The advantages & challenges of assembling 'strange bedfellows' in cross-sector collaboration

A common form of cross-sector collaboration involves assembling constituencies that can shape policy in a particular area. In this article, the authors observe that an underappreciated cross-sector strategy involves blending "strange bedfellows" into coalitions comprised of both economically- and morally-motivated constituents –  sometimes called 'bootlegger-and-Baptist" coalitions. 

The study found that these unlikely partnerships are a high-risk, high-reward strategy. Blended coalitions can be highly effective, because they present a unified front of economic viability and public interest, giving politicians the necessary cover to support the coalition's goals. However, uniting groups with fundamentally different motives can also generate significant friction. Organizations engaged in these partnerships face high costs across four stages of coalition-building: finding willing partners, coordinating a shared strategy, mobilizing resources, and monitoring partners to prevent them from straying off-message.

The Art of Blending Stakeholders: 'Bootlegger and Baptist' Coalitions in Corporate Constituency-Building
Authors: Maurice J. Murphy, Edward Walker and Nan Jia
Published: 2026, Academy of Management Review