural conditions shape individuals’ ability to engage in hybrid entrepreneurship and transition to full-time entrepreneurship. Drawing on qualitative analysis of 890 discussions from Reddit’s r/Entrepreneur community, this paper identifies structural factors such as employment arrangements, legal and ethical restrictions, resource availability, household responsibilities and external shocks that determine the feasibility of hybrid entrepreneurship and ultimately channel entrepreneurs into four pathways: staged hybrid, sustained hybrid, disrupted hybrid, and bypassed hybrid transitions. Findings demonstrate that hybrid entrepreneurship is not simply a personal strategy, but a context-dependent process shaped by the structural conditions in which individuals are embedded. The study highlights that structural conditions fundamentally reshape entrepreneurial decision-making, leading hybrid entrepreneurship to take different forms and produce distinct pathways.