Ambidexterity in the age of asset sharing: Development of dynamic capabilities in open source ecosystems

Evidence suggests the growing importance of interorganizational relationships in developing intrapreneurial capabilities. In this paper, we argue that exploitation- and exploration-oriented network ties strengthen intrapreneurial capabilities in dynamic environments. To do so, we integrate the underlying assumptions of asset positions in the dynamic capabilities perspective with the open innovation perspective to highlight the implications of interorganizational ties for value capturing and value creating. The resulting model is discussed using the open source ecosystem as a context that exemplifies the complexities of the symbiotic relationships among network actors in the software industry. This study makes several contributions. First, we contribute to research on intrapreneurial capabilities by explicating the role of different types of network ties in recognizing and leveraging opportunities. Second, we extend the scope of the dynamic capabilities literature by integrating a network perspective to reconceptualize asset positioning in the context of value co-creation and co-capture. Third, we address the complexities associated with intellectual property rights in sharing assets through different forms of network ties. Lastly, we link the dynamic capabilities literature with ambidexterity research by offering insights on how asset sharing can facilitate the simultaneous development of capabilities related to both exploration and exploitation in dynamic environments.