Title: Ambidextrous organisation and knowledge exploration and exploitation: the mediating role of internal networking

Authors: Lara Agostini; Anna Nosella; Roberto Filippini

Addresses: Department of Management and Engineering, University of Padua, Stradella San Nicola 3, 36100 Vicenza, Italy ' Department of Management and Engineering, University of Padua, Stradella San Nicola 3, 36100 Vicenza, Italy ' Department of Management and Engineering, University of Padua, Stradella San Nicola 3, 36100 Vicenza, Italy

Abstract: The importance of resolving the tension between exploration and exploitation has placed ambidexterity at the forefront of academic research. Within this context, this paper's goal is to examine whether facilitating knowledge exchange through internal networking mediates the relationship between ambidextrous organisation ' represented as a second-order construct reflected by contextual and structural approaches - and the ability to pursue high levels of knowledge exploration and exploitation in innovation processes. Based on survey-based research carried out in Austria and Italy, this study's findings suggest that ambidextrous organisation produces good results in terms of both knowledge exploration and exploitation through the partial mediation of internal networking.

Keywords: innovation; internal networking; exploration; exploitation; structural equation model; ambidextrous organisation.

DOI: 10.1504/IJBIR.2017.085790

International Journal of Business Innovation and Research, 2017 Vol.14 No.1, pp.122 - 138

Received: 10 Aug 2015
Accepted: 07 Nov 2015
Published online: 14 Aug 2017 *

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