Investigating the Impact of IT Ambidexterity on Digital Innovation Capability

Digital innovation is characterized by generativity, in which digital technologies act upon other technologies, products, services, or processes to generate innovations. Because of generativity, digital innovation should be understood as involving multiple events that could be associated with changes in the process and outcome of IS and business activities. Drawing upon Swanson’s (1994) tri-core model of IS innovation, this study argues that digital innovation could entail innovative IS activities in the functional IS, business administration, and business technology areas. Since these areas rely differently upon innovative digital technologies, this study suggests that organizations should pursue IT exploitation and IT exploration simultaneously in order to improve digital innovation capability

Introducing conflict as the microfoundation of organizational ambidexterity

This article contributes to our understanding of organizational ambidexterity by introducing conflict as its microfoundation. Existing research distinguishes between three approaches to how organizations can be ambidextrous, that is, engage in both exploitation and exploration. They may sequentially shift the strategic focus of the organization over time, they may establish structural arrangements enabling the simultaneous pursuit of being both exploitative and explorative, or they may provide a supportive organizational context for ambidextrous behavior. However, we know little about how exactly ambidexterity is accomplished and managed. We argue that ambidexterity is a dynamic and conflict-laden phenomenon, and we locate conflict at the level of individuals, units, and organizations. We develop the argument that conflicts in social interaction serve as the microfoundation to organizing ambidexterity, but that their function and type vary across the different approaches toward ambidexterity. The perspective developed in this article opens up promising research avenues to examine how organizations purposefully manage ambidexterity

Ambidexterity in Information Systems Research: Overview of Conceptualizations, Antecedents, and Outcomes

Organizations that are not efficient and innovative today quickly become irrelevant tomorrow. Ambidexterity (i.e., simultaneously conducting two seemingly contradicting activities, such as exploitation and exploration) helps organizations to overcome this challenge and, hence, has become increasingly popular with manifold applications in information systems (IS) research. However, we lack a systematic understanding of ambidexterity research, its research streams, and their future trajectory. Hence, we conduct a systematic literature review on ambidexterity in IS research and identify six distinct research streams that use an ambidexterity lens: IT-enabled organizational ambidexterity, ambidextrous IT capability, ambidexterity in IS development, ambidextrous IS strategy, ambidextrous inter-organizational relationships, and organizational ambidexterity in IS. We present the current state of research in each stream. More so, we comprehensively overview application areas, conceptualizations, antecedents for, and outcomes of ambidexterity. Hence, this study contributes to the emergent theme of ambidexterity in IS research

IT Ambidexterity Configurations for Competitive Performance: An Exploratory Study of the Digital Ecodynamics of Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises

This paper examines the digital ecodynamics of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) from a configurational approach to explain the competitive performance –innovation and internationalization performance – of these firms. Digital ecodynamics refer to the interplay between the triad of infor-mation technology (IT) ambidexterity, dynamic capabilities, and environmental uncertainty. A config-urational approach involves a systems perspective of IT ‘fit’ in which variables are viewed in combi-nation, forming configurations that generate the outcome of interest. The idea is to capture configura-tions of digital ecodynamics that account for the nonlinear complex interplay of its three constitutive elements as they jointly affect competitive performance. In doing so, we further distinguish between IT capabilities for exploitation that are oriented on the firm’s productivity, and IT capabilities for explo-ration that are oriented on innovation. This paper theoretically combines configurational theory with the resource-based view, fit, and ambidexterity. A survey of 140 SMEs serves to test the proposed hy-potheses. Three configurations characterize SMEs’ digital ecodynamics and have consequences for performance. Configurations I and III positively influence innovation performance whereas Configu-ration I positively influences internationalization performance, demonstrating the equifinal properties of configurational theory. Furthermore, configurations that give priority to exploration goals through their IT capabilities show better competitive performance

IT-Driven Divestments: Towards Theoretical Multiplicity Through A Configurational Approach

The ongoing digitization, IT advancements, and innovative business models disrupt many industries. They pressure established organizations to adjust their organizational structures and procedures within their own business. So far, IT-driven divestments have received less attention in IS research. Following the configurational approach to two theoretical perspectives – (1) the resource-based view and (2) the concept of ambidexterity – we derive two causal configurations to ground IT-driven divestments theoretically. Thereby, we contribute to theory by illustrating the suitability of a configurational approach to investigate the theoretical multiplicity of IT-driven divestments. We discuss our insights against the theory of path dependence. We conclude by outlining our contribution to theory and practice and suggesting steps for future research

The impacts of middle managers’ ambidexterity, continuous improvement, and organizational agility on business performance: a knowledge-based view

Purpose: Using the knowledge-based view as the theoretical lens, this study aims to assess the effect of middle managers’ ambidexterity, continuous improvement and organizational agility on the business performance within the manufacturing and service industries. Design/methodology/approach: Quantitative survey was carried out using questionnaire whose data were collected from 197 middle managers’ responses collected in 2021. Structural Equation Modeling was used to analyze the direct and mediation relationships. Findings: The results demonstrated that the relationship between middle managers’ ambidexterity and business performance was insignificant but fully mediated by continuous improvement capacity and organizational agility. In both manufacturing and service sectors, our research also confirmed that middle managers have an important role in building continuous improvement capacity and organizational agility. The interchange between exploration and exploitation capabilities is an important competency that today’s middle managers should have. Originality/value: This study is amongst the first to investigate the phenomenon of middle managers’ ambidexterity in both manufacturing and service sectors from the knowledge-based view theory. The new knowledge is generated from the in-depth investigation of how middle managers interchangeably use their exploiting and exploring capabilities to achieve their business and operations performancesPeer Reviewe

Staying Ahead of the Curve: An Analysis of Strategic Agility and its Role in Ensuring Firm Survival in a Dynamic Business Environment

This research paper explores the relationship between strategic agility and firm survival in a highly dynamic business environment. The study aims to identify the key factors associated with strategic agility and to analyze how they impact firm performance in a competitive and rapidly changing market. A systematic literature review methodology was employed to gather and analyze the relevant literature. Three key factors were identified as being associated with strategic agility: resource fluidity, leadership capabilities, and strategic sensitivity. The analysis revealed that firms with a higher degree of strategic agility have a better chance of survival in a dynamic business environment. Strategic agility helps firms quickly adapt to changes in the market, anticipate future trends, and respond to customer needs, thereby enhancing their competitiveness. This study contributes to the literature by highlighting the importance of strategic agility as a critical factor in ensuring firm survival in a highly dynamic business environment

Investigating how business process ambidexterity facilitates business-IT alignment in public sector organizations

In today’s world of digital transformation and global hyper-competition the need for organizations to manage and innovate their Business Processes in both incremental and disruptive ways is greater than ever, both for private and public organizations. The nascent concept of Business Process Ambidexterity (balancing process exploitation and exploration) has been receiving a growing interest in the academia, and my research aims to address three research gaps: (1) the conceptualization of Business Process Ambidexterity and guidance on its implementation; (2) its impact on business-IT alignment, and (3) the specific contingency factors of Business Process Ambidexterity in the public sector. I will address these gaps through a research plan, covering a large-scale survey, extreme case research, Delphi study and design science research. At this stage I have completed a Systematic Literature Review of Business Process Ambidexterity, and I am preparing the next steps of my research