How to deploy multiunit organizations’ dynamic capabilities?

Abstract

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to provide a more robust understanding of how to deploy multiunit organizations’ dynamic capabilities (DCs) by examining the roles of embedded social (structural and relational) capital and knowledge archetype (exploitative and exploratory) learning. Design/methodology/approach – This study uses 315 multiunit samples and structural equation modeling to determine the relationships among the variables. Findings – The analysis reveals that, while embedded structural social capital exerts a positive influence on exploratory knowledge learning in multiunit organizations, embedded relational social capital exerts a positive influence on knowledge archetype (exploitative and exploratory) learning. Knowledge archetype (exploitative and exploratory) learning also positively influences DC deployment in multiunit organizations. Research limitations/implications – Few DCs studies have empirically examined the roles of embedded social (structural and relational) capital and knowledge archetype (exploitative and exploratory) learning in multiunit organizations. The results of this study address the failure of past theoretical perspectives on DCs to fully specify and verify the links between the roles of embedded social (structural and relational) capital and knowledge archetype (exploitative and exploratory) learning. Originality/value – This paper offers one practical trajectory for DC deployment in modern multiunit organizations and offers two contributions to the theoretical perspectives on DCs. First, it identifies the critical role of embedded social capital in enabling knowledge archetype learning and DC deployment, which had never been fully specified or verified in the DCs literature. Second, it identifies the importance of DCs’ deployment trajectory in multiunit organizations’ routine processes.