Ambidextrous Learning Research Articles

Correction: Individual learning ambidexterity behavior and individual job performance in services: the role of organizational structure

Correction: Individual learning ambidexterity behavior and individual job performance in services: the role of organizational structure

Individual learning ambidexterity behavior and individual job performance in services: the role of organizational structure

AbstractThis study analyzed the impact of individual learning ambidexterity on individual job performance and tested the moderating effects of the organizational structure, represented in this research by formalization, decentralization, and structural differentiation. Despite the importance of individual learning ambidexterity, there is a limited understanding of how employees’ explorative and exploitative learning behaviors affect their individual job performance. The study expands the research by confirming the relevance of individual learning ambidexterity for individual performance for non-managerial employees; an understudied research setting for individual ambidexterity. We demonstrate that individual learning ambidexterity is positively correlated with individual job performance. We also provide evidence that formalization, decentralization, and structural differentiation moderate the effects of individual learning ambidexterity on individual job performance. The empirical context for the research was non-managerial employees from the Romanian IT services industry. Prior research has shown that ambidexterity is important in the IT industry, making it an adequate setting to analyze the effects of individual learning ambidexterity on individual job performance. By using polynomial regressions on a sample consisting of 342 employees, we were able to analyze four research hypotheses. This study demonstrates the moderating mechanism of organizational setting in the improvement of individual job performance in relation to individual learning ambidexterity. Taken as a whole, our findings provide new insights into how and under which organizational conditions the individual-level explorative and exploitative learning behaviors affect individual job performance.

Navigating the innovation maze: the role of supervisor developmental feedback in fostering ambidextrous learning and ambidextrous innovation

Navigating the innovation maze: the role of supervisor developmental feedback in fostering ambidextrous learning and ambidextrous innovation

Could ambidextrous learning improve employees' disruptive innovation behavior? A double-mediation model

This study investigated the influence mechanism of ambidextrous learning on disruptive innovation behavior and the mediating effects of error management climate and creative self-efficacy. I conducted both online and offline surveys with 452 employees in private enterprises, state-owned enterprises, and institutions. The results indicate that ambidextrous learning predicts employees' disruptive innovation behavior, and both error management climate and creative self-efficacy have significant partial mediating effects on the relationship between ambidextrous learning and disruptive innovation behavior. This study contributes to ambidextrous learning and disruptive innovation behavior research and advances scholarship into aspects of employees' disruptive innovation behavior in enterprises.

Open Ambidextrous Learning: Green Technological Readiness, Green Innovation and Sustainability

Open Ambidextrous Learning: Green Technological Readiness, Green Innovation and Sustainability

The influence of organisational learning ambidexterity on process innovation performance: the role of KM capability

ABSTRACT This study examined the relationship between organisational learning ambidexterity and process innovation in micro and small sized companies and the moderating role of Knowledge Management capability. Exploratory and exploitative learning were conceptualised as multi-dimensional constructs occurring at team and organisational level and as inter-organisational and intra-organisational processes. Regarding the organisational learning ambidexterity, the combined approach was used, which assumes that exploratory and exploitative learning are mutually supportive. Knowledge Management capability was based on three knowledge processes: knowledge acquisition, sharing, and application. Due to the relative lack of validated understanding of the organisational learning ambidexterity effects on process innovation, it contributes to the development of theory explaining this interaction and its effects. The results provide additional insights whether exploitative and exploratory learning are complementary. Finally, Knowledge Management capability plays an important role in the relationship between organisational learning ambidexterity and process innovation.

Malaysian youth’s propensity towards ambidextrous learning: an in-depth analysis of behavioural insights dimensions

The aim of this experimental study was to compare the results before and after an intervention that included ambidextrous training to accelerate the enrolment of adolescents in technical, vocational, and educational training (TVET). In particular, the effects of an ambidextrous learning-based training programme on increasing the intention to enter TVET were examined. The independent variables constructed in this study include self-efficacy and TVET knowledge, while the dependent variable is TVET intention. The sample consisted of 480 16-year-old students from government schools in four Malaysian regions selected by cluster sampling. The study used a randomised experimental design with a no-treatment control group. The intervention included training developed as part of Behavioural Insights. Methods of analysis included descriptive and bivariate analysis of mean differences and structural equation modelling to describe the predictive model. The results showed significant differences between the actual and the control groups in terms of post-test results across all factors, including TVET intention, TVET knowledge, and self-efficacy. The structural equation modelling test found that TVET knowledge emerged as the strongest predictor of TVET intention, surpassing self-efficacy. As knowledge about TVET is the most important factor influencing a person’s intention to choose TVET, these initiatives should provide clear and comprehensive explanations of the concepts of TVET, the different TVET clusters available, and the potential career opportunities within these sectors.

How ambidextrous cultures influence learning by universities: Lessons from administrators

ABSTRACT Universities face organisational challenges to learn and adopt administrative practices that aid both staff and educational development. Although the prospects of ambidexterity as an organisational learning strategy are appreciated in research and practice, understanding the nature of culture-based factors that support ambidextrous mindsets in educational settings remains underdeveloped. This article explores the ambidextrous culture-based enablers that foster ambidextrous learning by universities. Thematic analysis of semi-structured interview data from 32 university administrators within the Gulf Cooperation Council region serve as the basis for empirical insights. Findings from the interviews show that 2Es and 2Cs are culture-based enablers consisting of employee diversity, employee fairness, clear communication and consistent practice. From a theoretical perspective, the article contributes to knowledge by capturing the enabling factors of a culture-learning praxis for ambidexterity, while managerially, the article urges for dedicated ‘learning to learn’ action plans that develop best practice for ambidextrous learning by universities.

The role of lean, agility and learning ambidexterity in Industry 4.0 implementations

There is an increasing interest in understanding the interdependencies between conventional lean and agile implementations and Industry 4.0 technology adoptions. Our knowledge of how they interact and enable Industry 4.0 implementations in learning organisations is still immature. Informed by the Strategic Momentum Theory and the contextual ambidexterity framework, this paper empirically investigates the effects of lean and agile implementations on Industry 4.0 technology adoptions with exploratory and exploitative learning as mediators. Using the data collected from an online survey of 166 Australian firms and analysed using the PLS-SEM method, we found that only lean practices have significant and positive direct effects on Industry 4.0 implementations, and exploitative learning partially mediates the relationship. We also found that agility does not have direct effects on Industry 4.0 implementations, and exploitative learning fully mediates their relationship. However, the mediating role of exploratory learning is not empirically confirmed. This study confirms several recent exploratory research studies that found evidence for the significant role lean implementations play in Industry 4.0 technology adoption. Agile practices need to first translate into exploitative learning. The findings inform practitioners that firms with investments in lean, agility and exploitative learning capability development will have advantages in technology implementations.

A study on the influence of academic passion on PhD students' research engagement-The role of ambidextrous learning and academic climate.

The engagement in research, as the primary form of learning engagement for PhD students, is crucial for enhancing their competitive edge. Academic passion, a key determinant of learning engagement, plays a significant role in driving the research enthusiasm of PhD students. However, the "black box" concerning whether and how academic passion influences PhD students' research engagement remains to be explored. Addressing this gap, the present study draws upon self-determination theory, adopts the "motivation-behavior-effect" analytical framework, and incorporates ambidextrous learning as a mediator to elucidate the specific pathway through which academic passion impacts PhD students' engagement in research activities. Furthermore, it examines the facilitating role of the academic climate in this process. From December 2022 to March 2023, a questionnaire survey was conducted, collecting 522 responses from PhD students across 25 universities in China. The survey primarily assessed the PhD students' academic passion, ambidextrous learning behaviors (including tendencies towards exploratory and exploitative learning), and their perceived academic climate, investigating how these factors collectively influence their engagement in research activities. The questionnaire data were analyzed using a combination of SEM and bootstrapping with SPSS 26.0 and Mplus 8.3 software. The findings reveal that academic passion significantly positively affects PhD students' research engagement; ambidextrous learning (exploratory and exploitative learning) mediates the relationship between academic passion and PhD students' research engagement; and the academic climate effectively facilitates the transformation of PhD students' academic passion into ambidextrous learning (exploratory and exploitative learning). The study's conclusions not only foster PhD students' enthusiasm for research but also enhance learning effectiveness and innovation vitality, providing a theoretical basis for reforming the doctoral training system.

Linking ambidextrous forms of leadership, knowledge, organisational cultures and learning by higher education institutions: Insights from a survey of administrators

ABSTRACT This article aims to examine the relationship between ambidextrous organisational cultures and ambidextrous learning by higher education institutions, and to scrutinise how the ambidextrous leadership and knowledge of these institutions relate to their ambidextrous cultures. Survey data from 474 university administrators within the Gulf Cooperation Council region, serve as the basis for empirical insights based on structural equation modelling. Survey responses show significant and positive correlation between ambidextrous organisational culture and ambidextrous learning, and additionally reveal that ambidextrous knowledge and ambidextrous leadership significantly and positively relate to ambidextrous organisational cultures. By including ambidextrous forms of culture, leadership, and knowledge constructs to explain ambidextrous learning by organisations, this study makes contributions to organisational ambidexterity theory. Theoretically, this article adds to understanding on the determinants of ambidextrous learning by providing evidence of a culture-learning praxis, while managerially, the article urges for ambidextrous culture-oriented approaches to academic staff development.

Enhancing entrepreneurial orientation in high-tech firms: the role of ambidextrous learning and business model innovation

ABSTRACT Entrepreneurial orientation has been recognised as a key driver for bolstering a firm's core competitiveness and fostering the creation of novel advantages. However, the efficacy of entrepreneurial orientation in enhancing the high-tech firm performance has been a controversial issue. We propose an ‘orientation-learning-innovation-performance’ model, which employs the concepts of ambidextrous learning and business model innovation to explore the effects of entrepreneurial orientation on high-tech firm performance within a dynamic environment. PLS-SEM was used to test data gathered from 291 high-tech firms. The results reveal that entrepreneurial orientation does not exert a direct influence on high-tech firm performance, while the mediation role of exploitative learning is not significant. Entrepreneurial orientation mainly influences high-tech firm performance through exploratory learning, ambidextrous learning and business model innovation. This influence is further amplified in contexts characterised by environmental dynamism. Our findings contribute to the literature on entrepreneurial orientation and organisational learning theory, providing insights that firms can use to enhance efficiency and maintain a competitive advantage.

Learning ambidexterity and technology innovation: The moderating effect of knowledge network modularity

The aim of this paper is to investigate the impact of learning ambidexterity on firms’ technological innovation, especially in the context of varying degrees of modularity in firms’ knowledge networks. By combining temporal and cognitive aspects, this study focuses on the micro-level utilization of knowledge and redefines exploratory and exploitative learning as learning unfamiliar and familiar knowledge, respectively. Building upon previous research, we classify learning ambidexterity into combined and balanced forms, further investigate their influence on innovation performance. Utilizing a panel data set spanning 10 years of 63 semiconductor firms listed in the US market, our findings reveal that combined learning ambidexterity effectively harnesses the complementary effects of both learning patterns, resulting in a positive influence on technological innovation. Conversely, balanced learning ambidexterity hampers knowledge transferability between these two patterns leading to a negative impact on technological innovation. Additionally, we employ patent data to measure the degree of modularity within firms’ knowledge networks. Our results indicate that higher levels of modularity enhance the positive effect of combined learning ambidexterity on innovation while mitigating its negative impact for balanced learning ambidexterity. These findings suggest the importance for firms to strategically manage and dynamically orchestrate learning ambidexterity alongside double-loop learning practices, while continuously structuring and facilitating reuse within organizational knowledge networks to create favorable circumstances for the effective implementation of learning ambidexterity.

Learning from different types of failure: evidence from non-severe and severe work accidents in SMEs

AbstractThis paper investigates the learning patterns of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) from heterogeneous work accidents (i.e., minor and severe and fatal accidents). Work safety cannot be overlooked, and the focus of this study on learning from failure allows to understand how SMEs match safety problems with solutions generated by past experience with work accidents and knowledge acquisition; while acknowledging that accident heterogeneity influences SMEs’ learning. The analysis uses a sample of 108 Spanish SMEs during 2006–2009. The results show that SMEs learn to modify safety practices, and that experience with both minor and severe and fatal accidents impact learning outcomes—measured as changes in the unit accident cost—through different mechanisms. Cumulative experience with past work accidents supports exploitative learning, but this effect was found only for minor accidents. Although the adoption of safety-enhancing tools (i.e., OHSAS 18001) does not affect learning, the findings reveal the value of ambidextrous learning: SMEs adopting the OHSAS 18001 learn more from severe and fatal accidents than from minor accidents by triggering drastic modifications in their safety practices.

Does learning ambidexterity affect the sense of urban integration among new-generation migrant workers in China? An empirical study based on career growth and environmental dynamism

AbstractThe urban integration of new-generation migrant workers is an important part of the process of new urbanization in China, and the acquisition of a sense of urban integration is one of the necessary signs of urban integration for new-generation migrant workers. Based on ambidexterity theory, we used a multiple regression analysis to study the mechanism underlying the effects of learning ambidexterity on the sense of urban integration of new-generation migrant workers. The empirical results showed that learning ambidexterity had significant and positive effects on both sense of urban integration and career growth; career growth had a partial mediating effect on the relationship between learning ambidexterity and sense of urban integration; environmental dynamism had a positive moderating effect on the relationship between exploratory learning and career growth; and environmental dynamism had a positive moderating effect on the relationship between exploitative learning and sense of urban integration. This study responds to previous research on the ambidexterity of migrant workers and further enriches the ambidexterity theory in research on migrant workers from the perspectives of career growth and urban integration. And in contrast to earlier studies, this research introduces environmental dynamism and establishes an analysis framework for migrant worker urban integration in a dynamic environment.

Regulatory Focus, Ambidextrous Learning, and Opportunity Recognition in New Product Development

This study focuses on individual managers’ ambidextrous learning and examines its psychological antecedents and consequences in the new product development (NPD) context. Specifically, drawing on the paradox theory and the regulatory focus theory, this study examines the relationship between regulatory focus (i.e., promotion focus and prevention focus), ambidextrous learning, and NPD opportunity recognition, from the individual ambidexterity perspective. Based on the survey data of 225 NPD managers in high-tech small and medium-sized enterprises in China, we find that NPD managers’ promotion focus and prevention focus, acting as an enabler and a deterrent respectively, affect their ambidextrous learning, which in turn facilitates opportunity recognition in the NPD process. Further analyses reveal that ambidextrous learning mediates the effects of promotion focus and prevention focus on opportunity recognition in the NPD. Our findings offer new insights on the individual ambidexterity research regarding the unique role of ambidextrous learning, manifested as actionable managerial capability. The findings offer novel insights on the role of NPD managers’ ambidextrous learning in the NPD process, and practical implications for NPD managers to self-regulate their behavior for the benefit of opportunity recognition.

R&D Partner Diversity, Ambidextrous Learning, and Innovation Quality of Firms

R&D partner diversity (RPD) is crucial for enhancing a firm’s innovation level, with innovation quality being a pivotal indicator of the firm’s overall capacity for innovation. However, the relationship between RPD and innovation quality has received little attention in the literature. This paper aims to unravel the influence of RPD on innovation quality and the underlying mechanisms. We conduct empirical research utilizing data from 463 publicly listed Chinese manufacturing companies to achieve this goal. Using a negative binomial model for data analysis, we find that RPD has a positive impact on the quality of innovation. The micromechanism analysis reveals that both exploratory learning and exploitative learning play a mediating role in the relationship between RPD and innovation quality. Furthermore, we discover that the strength of the relationship between RPD and innovation quality varies depending on the types of R&D partners and corporate ownership. Specifically, firms that collaborate with universities, competitors, users, or research institutes strengthen the positive effect, whereas forming alliances with other entities within the same group mitigates it. RPD has a more significant positive influence on the quality of innovation in non‐state‐owned enterprises compared to state‐owned enterprises. These findings are robust to a battery of sensitivity tests, which provide valuable insights for firms seeking to enhance their innovation quality by fostering diverse R&D partnerships.

Learning Agility Orientation, Ambidextrous Learning, and Resilience

Learning Agility Orientation, Ambidextrous Learning, and Resilience

The Effect of Data Empowerment on Channel Resilience: The Roles of Ambidextrous Learning，Guanxi Inertia and Enterprise Openness

ABSTRACT Data empowerment is a critical component of enterprises’ digital transformations and plays a pivotal role in the creation of enterprise channel resilience. This paper investigates the process mechanism of how data empowerment affects enterprises’ channel resilience by utilizing the theoretical perspectives of ambidextrous learning and resource conservation. To test the hypothesized relationships and conceptual model, survey data was collected from 263 manufacturing enterprises in China, and SPSS PROCESS macro was used for analysis. The empirical findings revealed that data empowerment has both a direct positive impact on channel resilience and an indirect effect through the mediating role of ambidextrous learning. The relationship between ambidextrous learning and channel resilience was moderated by guanxi inertia and enterprise openness. This study contributes to understanding the process mechanism and contextual boundary of the relationship between data empowerment and channel resilience. The findings also offer practical guidance for enterprises to improve channel resilience and foster win-win cooperation among channel members.

Servant Leadership as a Catalyst for Middle Managers’ Learning Ambidexterity: A Resource‐Based Perspective

AbstractAlthough recent years have seen a proliferation of research on organizational ambidexterity, important questions remain about the role that leaders play in leveraging learning ambidexterity for organizational benefits. Drawing on the conservation of resources theory, we investigate the indirect links between servant leadership and middle managers’ learning ambidexterity, with structural empowerment and role breadth self‐efficacy (RBSE) as serial mediators. We also examine the importance of leader boundary‐spanning behaviour as a moderating factor for these relationships. Using time‐lagged and multi‐source data from 344 middle managers and their supervisors, we show that servant leadership has a positive indirect influence on two forms of learning ambidexterity: exploitative and explorative learning. In particular, servant leadership promotes structural empowerment (as a contextual resource), which in turn influences RBSE (as a personal resource) and encourages learning ambidexterity. In addition, we show that when leaders engage in boundary‐spanning behaviour, these indirect relationships become more prominent. This research offers new theoretical and practical insights to assist organizations in improving learning ambidexterity and achieving higher levels of performance.