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External information seeking as a driver of ambidexterity in SMEs: The moderating role of structural empowerment

Author

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  • Céline Bérard

    (COACTIS - COnception de l'ACTIon en Situation - UL2 - Université Lumière - Lyon 2 - UJM - Université Jean Monnet - Saint-Étienne, UL2 - Université Lumière - Lyon 2)

  • L. Martin Cloutier

Abstract

Although previous studies have highlighted the importance of accessing external information to achieve ambidexterity, information seeking is known to be a costly activity with uncertain outcomes and that presents particular challenges for SMEs due to their limited resources. However, little is known about how SMEs can best benefit from their external information seeking activities for ambidexterity purposes, given specific organizational practices. We thus propose to examine the effects on ambidexterity of environmental scanning and external managerial networking, as means of accessing external information, by taking into account the moderating role of structural empowerment in SMEs. Using a survey administered to CEOs of 1,439 French manufacturing SMEs, our main results indicate that empowerment positively moderates the effect of scanning range on ambidexterity, but negatively moderates the effect of network intensity. This reveals the complexity of the relationships between external information seeking, structural empowerment and ambidexterity in SMEs.

Suggested Citation

  • Céline Bérard & L. Martin Cloutier, 2021. "External information seeking as a driver of ambidexterity in SMEs: The moderating role of structural empowerment," Post-Print halshs-04721614, HAL.
    • Handle: RePEc:hal:journl:halshs-04721614
    as

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