Micro-foundations of organizational design and sustainability: The mediating role of learning ambidexterity

• Published in: International business review Vol. 30; no. 1; p. 101656
• Main Authors: Al-Atwi, Amer Ali, Amankwah-Amoah, Joseph, Khan, Zaheer
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier Ltd 01.02.2021
• Subjects: Ambidexterity; Emerging markets; Exploitation; Exploration; Micro-foundations; Middle East; Organizational design; Paradox; Middle East; Paradox; Organizational design; Emerging markets; Exploration; Ambidexterity; Micro-foundations; Exploitation
• ISSN: 0969-5931; 1873-6149
• DOI: 10.1016/j.ibusrev.2019.101656

•We examine the organizing paradox, learning paradoxes and firms’ outcomes.•Organizing paradox has a positive impact on learning ambidexterity.•Learning ambidexterity has a positive impact on both organizational resilience and energy.•Learning ambidexterity mediates the relationship between organizing paradox and creativity. This paper builds on prior scholarly works by examining the relationship between organizing paradox (formalization and decentralization), and organizational levels of learning paradoxes, i.e. exploration and exploitation, and firms’ outcomes (organizational creativity, organizational resilience and organizational energy). Using data from 98 executives and 325 senior employees working across a diverse range of firms operating in the Middle East, the findings suggest that organizing paradox (formalization and decentralization) has a positive impact on learning ambidexterity. In addition, we also found that learning ambidexterity has a positive impact on both organizational resilience and organizational energy. Furthermore, the results indicate that learning ambidexterity mediates the relationship between organizing paradox and organizational creativity. These findings provide important insights into the micro-foundation aspects of organizational ambidexterity.