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Impact of digital technology affordance on organizational resilience: An ambidextrous innovation perspective using a mixed-methods approach

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  • Sun, Yuan
  • Mou, Saiya
  • Zhu, Mengyi
  • Jeyaraj, Anand

Abstract

Digital technology is crucial for modern organizations. Ambidexterity theory explains the mechanisms by which digital technology affordance influences organizational resilience. We adopted a mixed-methods approach to examine the relationships between affordance and resilience. The quantitative study examined the impact of digital technology affordance on organizational resilience, the mediating role of ambidextrous innovation, and moderating the mediating effects of firm age based on 477 valid questionnaires in Chinese manufacturing companies that used digital technology under COVID-19. The qualitative study, through interviews with top managers of three manufacturing firms that successfully navigated adversity with digital technology affordance during COVID-19, validated and complemented the quantitative findings. The study finds that digital technology affordance positively impacts organizational resilience mediated by ambidextrous innovation. The conditional indirect effect of firm age is not significant. The balance and complementarity between exploratory and exploitative innovation is crucial for manufacturing firms to adapt to environmental variability, which helps leverage digital technologies to enhance organizational resilience.

Suggested Citation

  • Sun, Yuan & Mou, Saiya & Zhu, Mengyi & Jeyaraj, Anand, 2025. "Impact of digital technology affordance on organizational resilience: An ambidextrous innovation perspective using a mixed-methods approach," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 197(C).
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:jbrese:v:197:y:2025:i:c:s0148296325002735
    DOI: 10.1016/j.jbusres.2025.115450
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