Organizational Ambidexterity

The most widely used definition of ambidexterity is a balance between exploration and exploitation; ambidextrous organizations are those that can both explore and exploit their current possibilities and competencies. This is what James March refers to as "exploring new possibilities and exploiting old certainties." Selection, creation, refinement, efficiency of execution, and implementation are all examples of exploitation. When compared to exploration, which also includes knowledge development and opportunity analysis. Organizations that focus more on exploration than exploitation are likely to pay the price for experimenting while not reaping many of its rewards. These businesses frequently lack distinctive competence and display an excessive number of unrealized fresh ideas. On the other hand, organizations that prioritize exploitation over exploration are more likely to become stuck in a stable equilibrium and move slowly but effectively. The success of any corporate structure is largely dependent on maintaining a suitable balance between exploration and exploitation. The ability to simultaneously achieve necessary alignment (exploitation, or excellence in daily operations), and adaptability (exploration, or the organization's capacity to innovate and change in response to the changing demands in the environment), is what many scholars refer to as organizational ambidexterity.