Management Orientations and Mission Drifts: Case Studies on Finnish Work Integration Social Enterprises Harri Kostilainen Diaconia University of Applied Sciences, Finland harri.kostilainen@diak.fi Pekka Pättiniemi Finnish Social Enterprise Research Network, FinSERN, Finland pekka.pattiniemi@sortso.fi Abstract. We argue that work integration social enterprises can achieve their social and economic goals if their management orientations are in balance between their business goals and social objectives. If the balance is unstable it might lead to mission drift either towards a mission of a mainstream for-profit business entity or towards that of a non-profit social organization. In our study, we illustrate different management orientations of Finnish work integration social enterprises first. Second, we analyze in depth four emblematic cases to present how different management orientations might affect the mission and resilience of social enterprises. We identified four management orientations impacting the economic success and the maintenance of the social goals of a social enterprise. Keywords: management orientations, mission drift, resilience, work integration social enterprises 1 Approach to social enterprises and management challenges About 7% of the Finnish labour force are in a weak labour market position. There are more than 125 000 long-term unemployed persons and more than 70 000 disabled persons of whom 28 000 are unemployed (Statistic Finland, 2016; National Institute for Health and Welfare, 2016). Under the Act on Social Enterprises (Act 1351/2003), long-term unemployed and disabled persons are the two target groups of Finnish work integration social enterprises. The aim of this legislation is to increase employment and employability of the above-mentioned groups. When addressing the challenges faced by social enterprises, we need to understand the effects of the various management orientations on these enterprises better. The balance of the dual mission, i.e. the balance between social goals and economic performance, is the essence of a successful social enterprise. Our study argues that one of the key aspects in the success of a work integration social enterprise is management. In practice, organizations drift consciously or unconsciously into new directions. Therefore, it is important to make visible how these drifts emerge and how management can address and influence them. Our research questions are: what are the management orientations of Finnish work integration social enterprises and how do the different management orientations affect the companies regarding their keeping to their dual mission. The field of social enterprises is manifold and the social enterprise business model concept is also contested. As observed in a number of studies (e.g. Nyssens & Defourny 2008) the emergence of social enterprises is linked to the changing perceptions about the role and function of (welfare) markets. The essence of social enterprises is to create social value (Dees 18, 1998). Social enterprises try to attain a particular social objective or a set of objectives through the sale of products or services, 319