Complements or substitutes? A microfoundations perspective on the interplay between drivers of ambidexterity in SMEs

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Reference

Zimmermann, A., Hill, S., Birkinshaw, J., & Jaeckel, M. (2020). Complements or substitutes? A microfoundations perspective on the interplay between drivers of ambidexterity in SMEs. Long Range Planning (LRP), 53(6). (ABDC_2022: A; ABS_2021: 3; VHB_3: B)

Publication type

Article in Scientific Journal

Abstract

Research on the microfoundations of ambidexterity has identified a number of drivers that shape the ability of individuals to overcome exploration-exploitation tensions. However, little is known about how these drivers interact and whether they act as complements or substitutes. In a two-stage survey of small and medium-sized enterprises, we find that formal structural drivers and informal contextual drivers of ambidexterity do not demonstrate complementarity, as generally assumed, but rather act at cross-purposes with each other. Furthermore, we find that behaviorally complex executives (those with the ability to think and act ambidextrously) appear to render the effects of the other two drivers relatively unimportant, and are only ever associated with moderate levels of ambidexterity. These findings permit the development of important theoretical insights for ambidexterity research from a microfoundations perspective.

Research

Tackling the Complexity of Managing Paradoxes
FFF-Förderprojekt, May 2018 until August 2020 (finished)

Companies and organizations in general are facing an ever growing set of expectations from their different stakeholders. They are supposed to be efficient and profitable, they must be innovative and ... more ...

Persons

Organizational Units

  • Institute for Entrepreneurship
  • Chair of Entrepreneurship and Strategic Management

Original Source URL

Link

DOI

http://dx.doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1016/j.lrp.2019.101927