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Boundary Spanner's Degree of Role Autonomy and Its Impact on Exploration and Exploitation
Type
conference paper
Date Issued
2010-08-06
Author(s)
Rosenkranz, Nicole
Abstract
Academic research has repeatedly emphasized the importance of firms accessing external information sources in their conduct of exploitation and exploration, ascribing boundary spanning a pivotal function. This paper builds upon this notion focusing on the individual managers vested in the role as boundary-spanners. Drawing on social-psychology, the concept of role theory is applied to argue that managers´ perceived role autonomy in interpreting and enacting their boundary-spanning function impacts their engagement in exploitation and/or exploration. Role autonomy is explained by the interactive effects of role making and role taking, each conceptualized by two variables, namely employees` tenure and personality and corporate structure and culture, respectively. I contribute to existing ambidexterity literature on the individual level by developing a conceptual model on the intrinsic and extrinsic dynamics that affect the engagement in both innovation types. Further, this analysis has significant implications for research on ambidexterity and extends and applies the concept of contextual ambidexterity to the inter-organizational level in particular.
Language
English
Keywords
Ambidexterity
Exploration
Exploitation
boundary spanning
role autonomy
role making
role taking
HSG Classification
not classified
Refereed
Yes
Book title
Dare to Care: Passion & Compassion in Management Practice & Research
Publisher
Academy of Management
Publisher place
New York
Volume
Paper Session 1186
Start page
38
Event Title
70th Annual Meeting of the Academy of Management
Event Location
Montreal
Subject(s)
Eprints ID
61237