Concept Of Organizational Ambidexterity Research Articles

The role of a corporate university in a technology-based company to boost ambidexterity

Based on the concept of organizational ambidexterity, this study presents evidence on the role of Corporate Universities (CU) in the deployment and configuration of capabilities to operationalize corporate strategy. Through a longitudinal case study of ZTE University in China, this paper has been able to verify different theoretical positions about the development of capabilities in a framework of simultaneous exploratory and exploitative innovation strategies and to clearly witness how the CU are dynamically linked with those development. The findings highlight the most relevant capabilities that drive the strategic orientation of the company and distinguishes those that are more likely to be exploited by the company through its CU.

Removing barriers for digital health through organizing ambidexterity in hospitals

AimHospitals noticeably struggle with maintaining hundreds of IT systems and applications in compliance with the latest IT standards and regulations. Thus, hospitals search for efficient opportunities to discover and integrate useful digital health innovations into their existing IT landscapes. In addition, although a multitude of digital innovations from digital health startups enter the market, numerous barriers impede their successful implementation and adoption. Against this background, the aim of this study was to explore typical digital innovation barriers in hospitals, and to assess how a hospital data management platform (HDMP) architecture might help hospitals to extract such innovative capabilities.Subject and methodsBased on the concept of organizational ambidexterity (OA), we pursued a qualitative mixed-methods approach. First, we explored and consolidated innovation barriers through a systematic literature review, interviews with 20 startup representatives, and a focus group interview with a hospital IT team and the CEO of an HDMP provider. Finally, we conducted a case-study analysis of 36 digital health startups to explore and conceptualize the potential impact of DI and apply the morphological method to synthesize our findings from a multi-level perspective.ResultsWe first provide a systematic and conceptual overview of typical barriers for digital innovation in hospitals. Hereupon, we explain how an HDMP might enable hospitals to mitigate such barriers and extract value from digital innovations at both individual and organizational level.ConclusionOur results imply that an HDMP can help hospitals to approach organizational ambidexterity through integrating and maintaining hundreds of systems and applications, which allows for a structured and controlled integration of external digital innovations.

Organizational ambidexterity in policy networks

PurposeThis paper aims to propose an analytical framework in which to study ambidexterity in the management of policy networks. The paper is inspired by the concept of organizational ambidexterity in the public sector (Smith and Umans, 2015). By focusing on policy networks fostered by public administration with the aim of supporting small- and medium-sized enterprise (SME) innovation, the paper elaborates on the links between firm innovation and performance and regional development. The cases analyzed are policy networks fostered by two publicly owned county development agencies in the Basque Country (Spain). An analytical framework emerges from bridging the gap between theory and practice. By understanding ambidexterity as a dynamic capability, the authors found that key ambidexterity drivers are related to network features (motivation to balance exploration and exploitation and diversity in terms of participants) and the individual feature of diversity within the network management group. However, other individual characteristics (leadership style) and territorial features (local institutional capacity) did not provide conclusive insights, calling for a deeper analysis and complex models to capture specific nuances.Design/methodology/approachThe method used in the empirical part of the paper is the case study, as it considers the contextual conditions pertaining to a phenomenon (Yin, 2009) and helps understand present dynamics in specific contexts (Eisenhardt, 1989; Yin, 2009). Flyvbjerg (2006) examines common misunderstandings about case studies to conclude that social science may be strengthened by the execution of greater number of good case studies. Following his arguments, the authors consider that practical knowledge is also valuable together with theory, that is why the framework is not derived exclusively form theory but from the interaction and mutual influence of theory and practice.FindingsThe case studies lead to a discussion on the effect of network, territorial and individual characteristics (including management/facilitation modes) on network outcomes, including innovation performance of firms and network sustainability. Additionally, these cases show the importance of different factors as necessary conditions and key discriminants when supporting ambidextrous networks. The case analysis and the integration of the theory in this analysis allow observing the evolution of both networks, developing some conclusions on the core factors that influenced these trajectories, thus proposing an analytical framework. Specifically, it can be seen that some of the factors conditioned the ambidextrous strategy of the network.Practical implicationsThe main implication of the paper in practice is that the concept of ambidexterity and the framework developed to understand some of its features are a useful tool to diagnose policy networks. The impact in society inspired in this implication is that authors, through the discussion workshops mentioned in the methodology section, have helped the community of policy network managers in Gipuzkoa reflect and improve their strategies and consider the potential of not exclusively focusing on exploration or exploitation. Consequently, the impact on society, in this case on policy networks in the region, has gone beyond the cases studied.Originality/valueThe paper proposes the concept of ambidexterity as one that helps analyze the ability of policy networks to foster SMEs innovation. Managerial literature has extensively analyzed the importance of modes to foster ambidexterity within organizations (Gibson and Birkenshaw, 2004; He and Wong, 2004; Levinthal and March, 1993; Lubatkinet al., 2006) and also its individual dimension (Voleryet al., 2015). Managerial focus on policy networks and its link to organizational ambidexterity thus remain understudied. Although private sector literature has explored both concepts, the relation between them has not been analyzed (Smith and Umans, 2015).

A BRIEF UNDERSTANDING OF ORGANIZATIONAL AMBIDEXTERITY AND DYNAMIC MANAGERIAL CAPABILITIES, AND HOW THEY RELATE?

The concept of organizational ambidexterity and dynamic managerial capabilities have raised researchers’ interest. Based on previous studies, this paper aims to provide a simple understanding of those two concepts, so that everyone from diverse backgrounds can easily capture the ideas of these concepts. In addition, the clear explanation of the relationship between dynamic managerial capabilities and organizational ambidexterity also provided. In short, Ambidexterity is defined as the need for the firm to achieve a balance between explore and exploit (He and Wong, 2004; O’Reilly, 2013) and the responsibility to manage both lays on the TMTs. On the other hand, Dynamic managerial capabilities emphasize the important role of managers or leaders to sense, to seize, and to reconfigure organizational skills and resources to match with changing the environment (Eisenhardt and Martin, 2000; Teece et al., 1997). TMTs dynamic managerial capabilities influence their ability to sense opportunities for ambidexterity and seize them through combining, integrating and reconfiguring exploitative and explorative resources and capabilities. Several studies have provided several examples of these two concepts are related. For instance, TMTs’ human capital describe the knowledge, education, experience, and skills of the TMTs, then logically, the TMTs that have rich working experience will be able to manage the resources for exploitative and explorative activities in the better system (Heavey, 2010).

Understanding the structural characteristics of a firm’s whole buyer–supplier network and its impact on international business performance

Building on the network theory and the concept of organizational ambidexterity, we investigate the impact of structural characteristics of a firm’s whole buyer–supplier network: network density, betweenness centralization, and average clustering coefficient on its international business (IB) performance. We also explore the moderating roles of average path length and PageRank centrality. Using a manually-collected dataset and a robust empirical methodology, we find that, while network density is negatively related, betweenness centralization and average clustering coefficient have an inverted U-shape and a U-shaped relationship with IB performance, respectively. We also find significant moderation effects, and, in the process, we show the economic importance of firms’ whole buyer–supplier network to their IB performance. We contribute to the international business and whole buyer–supplier network literature.

The effect of IT ambidexterity and cloud computing absorptive capacity on competitive advantage

PurposeFounded on the concept of organizational ambidexterity and the competing value model, the purpose of this paper is to develop an information technology (IT) ambidexterity framework to underscore the importance of a balanced and harmonious IT environment in enterprise cloud adoption.Design/methodology/approachWith survey responses from 165 IT executives in a managerial position who are in charge of cloud computing implementation, partial least square method is used to test the research model.FindingsCloud absorptive capacity plays an important role for firms to secure a competitive advantage. The synergy of the two capabilities (flexibility and control), which have conflicting characteristics, contributes to the enhancement of cloud absorptive capacity and leads to a firm’s knowledge accumulation and performance.Research limitations/implicationsThis study is the very first attempt that empirically establishes the relationship between a firm’s competitiveness and cloud computing absorptive capacity. This study provides a comprehensive framework that integrates ambidexterity theory with the competing value framework (CVF) with extending the concept of absorptive capacity that is bounded within an organizational perspective into a cloud computing context.Practical implicationsFirms should treat cloud computing as a strategic consideration to secure a competitive advantage in the contemporary business environment. For a firm’s performance, a dual governance structure, that encompasses flexibility and control, is required to achieve competitive advantage from cloud computing adoption.Originality/valueTo facilitate organizational effort in achieving a harmonious cloud environment, the authors propose a comprehensive ambidexterity framework integrating the CVF approach. This framework maps IT ambidexterity onto the CVF. As CVF considers internal and external factors that ambidexterity theory does not cover, integrating two theories can provide more comprehensive implications and discussions regarding cloud computing adoption.

The effect of social network, funding and productive organizational energy on the capability of organizational ambidexterity in research institution

The concept of organizational ambidexterity has been resonated and applied in diverse areas of management research. When establishing its strategic direction, research institutions are confronted with strategic tradesoffs, namely balancing the right amounts of exploration of new knowledge and exploitation of existing knowledge in their research orientation. We investigate this trade-off by building on the notion that research institution need to reconcile the paradoxical demands of exploitation and exploration in their orientation. The objective of this study is to examine the effect of social network, funding, and productive organizational energy on knowledge exploration, knowledge exploitation and the capability of organizational ambidexterity in the context of research institution. A sample of 130 research institutions such as laboratory, study center and training center was collected through questionnaire survey. We tested the hypotheses using Partial Least Square (PLS). Findings of the study indicate that social network and funding are positively related to knowledge exploration and exploitation. However, productive organizational energy has no positive effect on knowledge exploration and exploitation. It is also confirmed that knowledge exploration and knowledge exploitation have a significant influence on the capability of organizational ambidexterity, but knowledge exploitation has a dominant role on that effect.

Renewable energy growth and the financial performance of electric utilities: A panel data study

Electric utilities are under pressure to increase clean energy production. Although the adoption of renewable energy can improve the utilities' environmental performance, a fundamental question is if it also pays in economic terms. Building on the natural-resource-based view of the firm, we answer this question using two data analysis methods. First, we carry out a regression analysis of panel data from 66 large electric utilities covering the period 2005–2014, applying both a fixed and random effects estimator. Subsequently, we use the Granger causality test to explore possible causality links. Our results show a negative correlation at the firm level between renewable energy increase and short-term as well as long-term financial performance. More specifically, we find that an increase in renewable energy penetration Granger-causes a reduction of long-term performance. However, the results also show that a firm's carbon intensity moderates the relationship. When the focus is on the country level, we find that an increase in renewable power penetration is also negatively correlated to long-term firm performance, which might be explained by the combined effect of low power demand and overcapacity in developed economies. We conclude that the concept of organizational ambidexterity may supplement the natural-resource-based view of the firm for a better understanding of the relationship between an increase in renewable power and a firm's profitability.

Reconciling the tension between consistency and relevance: design thinking as a mechanism for brand ambidexterity

In order to sustain and grow brand equity, brand managers are faced with balancing the preservation of existing brand identity through consistency with the need to maintain relevance, which requires change and innovation. In this paper we build upon the concept of organizational ambidexterity (March 1991), arguing that design thinking—the logics and practices associated with designers—can serve as a mechanism which promotes and enables the integration of brand consistency and relevance. Drawing on cases of innovation at firms across a range of industries, we show how design thinking can trigger brand ambidexterity across a three-stage process. We identify eight practices and examine how designers enable brand managers to address enduring consistency-relevance tensions in ways that ensure innovations renew or revitalize the brand without undermining its essence.

Ambidestreza organizacional y desempeño: el papel de las relaciones inter-organizacionales

Firm’s capacity to innovate based upon exploitation of its knowledge, while it explores new opportunities beyond its current knowledge, is captured by the concept of organizational ambidexterity. This concept is seen as an alternative for firms to obtain a higher sustainable performance than industry average. However, this task is not easy to accomplish, and to collaborate with other organizations is seen as a path to achieve it. The study of inter-organizational relationships to explain organizational ambidexterity is a novel field in the literature. Thus, this research presents a review about organizational ambidexterity with special emphasis on external sources, in contrast to internal sources that had been studied extensively. Journals with higher impact factor that address innovation issues from a management and marketing perspective has been reviewed. The authors conclude that inter-organizational relationships could contribute with organizational ambidexterity, and also have an effect over firm’s performance in the presence of absorptive capacity, relational governance and alliance capability. Results identify key factors for the success of inter-firms collaboration agreements for innovation.

Clarifying the Distinctive Contribution of Ambidexterity to the Field of Organization Studies

The concept of organizational ambidexterity has been applied to a wide variety of phenomena in recent years. Its growing appeal is a reflection of its versatility, but this versatility carries the risk of a lack of clarity in meaning and measurement. In this paper, we attempt to bring a sense of perspective to the field of ambidexterity by documenting its growth and usage in scholarly work. We chart the evolution of ambidexterity since its inception, analyzing the diversity in the views held on the topic. We conclude by discussing how ambidexterity research can benefit from greater focus, and we suggest some key areas where it can make a unique contribution.

Organizational ambidexterity: Integrating deliberate and emergent strategy with scenario planning

In this article we propose scenario planning as a tool for fostering organizational ambidexterity. The concept of organizational ambidexterity continues to gain attention, however, clear methods for developing this organizational ability are generally not offered. We therefore describe organizational ambidexterity and situate it in the general strategy literature. Key characteristics of organizational ambidexterity are provided, and the logical link to scenario planning is made. As the concept of organizational ambidexterity is relatively novel, our proposal highlights the use of scenario planning as a potential tool for developing this organizational “skill”, and clear next steps are described to examine our proposal as well as leverage the concept of organizational ambidexterity beyond that of a simple metaphor.

Organizational Ambidexterity: Towards a Multilevel Understanding

abstractAlthough interest in the concept of organizational ambidexterity has increased during recent years, this line of inquiry remains unfocused and limited due to a lack of more encompassing conceptual efforts. As a first step, we begin by critically reviewing previous research on the conceptualization, antecedents, and consequences of ambidexterity. We then offer a model that specifies a more encompassing, multilevel explanation of ambidexterity. Finally, we trace research and managerial implications and suggest some potential research avenues.