Ambidextrous Strategy Research Articles

Exploring the effect of entrepreneurial bricolage and new venture growth

Purpose: This article attempts to find a unique mechanism in the relationship between entrepreneurial bricolage and new ventures growth by testing the mediating role of market ambidexterity, and the moderating effect of entrepreneurial networks.Design/methodology/approach: This article establishes a research model by considering entrepreneurial bricolage as the independent variable, market ambidexterity as mediators, entrepreneurial networks as a moderate variable, and new ventures growth performance as the dependent variable. The survey data collected from 372 Chinese new ventures were subjected to the hierarchical linear regression method for testing the proposed hypotheses.Findings/results: The results of this study indicate that entrepreneurial bricolage has a positive effect on new ventures growth. However, entrepreneurial networks negatively moderate the positive relationship between the two; In addition, both the balanced of market ambidexterity and combined of market ambidexterity partially mediate the relationship between entrepreneurial bricolage and new ventures growth. Finally, entrepreneurial networks have different moderating effects on the relationship between market ambidexterity and new ventures.Practical implications: The study highlights the importance of entrepreneurial bricolage and market ambidexterity strategies for sustainable growth in resource-constrained startups, advising them to focus on leveraging internal resources while selectively building entrepreneurial networks to avoid resource dispersion. This approach helps startups enhance resilience and drive long-term development in a dynamic competitive environment.Originality/value: Drawing from ambidexterity and social network capability, this paper extends the existing research on the relationship between entrepreneurial bricolage and organizational performance from market perspective, confirming the mediating role of market ambidexterity.

Strategic and Technological Drivers of Ambidexterity and Sustainability: Impact Assessment in UAE Project-Based Public Sector Organizations

This research aims to propose a framework for applying ambidexterity in the UAE’s public sector project-based organization. The study uses a quantitative research methodology to survey 400 public sector employees to establish the correlation between organizational culture, leadership, technology, and ambidexterity. The study validates these factors' importance to ambidexterity using exploratory factor analysis (EFA) and confirmatory factor analysis (CFA). The study reveals that a supportive organizational culture and transformational leadership positively influence ambidextrous capabilities, while technology adoption moderates the impact of leadership and culture on ambidexterity. Furthermore, the findings reinforce the hypotheses that human capital and employee flexibility facilitate ambidextrous strategies, mainly when supported by technology. However, the study identifies factors like organizational silos, resistance to change, and resource scarcity, which are the main barriers to ambidexterity. Therefore, the study contributes to the literature by proposing a context-specific framework for ambidexterity in the UAE’s public sector. It offers valuable insights to policymakers and public sector managers about overcoming the challenges inherent in the ambidexterity process. The validated framework provides tangible guidelines for building ambidexterity, especially regarding technology resources, organizational culture, and leadership.

Key internal drivers for an SME’s dynamic ambidextrous growth strategy: A case study of a Norwegian seafood group

This qualitative, explorative case study presents a small and medium-sized enterprise (SME) in Norway that successfully pursued a dynamic ambidextrous growth strategy. The study applies a micro-foundation perspective and focuses on identifying and describing key internal drivers behind the group’s ambidextrous strategy. The empirical findings underscore ambidextrous owner-managers' pivotal role in facilitating strategic realignment, structural adaptation, and knowledge management to enable the case group’s long-term growth. This study contributes to the strategy literature by proposing a framework for theorizing how the identified key internal drivers can be employed to form a dynamic ambidextrous growth strategy in SMEs.

Balancing the radical and the incremental: CEO affiliative humor and organizational ambidexterity

Organizational ambidexterity is positively associated with firm performance. Yet, it is difficult for CEOs to implement ambidextrous strategies as the radical and incremental innovations that underlie ambidexterity are seemingly incongruous. As such, an important task for both scholars and practitioners involves discerning which factors influence organizational ambidexterity. Building on incongruity theory, we address this puzzle by focusing on CEO affiliative humor, establishing its link with ambidexterity, and further developing and testing theory related to boundary conditions. Through videometric analysis of executive interviews, textual analysis of quarterly earnings calls, and a series of supplemental tests, we offer robust evidence for our study's key relationships. Our study thus makes several contributions, including shedding light on a new pathway—CEO affiliative humor—through which firms can carry out and manage the radical and incremental innovations that underlie ambidexterity, as well by highlighting the complementary role of the CEO-director interface in this regard.

Approaches for Hybrid Scaling of Agile in the IT Industry: A Systematic Literature Review and Research Agenda

Agile methodologies, initially designed for the project level, face challenges when applied at enterprise levels where complex projects and diverse stakeholders are involved. To meet this challenge, several large-scale agile methodologies have been proposed. However, these approaches are not flexible enough or tailored to the needs of organizations, projects, and their teams. It is in this context that hybrid methodologies have emerged. This study aims to conduct a systematic literature review to trace the evolution of hybrid scaling of agile and characterize different approaches to implement it. This study starts by assessing 1509 studies through the use of the PRISMA 2020 framework and identifies 38 relevant studies in this field. The findings indicate that the majority of studies are from 2021 onwards and that qualitative methodologies supported by case studies predominate, making it possible to characterize tailoring processes in these organizations. Moreover, the implementation of hybrid scaling of agile is supported by the paradigm of ambidextrous strategy, a combination of agile with traditional project management methodologies, and continuous improvements. This study contributes insights into navigating the complexities of agile scaling, offering practical guidance for organizations seeking to optimize their project management practices.

Assessing the economic impacts of eco‐innovation strategies across contexts shaped by different institutional and structural pressures

AbstractIn the face of escalating environmental challenges, eco‐innovation (EI) has emerged as a crucial strategy for businesses aiming to balance ecological responsibility with economic and social performance. This study explores the impact of various EI strategies on the economic performance of firms, analyzing the contingent effect of both institutional and structural factors in dirty and clean industries. Using data from the Spanish Technological Innovation Panel (PITEC) spanning the period 2009–2016, our findings reveal that context matters for the effectiveness of EI strategies in enhancing economic performance. In stable environments with low institutional pressures, dirty industries benefit from R&D‐centric strategies, whereas in clean industries only efficiency‐centric and ambidextrous strategies yield economic gains. Similarly, in moderate institutional environments, the advantages offered by EI strategies hold for clean and dirty industries; however, ambidextrous EI strategies yield more economic advantages in both industry types. In dynamic environments, proactive strategies such as R&D‐centric and ambidextrous approaches are crucial for both dirty and clean industries. Firms in this situation should thus invest in assets and practices that enhance R&D for EI, as efficiency‐centric strategies are less effective in dynamic contexts. The findings have interesting implications for managers and policymakers, underlining the need for a nuanced approach to supporting and implementing EI initiatives.

The Relationship Between Innovation Strategy and Performance with the Moderating Role of Environmental Dynamism

Purpose: This study aims to investigate the relationship between innovation strategy and performance with a moderating role of environmental dynamism in Poland. Innovation strategy and performance are popular topics of many studies, but the relationship between them is complex, as previous research reports mixed results. On the one hand, exploration, exploitation and ambidexterity innovation strategies have positive effects on performance, but on the other hand some research indicates a negative relationship. These mixed results are often explained by the dynamism of environment. Design/methodology/approach: The paper presents the results of a quantitate research that uses CAWI techniques (Computer-Assisted Web Interview). Data were acquired from 259 respondents working in large and innovative firms in Poland. The paper presents the results of the hierarchical multiple regression on the relationship between innovation strategy and performance with a moderating role of environmental dynamism. Findings: Research results show the positive relationship between exploration, exploitation as well as combined innovation ambidexterity strategies and organisational outcomes, while the relationship between balanced innovation ambidexterity strategy and performance is not statistically significant. Moreover, the research shows that environmental dynamism is a significant factor strengthening the positive relation between innovation strategy and performance, but only in the case of exploration and balanced innovation ambidexterity strategies. It also points out that the environmental dynamism strengthens the negative link between exploitation innovation strategy and performance. Practical implication: Research results show that both exploration and exploitation innovation strategies improve organisational performance. Moreover, the simultaneous pursuit of exploration and exploitation innovation activities allows to achieve better organisational performance. Managers should also take into consideration the environmental dynamism, as it impacts the relationship between innovation strategy and performance. Firms operating is stable environments should execute an exploitation innovation strategy, while firm in dynamic environments should chose an exploration innovation strategy or balanced innovation ambidexterity strategy to achieve better performance. The combined innovation ambidexterity strategy seems to be an appropriate strategy in stable as well as dynamic environments. Originality/value: The paper provides new insights on the link between exploration, exploitation and ambidexterity innovation strategies and organisational outcomes. It does not focus just on exploration or exploitation innovation strategies, but also on the jointed outcomes of both strategies on performance and its interplay with the environmental dynamism.

Ambidextrous supply chain strategy: roles and consequences with agile manufacturing and resilience

PurposeThe purpose of this study is to investigate the influence of ambidextrous strategy on supply chain resilience and its impact on firm performance, employing the Dynamic Capabilities View.Design/methodology/approachThrough a survey of 215 supply chain professionals, the research employs a structural equation modeling analysis to examine the relationships between ambidexterity, agile operations, resilience, and performance.FindingsThe findings demonstrate that the ambidextrous strategy significantly enhances both agile operations and supply chain resilience. In turn, agile operations and resilience positively impact firm performance. The study also reveals that agile operations and supply chain resilience partially mediate the relationship between ambidextrous strategy and firm performance.Originality/valueThis research contributes to the supply chain management literature by highlighting the importance of an ambidextrous approach in fostering agile operations and resilience, thereby improving firm performance. It extends the dynamic capabilities view framework by elucidating how ambidexterity acts as a pivotal mechanism for adapting to disruptions and securing competitive advantage in volatile markets. Finally, measurements of ambidextrous strategy and resilience are provided to further enhance practitioners’ understanding of building these important components in networks.

UNVEILING THE DYNAMICS OF HYBRID AMBIDEXTERITY: A STUDY ON EVOLVING ORGANIZATIONAL ROLES FOR EMPLOYEES AND LEADERS IN PROCESS-DRIVEN ENTERPRISES

In response to the contemporary challenges in the economic environment, organizations are compelled to seek management concepts and methods that enable dynamic adaptation to factors generated in their surroundings. This pursuit has led to a quest for an integrative perspective on various management formulas within the systemic and structural dimensions of an organization. This article employs the principles of ambidexterity and Business Process Management (BPM). The study, conducted through a survey involving 332 large organizations in Poland (both ambidextrous organizations and those that have not implemented this concept), delves into the association between process-oriented employee and leadership roles concerning diverse approaches to achieving ambidexterity. The findings provide an overview of the surveyed large organizations, shedding light on the implemented roles of employees, leaders and process owners within the context of various ambidextrous strategies (structural, contextual, sequential, hybrid). All considered employee and leadership roles supported the ambidexterity strategy. The strength of the association was moderate at best.

UNVEILING THE DYNAMICS OF HYBRID AMBIDEXTERITY: A STUDY ON EVOLVING ORGANIZATIONAL ROLES FOR EMPLOYEES AND LEADERS IN PROCESS-DRIVEN ENTERPRISES

In response to the contemporary challenges in the economic environment, organizations are compelled to seek management concepts and methods that enable dynamic adaptation to factors generated in their surroundings. This pursuit has led to a quest for an integrative perspective on various management formulas within the systemic and structural dimensions of an organization. This article employs the principles of ambidexterity and Business Process Management (BPM). The study, conducted through a survey involving 332 large organizations in Poland (both ambidextrous organizations and those that have not implemented this concept), delves into the association between process-oriented employee and leadership roles concerning diverse approaches to achieving ambidexterity. The findings provide an overview of the surveyed large organizations, shedding light on the implemented roles of employees, leaders and process owners within the context of various ambidextrous strategies (structural, contextual, sequential, hybrid). All considered employee and leadership roles supported the ambidexterity strategy. The strength of the association was moderate at best.

Exploring the Relationships among HRM Investment, Strategy Implementation, and Firm Performance with Multiple Correspondence Analysis

This study visually explores the relationships among human resource management (HRM) investment, strategy implementation, and firm performance for small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in Korea. This exploratory research focuses on the significance of strategy implementation, an often overlooked factor in the relationship between HRM and firm performance, as well as HRM investment, which can enable the development of organizational capabilities. We conducted a multiple correspondence analysis to understand the interrelationship between HRM investment, competitive strategy implementation, and firm performance. We differentiated the results by group type according to the level of HRM investment, competitive strategy implementation, and firm performance. We found that firms with high HRM investment achieve the highest performance by implementing an ambidextrous strategy that simultaneously pursues cost leadership and differentiation. Ultimately, this study’s results suggest that for firms to create a competitive advantage through the strategic capitalization of human resources, long-term and continuous investment in HRM is necessary, even if short-term visible effects are not observed while the HRM system is being built, to eventually establish the organization’s capacity to support strategy execution. This study’s potential contribution is to extend the resource-based view by establishing the role of strategy implementation in linking HRM systems as organizational capabilities to performance.

Managerial framing in light of discontinuous change: Revolutionists, evolutionists, and mediators

This study examines the critical role of middle and frontline managers in an incumbent organization navigating discontinuous change, emphasizing the balance between exploring new opportunities and exploiting existing ones. While top managers set the strategic ambidextrous direction, the on‐the‐ground manifestation and tension management fall predominantly to the middle and frontline managers. We introduce a novel typology, classifying these managers as Evolutionists, Revolutionists, or Mediators, each with distinct cognitive framings. Our findings underscore the importance of understanding and moderating these cognitive framings to facilitate successful ambidextrous implementation. Key managerial implications include the need for heightened awareness of tension points, strategic resource allocation, mitigation of extreme cognitive framings, and the significant value of Mediator managers in steering ambidextrous strategies. This research paves the way for a deeper understanding of individual‐level ambidexterity and provides crucial insights for organizations to innovate in times of discontinuous change.

Ambidextrous strategy, institutional support and disruptive innovation: an fsQCA analysis

ABSTRACT With the rise of emerging economies such as China, disruptive innovation (DI) has become a significant way for enterprises to catch up with incumbents. This paper aims to study the impacts of ambidextrous strategies and institutional support on DI. We constructed a theoretical model containing six antecedent conditions and a result variable, including technology ambidextrous balance strategy (TABS), technology ambidextrous complementation strategy (TACS), market ambidextrous balance strategy (MABS), market ambidextrous complementation strategy (MACS), formal institutional support (FS), informal institutional support (IS) and DI. Based on set theory ideas, a fuzzy-set qualitative comparative analysis (fsQCA) was conducted on 230 Chinese manufacturing enterprises. The findings show that: (1) a single antecedent can't alone constitute the necessary conditions for DI; (2) three antecedent configurations can lead to DI; and (3) in particular conditions, ambidextrous strategies and institutional support could be matched to achieve DI. This study offers an alternative approach to understanding factors influencing DI by using set theory ideas and has practical value for promoting DI.

Organizational ambidexterity and its performance implications in emerging economies: empirical study from Kazakhstan

Today Kazakhstan enterprises are constantly challenged to become competitive in the domestic and foreign markets, adequately respond to an increasing number of changes and thus choose between innovations and efficiency. Earlier research proposed an ambidextrous strategy as a means of overcoming this challenge. However, previous literature mainly relies on data from developed economies. Few studies use the data from emerging economies, which includes Kazakhstan. Thus, the aim of this study is to empirically assess the effect of ambidexterity on firm performance and resilience. Following a quantitative method and using a multi-item survey instrument, a total of 323 questionnaires were distributed to 80 different organisations in Kazakhstan. SmartPLS 3 was used to investigate structural equation modelling (SEM) estimates. The results show statistically significant relationships between organisational ambidexterity and firm performance, and between ambidexterity and organisational resilience. The value of this paper lies in the following aspects. First, it extends the research on the impact of organisational ambidexterity on firm performance and the relevance of this relationship to emerging economies. Second, this study is, to the best of our knowledge, the first empirical investigation of the ambidexterity-performance and ambidexterity-resilience relationship in developing countries, particularly in Kazakhstan. An important practical relevance of this study is the finding that the application of organisational ambidexterity in the turbulent environment in which contemporary Kazakhstani firms operate can help transform organisations to respond to market uncertainty in a timely manner and remain competitive.

The impact of managerial autonomy and founding-team marketing capabilities on the relationship between ambidexterity and innovation performance

Despite extensive research on the impact of ambidexterity strategy on firm performance, little is known about how team and individual factors affect innovation performance in new-venture businesses. In response to the call for research on the topic, this study examines the relationship between ambidexterity—which includes exploitative and exploratory strategies—and innovation performance. The study finds that the relationship is mediated by founding-team marketing capabilities and moderated by managerial autonomy. This model is empirically tested using 165 new ventures in the UAE. The findings suggest that an exploratory strategy improves the founding team's marketing capabilities, whereas an exploitative strategy worsens these capabilities. Exploitative strategy and the founding team's marketing abilities are negatively affected by managerial autonomy. However, managerial autonomy has no significant impact on either exploratory strategy or the founding team's marketing capabilities. The findings also show that the founding team's marketing skills mediate the relationship between exploratory strategy—but not exploitative strategy—and innovation performance.

Ambidexterity Strategy for Company Revenue Performance: Price and Market Exploitation and Exploration Implementation (Case Study on Types of MSMEs in Tangerang City)

Ambidexterity Strategy for Company Revenue Performance: Price and Market Exploitation and Exploration Implementation (Case Study on Types of MSMEs in Tangerang City)

디지털 기술 역량이 기업의 양손잡이 역량에 미치는 영향

This study verified the impact of digital technology capability on ambidexterity strategies and the mediating role of digital leadership capability to promote company’s survival and competitive advantage in the context of rapid digital transformation. A survey was conducted on small and medium-sized enterprises in the korea’s manufacturing and ICT & telecommunications sectors, and 250 final effective data were obtained and the Jamovi 2.3.26 application was used for hierarchical regression analysis. As a result of the analysis of this study, digital technology capability has a positive effect on a company's ambidexterity strategy, and in this process, the complete mediating effect of digital leadership capability was confirmed. This study contributes to the theoretical expansion of the ambidexterity strategy literature due to the effects of technology and leadership in the context of digital transformation. It also presented practical implications that companies can achieve digital transformation more effectively by carrying out a ambidexterity strategy through leadership capability, although technical capability is important from a huge transformational perspective.

Unveiling the effects of supply chain relationship types on enterprise performance

ABSTRACT Over the past two decades, supply chain partnership management and ambidexterity strategies have advanced significantly. However, there remains a lack of understanding regarding the factors influencing partnership creation and development. This study presents a theory-driven model that integrates ambidexterity concepts to categorize supply chain partner relationships, evaluating their impact on firm performance. The research contributes in three key ways: firstly, it explains how external factors shape a firm's supply chain exploration and exploitation. Secondly, it profiles supply chain partnerships as they evolve, recommending ambidexterity adjustments. Thirdly, it examines the link between partner types and firm performance. Additionally, enterprise information systems play a pivotal role in implementing collaborative planning, forecasting, and replenishment in supply chain networks.

Two decades of public sector innovation: building an analytical framework from a systematic literature review of types, strategies, conditions, and results

ABSTRACT Scholarly attention in innovation in the public sector is growing rapidly, provoking analytical complexity. We developed a systematic literature review about Public Sector Innovation (PSI), analysing 169 articles published between 2001 and 2021, using PRISMA. We present a comprehensive approach to PSI testing and empirically develop an analytical framework based on the most common combinations of the studied dimensions. Additionally, we propose three main research avenues for the future of PSI: (1) studying PSI in different contexts, (2) expanding the analysis of configurations in PSI initiatives, and (3) analysing ambidextrous strategies to support the practical implementation of PSI.

Exploitation, exploration and ambidextrous strategies of SMES in accelerating organisational effectiveness

PurposeThis study aims to analyse the resilience strategy utilized by small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), enabling these businesses to effectively adapt their operations in response to varying conditions by providing them with essential resources. SMEs operate in marketplaces that are both dynamic and frequently tumultuous. These markets provide SMEs with a variety of obstacles, including economic ups and downs, advances in technology, evolving customer tastes and new regulatory requirements. SMEs need to create a strategic strategy to survive and grow in such situations. This strategy ought to help strengthen their resiliency and make it possible for them to make the most of emerging opportunities while simultaneously lowering the dangers.Design/methodology/approachThe questionnaires adopted and adapted from previous research served as the basis for gathering the data. The manufacturing industry was polled through the use of questionnaires. To test the hypothesis, the data were analysed using Smart PLS. Through the use of closed-ended questions directed to the proprietors, managers or senior executives of SMEs, data were collected from each and every institution in the sample. Following the examination of the data by means of descriptive analysis and the presentation of several scenarios using information relating to SMEs, the findings were presented.FindingsThe ambidextrous strategies that are used by SMEs have a propensity to offer a constructive contribution to SMEs. In this study, it was discovered that ambidexterity, which is defined as the capacity to both seek and capitalise on possibilities, has a significant bearing on the organisational effectiveness of SMEs. The results showed that ambidextrous strategies have a propensity to work as mediators in interactions involving proactive resilience tactics and performance.Research limitations/implicationsThe research expands our understanding of how SMEs in the manufacturing sector may improve their performance by concentrating on growing their ambidextrous strategies.Practical implicationsThis study provides a plausible explanation of two crucial management mechanisms for enhancing the sustainability of organisational effectiveness. The relationships between ambidextrous capabilities and firm effectiveness are malleable, and this study suggests that nurturing formal and informal relationships may be the key to SMEs' long-term sustainable performance. Improving the knowledge and performance of supply chain systems for SMEs in the manufacturing sector and boosting their competitiveness in domestic and international markets are the practical contributions of this study.Social implicationsOur comprehension of monitoring, cooperation and innovation within social management was deepened as a result of these facts. In addition, the study conducted in the sector uncovered four essential connections that outline how managers should actively work towards lowering social risks, developing new possibilities and increasing business performance. These capacities and links, when taken as a whole, provide the foundation upon which an integrated framework and five research propositions are built.Originality/valueThis research offers a convincing explanation of fundamental management processes for enhancing the sustainability of organisational effectiveness. This research implies that developing formal and informal interactions may be the key to the sustainable performance of SMEs over the long run. The relationships between ambidextrous capabilities, methods and organisational effectiveness are flexible, and this study also suggests that these relationships may be shaped. The practical contributions made by this research include boosting the understanding and performance of supply chain systems for SMEs as well as the competitive power of these businesses in both local and international markets.