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Organizational Ambidexterity at the Local Government Level: The effects of managerial focus

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  • Elin Smith
  • Timurs Umans

Abstract

The aim of this article is to explore how managerial focus influences organizational ambidexterity in different organizational forms at the local government level. An entrepreneurial, leadership, or stakeholder managerial focus will each find reflection in the simultaneous pursuit of exploration and exploitation of resources, and the influence will differ with the organizational form, i.e. whether a local government administration (LGA), or a local government corporation (LGC). Hypotheses are tested on Swedish public organizations operating in the waste management and water and sewerage industries. The findings indicate that LGCs have higher levels of organizational ambidexterity, and that the determinants differ from those in LGAs.

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  • Elin Smith & Timurs Umans, 2015. "Organizational Ambidexterity at the Local Government Level: The effects of managerial focus," Public Management Review, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 17(6), pages 812-833, July.
    • Handle: RePEc:taf:pubmgr:v:17:y:2015:i:6:p:812-833
    DOI: 10.1080/14719037.2013.849292
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    1. Christine Weigel & Klaus Derfuss & Martin R. W. Hiebl, 2023. "Financial managers and organizational ambidexterity in the German Mittelstand: the moderating role of strategy involvement," Review of Managerial Science, Springer, vol. 17(2), pages 569-605, February.
    2. Ali, Murad & Shujahat, Muhammad & Ali, Zulfiqar & Kianto, Aino & Wang, Minhong & Bontis, Nick, 2022. "The neglected role of knowledge assets interplay in the pursuit of organisational ambidexterity," Technovation, Elsevier, vol. 114(C).
    3. Timo TREMML, 2019. "Linking Two Worlds? Entrepreneurial Orientation In Public Enterprises: A Systematic Review And Research Agenda," Annals of Public and Cooperative Economics, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 90(1), pages 25-51, March.

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