Insider Social Change Agents: From Individual Conviction to Systemic Change

Organizational change to address societal challenges such as social inequality, human rights, and the climate crisis is often driven not by those at the top but by employees beyond the C-suite. These employees become insider social change agents, advocating for alternative practices, introducing innovative ideas, or demanding an end to harmful business activities. Insider social change agents—also referred to as insider activists or social intrapreneurs—translate their personal convictions about social and environmental issues into action, often aiming to achieve systemic change within their organizations or even across entire industries.With this presenter symposium, we take the 30th anniversary of Meyerson and Scully’s pioneering work on tempered radicalism as an opportunity to further explore the critical role of committed individuals in driving systemic change. The symposium includes one conceptual paper, three empirical papers, and one reflexive paper, all of which shed light on why and how these individuals work toward positive societal change and the conditions under which they choose to quit. Maureen Scully will serve as the discussant, integrating the various perspectives presented in the symposium and moderating a group discussion.