DOI: 10.1108/joepp-12-2025-1088 ISSN: 2051-6614

Organizational ambidexterity model for effective management of technology commercialization in project-based ecosystem

Bhawana Bhardwaj, Ali Ghafary, Dipanker Sharma, Balkrishan

Purpose

The study aims to theorize an organizational ambidexterity (OA) model for technology commercialization in project-based ecosystems. It explores how technology-based organizations can maintain both operational efficiency (exploitation) and innovation adaptability (exploration), simultaneously, in order to achieve long-term success in a swiftly changing technology commercialization environment.

Design/methodology/approach

The study employs a sequential exploratory mixed-methods approach. The methods include qualitative grounded theory development followed by quantitative validation of responses through structural equation modeling. Four hundred professionals from Iran involved in technology commercialization were considered for gathering the responses.

Findings

The study identifies that OA acts as a key dynamic capability driven by micro-foundational drivers such as multifaceted management, leadership orientation and human resources integration. Furthermore, technology commercialization strategies enhance value creation and facilitate paradox management. The contextual conditions do not have a direct impact on the strategies employed by organizations, thereby validating the mediating role of ambidexterity as a higher-order capability. Consequently, coordination among organizational actors facilitates the collective development of capabilities and strategic alignment.

Practical implications

The findings of this study provide a road map to managers and policymakers regarding the establishment of governance systems and leadership practices that promote the development of ambidextrous capabilities across projects. This research bridges paradox theory with ambidexterity and provides a systematic governance approach to manage conflicting demands. The study provides a practical basis for managers to ensure a balance of innovation and efficiency in project-based firms.

Originality/value

Current research is a pioneering effort to empirically validate a dynamic capabilities-based model of OA designed for project-based technology commercialization ecosystems. Additionally, the study expands understanding of how organizations manage temporal uncertainty and network complexity through the orchestration of capability.

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