| Abstract: | Research of nonprofit versus for‐profit competition points to potential quality and access advantages of the nonprofit, tied to shared community values leading to enhanced social capital and legitimacy, whereas the for‐profit is known for cost and scale advantages. However, the prevailing mode of thinking in mixed‐form competitive contexts urges nonprofits to become “more businesslike” and imitate for‐profit attributes. This qualitative study of a nonprofit organization facing new for‐profit competition illustrates that while it is possible and advisable to learn from for‐profit competitors, it is not necessary or even desirable for the nonprofit to abandon its own unique advantages. Although nonprofits should be increasingly sensitive to cost and scale advantages, they do not have to imitate for‐profit attributes and play the low‐cost game. A competitive response to for‐profit challenges that is carefully crafted and executed based on the unique advantages of the nonprofit organization can truly win the day. |
