RT journal article
T1 Intellectual capital role in ambidexterity emergence A proposal of a multilevel model and research agenda
A1 Fernández Pérez de la Lastra, Susana
A1 García Carbonell, Natalia
A1 Martín Alcázar, Fernando
A1 Sánchez Gardey, Gonzalo
A2 Organización de Empresas
K1 Social capital
K1 Human capital
K1 Multilevel perspective
K1 Ambidexterity
K1 Paths
AB Purpose – Considering the inconclusive results in the literature on the way organizations createambidextrous organizational capabilities, the purpose of this paper is to present an alternative theoreticalmodel of three different paths through which ambidexterity is built. From a multilevel perspective, the model describes how specific combinations of the facets of intellectual capital – human, social and organizationalcapital – can synergistically work to reach ambidexterity.Design/methodology/approach – The study is based on main arguments from multilevel and intellectualcapital literature. The multilevel approach allows the authors to consider a broader perspective to define three specific modes to create ambidextrous capabilities. Additionally, the intellectual capital literature completes the model, with the input (human capital), mechanisms (social capital) and the infrastructure (organizationalcapital) needed to develop ambidexterity. With the integration of both frameworks, the model explains howdifferent types of ambidexterity are generated at diverse firm levels – individual, group and organizational,following different and complementary paths.Findings – This research goes beyond the traditional arguments on how organizations develop simultaneouslyexploration and exploitation activities, proposing an integrative model of three complementary modes: path 1 (ambidexterity based on individual human capital); path 2 (ambidexterity through social capital) and path 3 (ambidexterity through organizational capital). These paths link organizational levels in organizations, showing the accumulative process of ambidexterity from a multilevel perspective.Originality/value – The paper offers an alternative view expanding the ongoing discussion in theambidexterity field. There is a lack of configurational models in the literature that describe,from a synergistic point of view, these complementary paths to achieving organizational ambidexterity.This approach contributes to explaining that not only individual ambidextrous human capital isneeded to generate organizational ambidexterity, but also that specialist human capital could be asource of ambidexterity.
PB Emerald Publishing Limited
SN 1758-7468
YR 2017
FD 2017
LK http://hdl.handle.net/10498/38062
UL http://hdl.handle.net/10498/38062
LA eng
DS Repositorio Institucional de la Universidad de Cádiz
RD 08-nov-2026