A Multilevel Integrated Framework of Firm HR Practices, Individual Ambidexterity, and Organizational Ambidexterity

Abstract

Research on strategic human resource (HR) management and organizational ambidexterity has assumed that organizational ambidexterity originates from operational managers that pursue both exploratory and exploitative activities. Yet, multilevel insights are absent about how and through which mechanisms HR practices may actually facilitate operational manager ambidexterity and how their ambidexterity may result into organizational ambidexterity. Our multisource and multilevel data from 467 operational managers and 104 senior managers within 52 firms reveals that the top-down effects of ability- and motivation-enhancing HR practices on operational manager ambidexterity are partially mediated by their role breadth self-efficacy and intrinsic motivational orientation. Furthermore, we find that the bottom-up relationship between operational manager and organizational ambidexterity is contingent on firm opportunity-enhancing HR practices. With that, our study provides important new multilevel insights into the effectiveness of strategic HR systems in supporting individual and organizational ambidexterity.

How to respond to competitors' green success for improving performance: The moderating role of organizational ambidexterity

“…In addition, our research demonstrates how enterprises enhance the profitability of environmental resource integration between enterprises and supplier partners by focusing on combined and balanced ambidexterity of executives' awareness. As Mom, Chang, Cholakova, and Jansen (2019) and Ossenbrink, Hoppmann, and Hoffmann (2019) noted, we argue the values of organizational ambidexterity in the two dimensions. Therefore, we have important theoretical contributions to emphasizing the importance of two‐dimensional organizational ambidexterity to implementing enterprise strategy.…”

Ambidexterity as Practice: Individual Ambidexterity Through Paradoxical Practices

“…Current research highlights the active role of operational managers in reconciling tensions between exploration and exploitation among product and market domains (Mom et al, 2019; Zimmermann et al, 2018). Furthermore, Kao and Chen (2016) and Jasmand et al (2012) identify ambidextrous frontline employees who accomplish seemingly contradictory tasks in terms of both service efficiency as well as quality during service encounters.…”

Ambidexterity As Practice: Individual Ambidexterity Through Paradoxical Practices

“…Current research highlights the active role of operational managers in reconciling tensions between exploration and exploitation among product and market domains (Mom et al, 2019;Zimmermann et al, 2018). Further, Kao and Chen (2016) and Jasmand et al (2012) identify ambidextrous frontline employees who accomplish seemingly contradictory tasks in terms of both service efficiency as well as quality during service encounters.…”