This paper builds upon the premise of knowledge integration constituting a competitive advantage. Authors have identified explorative and exploitative knowledge as being critical to corporate success and enabling above average performance. Organizational literature has proposed the model of ambidexterity in organizations, enabling the integration of the above stated, partly conflicting, types of knowledge. By identifying factors critical to the organization's ability to transfer and integrate knowledge of business units, directed towards innovation and operational efficiency respectively, we highlight benefits and drawbacks of ambidextrous organizational designs. We seek to contribute to literature which has identified features of knowledge itself and individual's abilities explaining the transferability and integratability of knowledge.
Language
English
Keywords
Ambidexterity
hierarchy
institutional distance
knowledge integration
relatedness
transmission channels.
HSG Classification
not classified
Refereed
No
Event Title
26th Strategic Management Society (SMS) Annual International Conference 2006