Organizational Ambidexterity: A Critical Review and Development of a Project-Focused Definition

Abstract

The objective of this paper is to explore a project-focused understanding of contemporary organisational ambidexterity literature. As part of this process, a taxonomical analysis of the elements and components of the concept of organisational ambidexterity is undertaken. Findings suggest that a project-focused notion of organisational ambidexterity involves different levels, dimensions and mechanisms. The predominant contribution of this paper resides within the taxonomy study, which provides a platform for a more holistic understanding of organisational ambidexterity as a multifaceted concept applicable to the project management discipline. * Those studies marked with an asterisk (*) were the ones filtered through to step 6 of the systematic analysis

Organizational ambidexterity: using project portfolio management to support project-level ambidexterity

“…In fact, Tiwana (2008) opines, "…the successful accomplishment of novel projects requires the heterogeneity of capabilities and expertise provided by bridging ties among alliance partners" (p. 251). Not only are projects utilised to drive value in most businesses, but also it is at the project level (due to its transient, ephemeral and atypical nature) as against the portfolio level that the visions of organisations are operationalized and ambidexterity is likely to be best actualised (Turner and Lee-Kelley 2013;Petro et al 2018).…”

“…To reinforce this claim, Petro et al (2018) opined in their recent taxonomical analysis of the elements and components of project-level ambidexterity that as a term, 'ambidexterity' does not appear in a number of project practitioner management practice manuals.…”

“…While available research broadly provides us with a wide range of ideas on how to manage project portfolios, it will appear that there are still areas of the operations and project management literature that remains unsettled as relates to firstly the specific dimensions and mechanisms required to achieve projectlevel ambidexterity (Turner and Lee-Kelley 2013;Turner et al 2013a;Turner et al 2016b;Petro et al 2018) and how secondly, how these dimensions and mechanism are best operationalized at the project level for relevance to project management practice. Taking all this into consideration, our research question is presented as: RQ: How can project portfolio management (PPM) facilitate ambidexterity in project-based organisations?…”

“…A review of the academic literature suggests that ambidexterity is actualised in the form of multiple types, across different organisational levels (see Birkinshaw and Gupta 2013;Kassotaki et al 2018), is of different dimensions (Sohani and Singh 2017;Petro et al 2018) and actualised via a number of different mechanisms (O'Reilly and Tushman 2011;Turner et al 2013a). Understanding of these constructs (types, levels, dimensions and mechanisms) is in line with assertions made earlier by He and Wong (2004) on the need to understand the "…different structures, processes, strategies, capabilities, and cultures to pursue and may have different impacts on firm adaptation and performance [of ambidexterity]" (p. 481).…”

“…Understanding of these constructs (types, levels, dimensions and mechanisms) is in line with assertions made earlier by He and Wong (2004) on the need to understand the "…different structures, processes, strategies, capabilities, and cultures to pursue and may have different impacts on firm adaptation and performance [of ambidexterity]" (p. 481). Petro et al (2018) asserts the existence of different levels, dimensions and mechanisms of a project-focused typology of organisational ambidexterity.…”