Sustainable competitive advantage is dependent on a firm's ability to simultaneously balance different activities in a trade-off situation. This capability is referred to as organizational ambidexterity and may comprise various paradoxical activities, such as exploration and exploitation. To enhance the current understanding of organizational ambidexterity and how it can be realized, Sebastian Kortmann provides at least three important contributions. Apart from the development of a theoretical framework for ambidexterity, the study uncovers which structural mechanisms support ambidextrous behavior and the extent to which these relationships are dependent on firm type.

Autorentext

Dr. Sebastian Kortmann wrote his dissertation under the supervision of Prof. Dr. Jens Leker at the Institute of Business Administration at the Department of Chemistry and Pharmacy, University of Muenster (Germany).

Zusammenfassung
In strategic management and organizational theory, organizational effectiveness denotes the broadest domain of business performance. "What is the optimal structural configuration for organizational ambidexterity and to what extent is it contingent upon firm type?" To answer this research question, this study employs a two-step approach. In the first step, Sebastian Kortmann determines a structural configuration that generally supports organizational ambidexterity. Then, in a second step, he draws upon structural contingency theory and investigates to what extent this optimal structural configuration is dependent on firm type.

Inhalt
Organizational Structure.- Organizational Ambidexterity.- Dynamic Capabilities.- Contingency Theory.- Manufacturing vs. Service Firms.