Ambidexterity and innovation: a systematic and meta-analytic approach to mediating effects on performance

Abstract

This study addresses the role of innovation in the relationships among exploration, exploitation, ambidexterity, and performance. Through a systematic literature review and meta-analysis (including 330 studies with 1,034 correlations), we challenge the assumption that exploration, exploitation, and ambidexterity directly affect performance. Instead, we emphasise the mediating role of innovation. Our study provides integrated evidence that innovation serves as a key catalyst in the relationships among exploration, exploitation, and performance. However, this is not the case with ambidexterity. By addressing fragmentation in the existing literature, driven by various conceptualizations and measures, our study offers a more precise understanding of this phenomenon.