Organizational ambidexterity dynamism: The role of upper echelons

Abstract

Specialized studies demonstrate the dynamic nature of organizational ambidexterity and highlight that, in SMEs, the characteristics of their management elites, with special focus on their CEOs characteristics, do impact ambidexterity. However, there are not studies that clarify which upper echelons do allow the SME to achieve ambidexterity dynamism. In order to fill this gap, we draw on how CEO and TMT demographic characteristics impact the orientation towards ambidexterity in a dynamic process. The results of the empirical analysis support the idea that CEO and TMT demographic characteristics, and their interactions, are important for understanding the dynamism of ambidexterity over time.