An ambidexterity perspective toward configurations of knowledge flows: an empirical testing of its two-phase performance implications
Journal of Knowledge Management
ISSN: 1367-3270
Article publication date: 13 May 2020
Issue publication date: 17 June 2020
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to examine how knowledge inflows and outflows interact to affect performance outcomes. Though previous studies have dealt with knowledge inflows and outflows, the quality and quantity characteristics of knowledge are often not taken into account, thus leaving a research gap with regards to the effect of their interactions on performance outcomes.
Design/methodology/approach
Based on Poisson regression analysis, this quantitative study fills the aforementioned research gaps by analyzing the ambidextrous configurations of knowledge flows from an ambidexterity perspective and examines their effects on two-phase performance (i.e. regular season and playoffs), using a longitudinal data set of National Basketball Association transactions from the 2003-2004 to 2014-2015 season.
Findings
The results suggest that the complementarity between knowledge inflows and outflows along the quality and quantity dimensions of knowledge, respectively, has a positive impact on two-phase performance, while the imbalance between knowledge inflows and outflows under the quality and quantity dimensions of knowledge, respectively, has a negative impact on playoffs performance (Phase 2). These findings suggest that organizations can balance knowledge inflows and outflows under a single quality or quantity dimension of knowledge. Furthermore, the interaction between the quantity of the inflows of knowledge and the quality of the outflows of knowledge and the interaction between the quality of the inflows of knowledge and the quantity of the outflows of knowledge are both positively related to two-phase performance. These findings suggest that organizations can balance knowledge inflows and outflows across quality and quantity dimensions of knowledge. Finally, the effects of the interaction between knowledge inflows and outflows on playoffs performance are greater than regular-season.
Practical implications
Organizations should leverage ambidexterity to manage/balance knowledge inflows and outflows across quality and quantity dimensions, further enhancing performance outcomes.
Originality/value
This study, first, provides new insights into knowledge flows by distinguishing between the quality and quantity of knowledge, the inflows and outflows of knowledge, constructing ambidextrous configurations of knowledge flows from an ambidexterity perspective. Second, it contributes to the relationship between knowledge flows and organizational performance by revealing how ambidextrous configurations of knowledge flows exert different effects on performance outcomes. Third, it adds to the literature of ambidexterity-performance relationships and expands it to the context of sports.
Keywords
Acknowledgements
The authors would like to thank the editors and anonymous reviewers of Journal of Knowledge Management for their valuable insights and comments on earlier versions of this paper. Funding information: This work is supported by National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant No. 71771161; 71672021); National Office for Philosophy and Social Sciences (Grant No. 18BGL135); University Philosophy and Social Sciences of Jiangsu (Grant No. 2018SJA1088; 2018SJZDI053).
Citation
Liu, F. and Wang, J. (2020), "An ambidexterity perspective toward configurations of knowledge flows: an empirical testing of its two-phase performance implications", Journal of Knowledge Management, Vol. 24 No. 5, pp. 1005-1035. https://doi.org/10.1108/JKM-09-2019-0497
Publisher
:Emerald Publishing Limited
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