When partnerships falter in plain sight:  emotional concealment and invisible actors in cross-sector collaborations

Lala-Sides, Kaylarsh

When partnerships falter in plain sight: emotional concealment and invisible actors in cross-sector collaborations

Thesis / Dissertation

2026

Publisher

University of Cape Town

Department

Graduate School of Business (GSB)

Faculty

Faculty of Commerce

Abstract

Cross-sector collaborations between non-profit and for-profit organisations face growing criticism for delivering disappointing results relative to their potential for impact, despite the presence of advanced frameworks and significant investments. While partnership literature extensively documents tensions at the macro level, the emotional processes at the micro level that influence collaborative effectiveness remain insufficiently explored. This phenomenological study examined the unique cognitions and emotions of 27 individuals from 15 organisations involved in South African cross-sector collaborations, conducting 54 interviews over 16 months and analysing data through categorisation theory. The study reveals that collaborative effectiveness is systematically hindered by emotional concealment within the experience field-an opaque micro-level context where actors navigate hidden motives, asymmetrical emotional states, and multiple identities. When non-profits adopt Surrender States and for-profits take on Assertive States while concealing their emotional experiences, partners forfeit access to complementary capabilities essential for value creation. This concealment creates a blinding effect that obstructs knowledge exchange, which is vital for generating relational rent. The study identifies a previously unrecognised archetype-the Collaboration Galvaniser-who navigates this emotional landscape through distinctive traits. These actors, mainly emerging from nontraditional organisations such as impact investors and social entrepreneurs, maintain a Neutral State that allows them to surface hidden motives and build interpretive bridges across institutional differences. Importantly, this vital work remains informal and unrecognised, functioning entirely outside formal partnership frameworks without institutional backing or support. The study presents three key theoretical contributions: a micro-foundational theory of collaborative emotion explaining ongoing underperformance; an extension of relational view theory demonstrating how emotional concealment hinders relational rent; and empirical evidence for bottom-up meaning-making driven by specific actors rather than diffuse processes. Practical contributions include frameworks for identifying Galvanisers, designing emotionally-aware partnerships, and assessing collaborative health beyond outcomes. These findings suggest that successful collaboration relies on a dual architecture: formal support mechanisms that provide organisation and structure, alongside informal galvanising efforts that address hidden emotional complexities. In settings such as the Global South, where cross-sector collaborations are crucial in tackling urgent societal issues, understanding these concealed dynamics directly influences the success of initiatives, ultimately benefiting millions of vulnerable individuals.