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Continuously Hanging by a Thread: Managing Contextually Ambidextrous Organizations

Author

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  • Wolfgang H. Güttel
  • Stefan W.Konlechner

Abstract

Ambidexterity can be defined as an organization’s ability to simultaneously reconcile exploration and exploitation. In this paper, we focus on contextual ambidexterity, i.e. ambidexterity that derives from the creation of a context that allows employees to pursue exploratory and exploitative activities. Building on empirical case study data from contextually ambidextrous organizations, we describe their idiosyncratic characteristics and we explain how their mode of knowledge transmission between exploratory and exploitative domains, based on fluid project structures, serves to generate competitive advantage. Furthermore, we analyze the role of balancing and orchestrating capabilities for enabling the firm to perform concurrently in exploration and exploitation.

Suggested Citation

  • Wolfgang H. Güttel & Stefan W.Konlechner, 2009. "Continuously Hanging by a Thread: Managing Contextually Ambidextrous Organizations," Schmalenbach Business Review (sbr), LMU Munich School of Management, vol. 61(2), pages 149-171, April.
    • Handle: RePEc:sbr:abstra:v:61:y:2009:i:2:p:149-171
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    Citations

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    Cited by:

    1. Gayoung Kim & Woo Jin Lee, 2021. "The Venture Firm’s Ambidexterity: Do Transformational Leaders Boost Organizational Learning for Venture Growth?," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(15), pages 1-15, July.
    2. Sabyasachi Sinha, 2015. "The Exploration–Exploitation Dilemma: A Review in the Context of Managing Growth of New Ventures," Vikalpa: The Journal for Decision Makers, , vol. 40(3), pages 313-323, September.
    3. Stefanie Gschwantner & Martin R. W. Hiebl, 2016. "Management control systems and organizational ambidexterity," Journal of Management Control: Zeitschrift für Planung und Unternehmenssteuerung, Springer, vol. 27(4), pages 371-404, November.
    4. Wenzel, Matthias & Stjerne, Iben Sandal, 2021. "Heuristics-in-use: Toward a practice theory of organizational heuristics," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 164(C).
    5. Mahmood, Tarique & Mubarik, Muhammad Shujaat, 2020. "Balancing innovation and exploitation in the fourth industrial revolution: Role of intellectual capital and technology absorptive capacity," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 160(C).
    6. Reem S. Al-Mansoori & Muammer Koç, 2019. "Transformational Leadership, Systems, and Intrinsic Motivation Impacts on Innovation in Higher Education Institutes: Faculty Perspectives in Engineering Colleges," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(15), pages 1-26, July.
    7. Martin R. W. Hiebl & David I. Pielsticker, 2023. "Automation, organizational ambidexterity and the stability of employee relations: new tensions arising between corporate entrepreneurship, innovation management and stakeholder management," The Journal of Technology Transfer, Springer, vol. 48(6), pages 1978-2006, December.
    8. Popadiuk, Silvio, 2012. "Scale for classifying organizations as explorers, exploiters or ambidextrous," International Journal of Information Management, Elsevier, vol. 32(1), pages 75-87.
    9. Ruiner, Caroline & Wilkens, Uta & Kuepper, Monika, 2013. "Patterns of Organizational Flexibility in Knowledge-intensive Firms – Going Beyond Existing Concepts," management revue - Socio-Economic Studies, Nomos Verlagsgesellschaft mbH & Co. KG, vol. 24(3), pages 162-178.
    10. Mattes, Jannika, 2014. "Formalisation and flexibilisation in organisations – Dynamic and selective approaches in corporate innovation processes," European Management Journal, Elsevier, vol. 32(3), pages 475-486.
    11. Wolfgang H. Güttel & Stefan Konlechner & Barbara Müller, 2012. "Entscheidungsmuster und Veränderungsarchitekturen in Wandelprozessen: Eine Dynamic Capabilities-Perspektive," Schmalenbach Journal of Business Research, Springer, vol. 64(6), pages 630-654, September.
    12. Julia Mueller & Birgit Renzl & Matthias Georg Will, 2020. "Ambidextrous leadership: a meta-review applying static and dynamic multi-level perspectives," Review of Managerial Science, Springer, vol. 14(1), pages 37-59, February.
    13. Mirta Díaz & Susana Pasamar & Ramón Valle, 2012. "Are Ambidextrous Intellectual Capital and HRM Needed for an Ambidextrous Learning?," Working Papers 12.01, Universidad Pablo de Olavide, Department of Business Organization and Marketing (former Department of Business Administration).
    14. Hameed, Kamran & Arshed, Noman & Yazdani, Naveed & Munir, Mubbasher, 2021. "Motivating business towards innovation: A panel data study using dynamic capability framework," Technology in Society, Elsevier, vol. 65(C).
    15. Silvio Popadiuk & Diógenes de Souza Bido, 2016. "Exploration, Exploitation, and Organizational Coordination Mechanisms," RAC - Revista de Administração Contemporânea (Journal of Contemporary Administration), ANPAD - Associação Nacional de Pós-Graduação e Pesquisa em Administração, vol. 20(2), pages 238-260.
    16. Olga Kassotaki, 2022. "Review of Organizational Ambidexterity Research," SAGE Open, , vol. 12(1), pages 21582440221, March.
    17. Jürgen Weibler & Tobias Keller, 2011. "Ambidextrie in Abhängigkeit von Führungsverantwortung und Marktwahrnehmung: Eine empirische Analyse des individuellen Arbeitsverhaltens in Unternehmen," Schmalenbach Journal of Business Research, Springer, vol. 63(2), pages 155-188, March.
    18. Filippini, Roberto & Güttel, Wolfgang H. & Nosella, Anna, 2012. "Ambidexterity and the evolution of knowledge management initiatives," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 65(3), pages 317-324.
    19. Yazan Emnawer AL Haraisa, 2016. "The Impact of Human Resource Management Practices on Innovation Performance: An Empirical Study on Jordanian Private Hospitals," International Journal of Academic Research in Accounting, Finance and Management Sciences, Human Resource Management Academic Research Society, International Journal of Academic Research in Accounting, Finance and Management Sciences, vol. 6(4), pages 185-195, October.

    More about this item

    Keywords

    Ambidexterity; Change; Dynamic Capabilities; Exploration/Exploitation; Strategic Contradictions;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • L2 - Industrial Organization - - Firm Objectives, Organization, and Behavior

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