TY - JOUR
T1 - Managerial attention to exploitation versus exploration
T2 - Toward a dynamic perspective on ambidexterity
AU - Walrave, B.
AU - Romme, A.G.L.
AU - van Oorschot, K.E.
AU - Langerak, F.
PY - 2017/12
Y1 - 2017/12
N2 - Managerial attention to exploitation and exploration has a strong influence on organizational performance. However, there is hardly any knowledge about whether senior managers need to adjust their distribution of attention to exploitation and exploration in response to major changes in demand patterns in their industry. Drawing on the analysis of a panel data set of 86 firms in the information technology industry exposed to an economic recession and recovery, we find that successfully navigating an economic downturn demands more managerial attention to exploration, while leveraging the subsequent upswing requires more attention to exploitation. As such, this study contributes to the literature by providing a dynamic perspective on ambidexterity: that is, senior managers need to redistribute their attention to exploration and exploitation, to effectively meet the changing environmental demands over time.
AB - Managerial attention to exploitation and exploration has a strong influence on organizational performance. However, there is hardly any knowledge about whether senior managers need to adjust their distribution of attention to exploitation and exploration in response to major changes in demand patterns in their industry. Drawing on the analysis of a panel data set of 86 firms in the information technology industry exposed to an economic recession and recovery, we find that successfully navigating an economic downturn demands more managerial attention to exploration, while leveraging the subsequent upswing requires more attention to exploitation. As such, this study contributes to the literature by providing a dynamic perspective on ambidexterity: that is, senior managers need to redistribute their attention to exploration and exploitation, to effectively meet the changing environmental demands over time.
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85024119631&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1093/icc/dtx015
DO - 10.1093/icc/dtx015
M3 - Article
SN - 1464-3650
VL - 26
SP - 1145
EP - 1160
JO - Industrial and Corporate Change
JF - Industrial and Corporate Change
IS - 6
ER -