Table 2 Approaches to organisational... | Emerald Publishing

Table 2

Approaches to organisational ambidexterity

	Key points	Key references
Structural ambidexterity	Ambidexterity is facilitated through structural separation of explorative and exploitative units that require coordination and integration mechanisms including senior management integration. Separate structures are necessary to accommodate the opposing competencies, systems and practices of exploration and exploitation	Tushman and O'Reilly (1996), O'Reilly and Tushman (2004), Smith and Tushman (2005), Jansen et al. (2009)
Contextual ambidexterity	Ambidexterity is facilitated within an entire business unit by creating an organisational context that enables individuals to make their own judgements on how to divide their time between the demands of adaptability (exploration) and alignment (exploitation). This organisational context is characterised by a combination of stretch, discipline, support and trust	Gibson and Birkinshaw (2004), Ghoshal and Bartlett (1994)

	Key points	Key references
Structural ambidexterity	Ambidexterity is facilitated through structural separation of explorative and exploitative units that require coordination and integration mechanisms including senior management integration. Separate structures are necessary to accommodate the opposing competencies, systems and practices of exploration and exploitation	Tushman and O'Reilly (1996), O'Reilly and Tushman (2004), Smith and Tushman (2005), Jansen et al. (2009)
Contextual ambidexterity	Ambidexterity is facilitated within an entire business unit by creating an organisational context that enables individuals to make their own judgements on how to divide their time between the demands of adaptability (exploration) and alignment (exploitation). This organisational context is characterised by a combination of stretch, discipline, support and trust	Gibson and Birkinshaw (2004), Ghoshal and Bartlett (1994)