We explore digital
entrepreneurship in the banking and financial sector through the concept of
organizational ambidexterity (AO), which is defined as the balance between the
exploration of new activities and the efficient exploitation of existing activities.
We examine how AO can help meet the challenges of viability and sustainability faced
by fintech, which are startups that combine the attributes of digital
technologies and finance. Based
on interviews with founders/managers, our results show the development of a “mixed
ambidexterity”, which combines exploration and exploitation activities.
Contrary to the dominant scientific discourse, different forms of ambidexterity
do not in themselves constitute “pure” or opposed forms. They can be combined using
managerial levers to develop “multi-ambidextrous” structures, particularly in
dynamic and competitive technological environments. Our research contributes to the entrepreneurship
literature by a reflection through the managerial concept of AO. We propose an
entrepreneurial approach based on entrepreneurs’ capacities to reconcile
exploration and exploitation. We therefore extend our understanding of
entrepreneur behavior through the concept of AO and address the lack of
research on this concept in the entrepreneurship literature. Theoretical and practical implications are
proposed for designing ambidextrous entrepreneurial organizations.