Knowledge network structure and middle management involvement as determinants of TMT members’ ambidexterity: A multilevel analysis

Abstract

Even though scholars have widely asserted that ambidextrous organizations need ambidextrous managers, we still know relatively little about the emergence of ambidextrous behaviours among top management team (TMT) members. The purpose of this study is to gain a deeper understanding about how TMT networks and middle management involvement in decision-making collectively shape the ability of TMT members to deal successfully with the exploration–exploitation paradox. Through in-depth interviews and a multilevel analysis of internal networks of 123 TMT members in 20 public hospitals, results suggest that leaders' centrality and the density of TMT networks shape the ability of TMT members to behave ambidextrously. The framework of this paper also incorporates the role of middle management, critical in linking the strategic apex and the operating core, and thereby supporting TMT members’ ambidextrous behaviour. Various theoretical and practical implications are discussed.