Setting the Stage for Individual Ambidexterity in Organizations: The Effects of Context and Individual Regulatory Mode on Explorative and Exploitative Behavior

<p>In response to changing customer demands and increasing competition, companies must balance the need to exploit their current capabilities with the need to explore new capabilities to sustain long-term success. Balancing this duality is at the core of the ambidexterity concept. While ambidexterity research mostly has focused at the firm level of analysis, recent literature indicates the need to analyze the concept at the individual level to increase our understanding of where ambidexterity takes place and how it emerges from context. Understanding the dynamics of the ambidexterity phenomenon at its most basic level will provide organizations with knowledge on how to encourage, promote, and manage ambidextrous behavior. This study examines the influence of how individuals perceive their work environments on their attitudes towards explorative and exploitative activities. Drawing from the ambidexterity, the empowerment, and the ownership literatures, I propose that work environments that help develop individuals’ feeling of empowerment and ownership will tend to motivate ambidextrous behavior. In addition, drawing from self-regulatory theory and accountability research, I propose three moderating factors that will influence the explorative and the exploitative behavior of individuals experiencing psychological empowerment and psychological ownership.</p>

Name thesis:degree_name

Management

Level thesis:degree_level

Dissertation

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Business Administration

Year dc:date.available

2016

Author dc:creator

• Garcia, Fernando

Contributors dc:contributor

• Rebecca Guidice
• Neal Mero

• Individual ambidexterity
• exploration
• exploitation
• psychological empowerment
• psychological ownership
• Business Administration, Management, and Operations

Repository record dc:identifier

https://digitalcommons.kennesaw.edu/dba_etd/24

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:digitalcommons.kennesaw.edu:dba_etd-1023