Organizational ambidexterity: Antecedents and Consequences

Abstract

Any organization requires the development of a capability, which has come to be known as organizational ambidexterity, allowing organizations to harmoniously balance and develop activities aimed at exploiting existing businesses and exploring new opportunities (Raisch & Birkinshaw, 2008), in order to maintain a sustainable competitive advantage. Understanding and managing the tensions between paradoxical goals (exploitation vs. exploration), as well as the successful simultaneous achievement of high levels of variables that cause such tensions, are essential for the competitiveness of firms and their survival (O'Reilly & Tushman, 2004, 2008). This research wanted to go beyond the concept of organizational ambidexterity and analyze theoretically and empirically some of the antecedents proposed by the literature (family firms, ambidextrous leadership, alliances, integration mechanisms of ambidextrous managers), helping to achieve this ambidexterity and consequently greater benefits, such as higher performance or greater long-term survival. We also study this influence of ambidexterity at the organizational and managerial level, in different contexts and sectors. The conclusions obtained in this research from the studies focused on ambidextrous leaders and managers, also contribute information to the business management literature, since the resulting conclusions can help managers to reach organizational ambidexterity and take decisions contributing to achieve higher organizational performance, in terms of, financial results, consolidation of sustainable competitive advantages and survival over time.