Dr. Dymyd visits SMI

29 September 2016  Time: 12.00-13.30 Venue: WEV F109-111

Lesya Dymyd (University of Strasbourg)

Title: ORGNIZATIONAL AMBIDEXTERITY: Fractal and dynamic by nature                                                                    

Authors: Lesya Dymyd and Patrick Llerena
Abstract: In this paper we address the question on how should an organization combine exploration and exploitation to become sustainably innovative. We introduce the idea that ambidexterity is fractal and dynamic by nature and present a new analytical approach to ambidexterity of organizations – fractal ambidexterity. Organizational ambidexterity is fractal because exploration and exploitation occurs simultaneously at multiple levels of a company. Ambidexterity is dynamic, because the proportions and the degrees of these activities change, depending on the organizational context and situation. Our empirical work consists of a multilevel analysis, applied to the case of a large technology-based service company from the oil and gas industry, and the analysis of the evolution of its venture unit, responsible for strategic technological innovation. By using a project level, we show that ambidexterity is simultaneously managed and coordinated at the diverse levels of the firm: first, at the corporate level, ambidexterity is present in management of different business units, second, at the level of the exploratory (venture) unit – in different innovative projects; third, at the leadership level – during decision-making on allocation of resources for exploration and exploitation. Our findings suggest that the localization and the intensity of these activities change and evolve over time. The main contribution of our study is the identification of the existence of multiple fractal structures inside an ambidextrous organization and suggestions to their integration and coordination in space and in time.