Title: Continuous innovation: towards a paradoxical, ambidextrous combination of exploration and exploitation

Authors: Antonella Martini; Bjørge Timenes Laugen; Luca Gastaldi; Mariano Corso

Addresses: Department of Energy and System Engineering (D.E.S.E.), University of Pisa, Largo Lucio Lazzarino, 56100, Pisa, Italy. ' UiS Business School, University of Stavanger, Kjell Arholms Gate 39, 4036 Stavanger, Norway. ' Department of Management, Economics and Industrial Engineering, Politecnico di Milano, Via Lambruschini 4b (Building 26b), 20156, Milano, Italy. ' Department of Management, Economics and Industrial Engineering, Politecnico di Milano, Via Lambruschini 4b (Building 26b), 20156, Milano, Italy

Abstract: The Continuous Innovation Network (CINet) is a global network studying the innovation processes through which the synergistic combination between exploratory and exploitatory activities fosters a synergistic combination of operational effectiveness and strategic flexibility - allowing firms to achieve superior performance. This paper presents the theoretical field of continuous innovation as an extension of the intersection of three research streams - namely exploration-exploitation, organisational ambidexterity and paradoxical thinking. Moreover, it presents four papers from the International CINet Conference held in Zürich (CH), from the 5th to the 7th of September 2010.

Keywords: continuous innovation; exploration; exploitation; organisational ambidexterity; paradox; continuous improvement; operational effectiveness; strategic flexibility; paradoxical thinking.

DOI: 10.1504/IJTM.2013.050246

International Journal of Technology Management, 2013 Vol.61 No.1, pp.1 - 22

Published online: 06 Apr 2013 *

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