Ambidexterity and Leadership in IS Projects

This assignment focuses on the concept of ambidexterity in information systems (IS) projects. It explores the relationship between ambidexterity, leadership, and project success. The assignment includes a list of relevant studies and research papers that examine the impact of different leadership styles on IS project outcomes, including transformational and transactional leadership, strategic orientations, and contextual ambidexterity. The summary provides specific details about the studies included in the list, such as their findings and contributions to the field.

MANAGEMENT PROJECT

TABLE OF CONTENTS
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................1
MAIN BODY..................................................................................................................................1
Ambidexterity in operations........................................................................................................2
Ambidexterity in leadership........................................................................................................3
Ambidexterity in information system..........................................................................................4
CONCLUSION................................................................................................................................6
RECOMMENDATION...................................................................................................................7
REFERNCES...................................................................................................................................8

7
INTRODUCTION
Ambidexterity is that situation where the person will be able to equally adapt use of both
right and left hand while doing their daily task such as typing, surgery, playing sports,
musicianship and juggling (Turner, Swart and Maylor, 2013). While refereeing to organisation
ambidexterity means need of company to balance exploitation and exploration in this developing
competitive advantages which is not that much easy to achieve in current practices. This current
assignment analyses will be done based on Match Box Architects Design Partnership Company
which highlights concept of ambidexterity. This will show that it is very much important and
essential for organisation to balance productivity and creativity or innovation efficiently.
MAIN BODY
For this changing environment it is very important for any firm to be very much
competitive with their use of latest technology, creativity and innovation along with increasing
and improving productivity of current workers of firm (Tarafdar and Gordon, 2007). This will
help company to serve their customers with complete efficiency, delivering them better goods
and services and achieving the competitive advantages. However, it is very much tough for
company to achieve both of them by involving innovation and considering how to improve the
productivity among workers and managers.
Match Box Architect (MBA) is a creative company which believes in creating beautiful
engineered buildings in way of shaping the future of British architecture. They value in inspiring
the whole coming generation of social and ethical responsible design so that future generation
could be motivated (Eisenhardt and Martin, 2000). This company will be focusing on area of
ambidexterity which is an ability to be able to explore and exploit business situation. This is as
per the perspective of information system, leadership and an operation so that all levels of MBA
is able to support ambidexterity. Their aim and vision of company is to provide integrity of
activities with help of expert decision makers so that they are all in way of ethical and alignment
with their professional code of conduct. They will be developing process which helps them to
make their project with use of expertise knowledge and guiding through completion of project.
According to the view of Pieterse, Van Knippenberg and Stam, (2010) ambidexterity
means balancing of work within organisation in combination of improved productivity and
including innovation into working. There will be many points which company require to
consider at this time like resources that will be required, machinery used, type of training and

7
motivation required and management. there will always be problem when company is adopting
both these exploration and exploitation as if the worker is working at long hours then he could
not ensure efficiency in his work. As per Zhou, Fang and Hua, (2018) exploitation includes
training, development, motivation, selection and choice of production of all employees. While on
other hand Tai, Wang and Yeh, (2018) included that exploration means research of something
which help company to improve their use of machinery and technology like creativity,
innovation and risk taking.
It is rather included that exploitation will only help company in its short term benefits in
way of sacrificing the long term performance. Moreover this is only when Match Box Architect
is not able to adapt all changes and modifications which its market environment is having. They
are in making efforts of improving efficiency of producing design which is exploring and selling
their products and service which is exploiting. As per the view of Uhl-Bien and Arena, (2018) it
is required that company is focusing on both these terms of explore and exploit which is the
requirement of market. As if they are having excessive focus on exploration which is that on
innovation company will not be able to look above their workers.
This means that organisation is only working upon its innovation and not on how to
improve quality of worker which lowers down their performance. But then there is argument
which is put forward by Garaus, Link and Müller, (2016) that there is one major basic issue
which company will face is that of how to lower down cost, improve efficiency of workers along
with incorporating innovation into work. Within the concept of ambidexterity which is
considered combination of exploitation and exploration requires differentiated structure,
capabilities, culture and strategy all these will impact performance of firm and that of individuals
as well.
There are many research on this topic of ambidexterity within business which includes at
various different levels of organisation like that of structure, operation, leadership, firm
performance and information system. This includes that how resources of organisation will be
used in process of ambidexterity which means balancing both creativity with more efficient work
of employees.
Ambidexterity in operations
In context with Huang, Baptista and Newell, (2015) it could be said that all sectors and
industries need to work into such an environment that help them to delivery best form of goods

7
and service to their customers but this is not at all possible without improving efficiency of their
operations. For the way of operating within competitive environment company is having its
major resource with help of which they could achieve their ambidexterity of operations. These
resources involves like that of intellectual capital which are like that of human, organisational
and social capital.
So in way of ambidexterity in operations would identify the structure of company means
that performing all function with standardising quality of innovations as well. From the point of
view of Hsu, Li and Sun, (2017) it is said that all group or team working within organisations are
allocated with resources like that of human and capital which is very much appropriate in
exploratory activities. All companies will be able to identify their exploration and exploiting
activities so that performance could be improved.
Ambidexterity in leadership
As per the view of Donate and de Pablo, (2015) at individual level which is laying its
stress on role, responsibility, leadership behaviour and attributes or combination of all these is
called to as efficiency in proper handling of people. This will help leaders of company to focus
on type of leadership they are undertaking like completion of all task or activity on time with
improvising relationship and knowing importance of social aspect. According to Meglio, King
and Risberg, (2015) leadership is the emerging aspect in view of ambidexterity and is also
contribute into working of organisation as well. Thus if there is leadership within company this
will especially draw attention onto both exploratory and exploitative activities of individual
employee and that of whole organisation. In the view of Turner, Maylor and Swart, (2015)
ambidexterity is that capability of top management which acts as leaders to be able to adapt
learning through identifying the assets of company and then adapt the changing environment as
well.
In addition to this it is included by Baškarada, Watson and Cromarty, (2016) that
transformational form of leadership will always be positively related to ambidexterity. This
shows that performance of leaders and managers within cross functional section and their
decision making activity will also be positively related to ambidexterity. There are mainly noted
about 4 behaviour of leaders in way of their ambidextrous including that of multitasking, taking
more initiative which are not part of their job roles, more looking up for internal linkage which is
into company only and cooperative behaviour as well.

7
It was laid down that Trong Tuan, (2017) recently many other researchers lay their stress
on how leaders are acting in ambidextrously in way of achieving organisational ambidexterity. In
this way top level management is playing important role in integrating and mobilisation of all
activities which will maintain balance between exploitation and exploration. As explained by
Kortmann, (2015) this means that management is fostering behaviour of exploitative and
explorative so that they could reduce risk and increase switching up of all individuals.
Transformation type of leaders who believe that change and modification into company
and innovation is very important with help of which they are able to achieve their aims and
objectives. Aslam, Roscoe and Azhar, (2018) pointed out that this type of leadership encourage
thinking out of the box which means that there will be assumptions based on situations and
information sharing is must. So this type of leadership mostly encourages ambidexterity within
context of business so that they could utilise the resources interpreted by García-Granero,
Fernández-Mesa and Vega-Jurado, (2017). If the leaders are ambidextrous then he would be able
to change their working or style of leadership which is currently used with any other type which
is mostly based on situation.
Ambidexterity in information system
There are various parts of company where ambidexterity is very much important and
essential laying down that it enhance working of individual and use of innovation within firm as
well. As pointed out by Kortmann, (2015) different subsections like that of task, cultures and
individuals need to be consistence in their working and performance. As this exploration is
mainly into hands of Research & Development part who will be responsible for proper exploring
market and inculcating various form of technologies and innovation within company. They will
also be responsible for information system which means that ambidexterity is maintained with
effective communication and exploiting the performance of individual employees. The
information system of company will enable them to balance all work effectively with use of
better technology and innovation.
The information system within organisation will consider various parts which enable
individual and group of people to ensure that they are balancing their task with complete
efficiency and use of latest technology. As per the viewpoint of Ojha, Acharya and Cooper,
(2018) ambidexterity play important role as this help company to overtake exploration with
exploitation.

7
The underlined subcomponents into this will include that of human capital which is skills
of employees or workers, social capital that is network of relationship and organisational capital
includes knowledge that is circulating within structure of company. So there involves
ambidexterity of all these components meaning that there is very well balance of exploitative and
exploratory element within each of them. According to view of García-Granero, Fernández-Mesa
and Vega-Jurado, (2017) it could be included that human could be specialist with use of
technical expertise and their skills that help them to grow in organisation. While on other hand it
could be included that social capital needs to use variety of networks outside and within
company which will allow them to establish stronger team. Then at last organisational capital
will include that of skills and expertise so that it could be able to flow throughout company in
cooperative manner as included by Carter, (2015).
All the various kinds of review which is undertaken in this context at different
organisational level including that of individual, group and company classify these
subcomponents. It was noted out that marketing agency which are working as per planned for
long time frame manner is very much important for meeting the ability of success of
organisation. In view of Carter, (2015) organisational ambidexterity is defined to as ability of
company to align with efficiently within current business demand in today’s world which is
adaptive as well.
Exploration will called to as searching, risk taken, discovery and experiments while the
exploitation is that of improving production and selection of task. For company it is very much
required that they are considering balance or mix of both these components as if they are not
having these then ambidexterity will not be able to attained. Risk taking is another task or
important activity within this context which includes that if company is not able to make
something creative and innovative then they will not be able to achieve the market goal of
expansion or stability.
Many of the scholars and authors in this context of ambidexterity included that big and
larger organisation would not simply be able to explore new areas of efficiency. As they all need
to contribute into their success with help of historical data, future opportunities and business
activities which is done by them according to Carter, (2015). So there are lot of things that is
undertaken by company which make it quite difficult to include capital model for the exploratory
requirements. This means that R&D and information system require huge sum of capital for all

7
type of company which make it hard for organisation to balance their exploratory and
exploitation.
Furthermore it was also included by Kortmann, (2015) that selecting, recruiting and
giving training to personal or employees is also another tougher job for company. For this simple
solution is recruiting highly qualified with experienced workers which are help organisation in
lowering down their cost, time and efforts. But bringing together both the things expertise with
innovation and latest form of technology is not easy task for any company whether it is big or
small. So Trong Tuan, (2017) concluded that ambidexterity in Match Box Architects with the
perspective of leadership, operations and information system need to be highlighted. This will
allow company to include innovation and creativity within company thus to succeed within
market. Cross functional teams into firm also invite the innovation and breaking through the
achievement with the exploitation of workers. All the complete or high performing firms will be
sustaining through continually exploiting and exploring their market environment with the
business innovation and use of latest technology as well.
The aims for identifying all type of mechanisms from across the multiple organisational
levels which are and must support ambidexterity to larger extent. While on other hand it included
that Donate and de Pablo, (2015) ambidexterity is also somewhere negative impact on employees
receiving their rewards within being into organisation. This will based on their reward system
and evaluation in way of completing their daily task so that all employees are confirming to
standardisation of all procedures. So company could undertake the innovation within their
reward system in renovating the existing one so that employees are then able to concentrate on
completing their routine task
According to the view Huang, Baptista and Newell, (2015) there are certain level of
problems which are linked with this ambidexterity which is focus on role of leaders, teams and
social context of organisational ambidexterity. For company it is very much required that they
are all using absorptive capacity of company that ability of company to acquire and transform the
knowledge of operational environment.
CONCLUSION
From the above research report it could be concluded that ambidexterity is that ability of
person who is able to do their daily work with both left and right hand most effectively. From the
point of view of operations and business ambidexterity means that company is able to align their

7
expertise, skills and knowledge with innovation. This means that management is having balance
between exploitation which is efficient productivity with that of exploration that is linked with
creativity and innovation in this competitive advantage which is not achieved within all type of
practice. It was also concluded that ambidexterity into exploitation and exploration is very much
essential as this will be helping in developing competitive advantage of company which is not so
easily achieved within practice of all companies.
RECOMMENDATION
Need to balance exploitation and exploration- it is very much recommended that for company
it is required to balance its creativity and efficient productivity. Tis will be helping company to
further grow in market so that they could be able to develop competitive advantage. For all
companies it is very much important that they are including all important type of practice and
balancing their activities.
Training and development- It is also important that company is giving training and developing
all their employees which will be helping them to improve productivity and gaining competitive
advantage as well. So this is also one of the recommendation that company is providing training
to its employees are becoming effective and working efficiently.

7
REFERNCES
Books and Journals:
Aslam, H., Roscoe, S. and Azhar, T.M., 2018. Dynamic supply chain capabilities: How market
sensing, supply chain agility and adaptability affect supply chain ambidexterity. International
Journal of Operations & Production Management.
Baškarada, S., Watson, J. and Cromarty, J., 2016. Leadership and organizational
ambidexterity. Journal of Management Development. 35(6). pp.778-788.
Carter, W.R., 2015. Ambidexterity deconstructed: a hierarchy of capabilities
perspective. Management Research Review. 38(8). pp.794-812.
Donate, M.J. and de Pablo, J.D.S., 2015. The role of knowledge-oriented leadership in
knowledge management practices and innovation. Journal of Business Research. 68(2).
pp.360-370.
Eisenhardt, K.M. and Martin, J.A., 2000. Dynamic capabilities: what are they?. Strategic
management journal. 21(10‐11). pp.1105-1121.
Garaus, C., Link, K. and Müller, B., 2016. Bridging knowledge in ambidextrous HRM systems:
Empirical evidence from hidden champions. The International Journal of Human Resource
Management. 27(3). pp.355-381.
García-Granero, A., Fernández-Mesa, A. and Vega-Jurado, J., 2017. Top management team
diversity and ambidexterity: The contingent role of shared responsibility and CEO cognitive
trust. Long Range Planning.
Hsu, J.S.C., Li, Y. and Sun, H., 2017. Exploring the interaction between vertical and shared
leadership in information systems development projects. International Journal of Project
Management. 35(8). pp.1557-1572.
Huang, J., Baptista, J. and Newell, S., 2015. Communicational ambidexterity as a new capability
to manage social media communication within organizations. The Journal of Strategic
Information Systems. 24(2). pp.49-64.
Kortmann, S., 2015. The mediating role of strategic orientations on the relationship between
ambidexterity‐oriented decisions and innovative ambidexterity. Journal of Product
Innovation Management. 32(5). pp.666-684.
Meglio, O., King, D.R. and Risberg, A., 2015. Improving acquisition outcomes with contextual
ambidexterity. Human Resource Management. 54(S1). pp.s29-s43.

7
Ojha, D., Acharya, C. and Cooper, D., 2018. Transformational leadership and supply chain
ambidexterity: Mediating role of supply chain organizational learning and moderating role of
uncertainty. International Journal of Production Economics. 197. pp.215-231.
Pieterse, A.N., Van Knippenberg, D. and Stam, D., 2010. Transformational and transactional
leadership and innovative behavior: The moderating role of psychological
empowerment. Journal of organizational behavior. 31(4). pp.609-623.
Tai, J.C., Wang, E.T. and Yeh, H.Y., 2018. A study of IS assets, IS ambidexterity, and IS
alignment: the dynamic managerial capability perspective. Information & Management.
Tarafdar, M. and Gordon, S.R., 2007. Understanding the influence of information systems
competencies on process innovation: A resource-based view. The Journal of Strategic
Information Systems, 16(4), pp.353-392.
Trong Tuan, L., 2017. Reform in public organizations: the roles of ambidextrous leadership and
moderating mechanisms. Public Management Review. 19(4). pp.518-541.
Turner, N., Maylor, H. and Swart, J., 2015. Ambidexterity in projects: An intellectual capital
perspective. International Journal of Project Management. 33(1). pp.177-188.
Turner, N., Swart, J. and Maylor, H., 2013. Mechanisms for managing ambidexterity: A review
and research agenda. International Journal of Management Reviews. 15(3). pp.317-332.
Uhl-Bien, M. and Arena, M., 2018. Leadership for organizational adaptability: A theoretical
synthesis and integrative framework. The Leadership Quarterly. 29(1). pp.89-104.
Zhou, J., Fang, Y. and Hua, Z., 2018. Understanding employee competence, operational IS
alignment, and organizational agility–An ambidexterity perspective. Information &
Management.