Abstract:

Despite acknowledging positive effect of innovation on firm performance, both scholars and practitioners extensively argue that innovation activities are subject of many tensions, paradoxes and dilemmas. As such, recent development demonstrates that dealing and managing these tensions are key points for survival and success in rapid changing environment. The concept ambidexterity has thus emerged to describe firm ability to synchronous pursuit of exploitation and exploration and has received contributions from various research streams. However, because it is relatively new, literature on ambidexterity is still fragmented and controversial across studies. Despite a wide variety of definitions and types of ambidexterity, we understand little about this ambiguous topic (Simsek, 2009) Divergence and fragmentation in the ambidexterity field is representative of paradoxical tensions between activities. This paper proposes a systematic review of theoretical and empirical studies on ambidexterity in order to shed lights on research gaps and propose new insights to best understand a complexity of this phenomenon. We identified three theoretical gaps. Literature analysis showed that first, even if ambidexterity is about striking a balance (Bodwell & Chermack, 2009; Collin & Porras, 1997; Eisenhardt, 2000; Lewis, 2000), there is divergent conceptualizations of the notion of equilibrium when examining contradictory activities. Secondly, theories of ambidexterity acknowledging a paradoxical base are not articulated to best analyze common characteristics of ambidexterity. Finally, existing studies on ambidexterity have identified three different instruments solutions (structural, contextual , leadership) but still need an integrative and contingency model that seeks to attain fit with external and internal contexts of ambidextrous firms. Concerning empirical investigations, two main gaps and limitations will be highlighted. The first is about existence of divergent measuring approach of ambidexterity (addition, interaction and subtraction) which correspond to different theoretical conceptualization. Thus, literature still needs an appropriate operationalization method that best emphasizes attributes of ambidexterity. The latest gap in empirical studies is about articulation of cases studies and survey investigation results to best understand the antecedents of ambidexterity and their interplay.