Ambidextrous Leadership, Social Entrepreneurial Orientation, and Operational Performance
Sustainability
Abstract and Figures
In the knowledge era, new forms of organizing and managing firms emerge to adapt to new situations. One such new form of organizational management is ambidextrous leadership. Ambidextrous leadership combines opening leader behaviors, such as promoting creativity, and closing leader behaviors, such as accomplishing objectives and adhering to norms. Thus, the aim is to demonstrate that a social orientation is not at odds with measures of operational performance other than profitability. The purpose of this study is to examine how ambidextrous leadership is linked to social entrepreneurial orientation and how this in turn affects operational performance. This is done through a rigorous review of the literature.
![Hybrid spectrum. Source: Alter [36].](https://www.researchgate.net/publication/331041389/figure/fig1/AS:11431281389332946@1745202556208/Hybrid-spectrum-Source-Alter-36_Q320.jpg)
![Proposed model for ambidextrous leadership. Source: Rosing et al. [21].](https://www.researchgate.net/publication/331041389/figure/fig2/AS:11431281389133830@1745202556762/Proposed-model-for-ambidextrous-leadership-Source-Rosing-et-al-21_Q320.jpg)
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... Recent studies have emphasized the role of leadership and adaptability in fostering entrepreneurial behaviors among employees. For instance, Martínez-Climent et al. (2019) found that entrepreneurial orientation in an organization is significantly influenced by ambidextrous leadership (Martínez-Climent et al., 2019). Similarly, Scheepers et al. (2018) reported a positive and significant relationship between ambidextrous leadership and entrepreneurial orientation (Scheepers & Storm, 2019). ...
... Recent studies have emphasized the role of leadership and adaptability in fostering entrepreneurial behaviors among employees. For instance, Martínez-Climent et al. (2019) found that entrepreneurial orientation in an organization is significantly influenced by ambidextrous leadership (Martínez-Climent et al., 2019). Similarly, Scheepers et al. (2018) reported a positive and significant relationship between ambidextrous leadership and entrepreneurial orientation (Scheepers & Storm, 2019). ...
The aim of this study is to examine the impact of career adaptability on ambidextrous behavior, explaining the role of entrepreneurial self-efficacy and entrepreneurial orientation. The statistical population of the study consists of all faculty members of Ferdowsi University of Mashhad. The sample size was determined to be 260 individuals using Cochran's formula, and participants were selected through stratified sampling. The required data were collected using standardized questionnaires, including the Entrepreneurial Orientation Questionnaire by Hughes and Morgan (2007), the Ambidextrous Behavior Questionnaire by Garcia (2016), the Career Adaptability Questionnaire by Savickas and Porfeli (2012), and the Entrepreneurial Self-Efficacy Questionnaire by De Noble (1999). The findings of the study indicate that entrepreneurial self-efficacy plays a moderating role in the relationship between career adaptability and ambidextrous behavior, and entrepreneurial orientation also serves as a moderator in this relationship.
... Cheah, Amran, and Yahya [22] analyzed EO as a critical internally oriented resource that enhances social enterprises' financial and social performance. Similarly, Martinez-Climent, Rodriguez-Garcia, and Zeng [23] asserted that the RBV supports the relationship between EO and organizational performance in social entrepreneurship. Khan and Bashir [24] delved into the dynamics of market orientation, entrepreneurial orientation, and learning orientation to explain how these key strategic resources can be used to enhance organizational performance in social enterprises. ...
... Dynamic capabilities theory is often used with the RBV in current analyses. For instance, Martinez-Climent et al. [23] argued that unique resources are not only a condition to generate competitive advantages, but how these resources are developed and exploited also matters. In a similar vein, Khan and Bashir [24] noted that ". . . to widen and better understand (RBV), more empirical works and developing an interactive framework with other fields and theories such as dynamic capability theory is required" (p. ...
This study aims to conduct a systematic literature review on entrepreneurial orientation (EO) in social entrepreneurship to clarify theoretical boundaries, integrate diverse findings, and identify research gaps. The “Theory–Context–Characteristics–Methodology” (TCCM) framework is adopted to analyze 81 articles on EO in social entrepreneurship. The review reveals that the field remains fragmented due to diverse theoretical and empirical contributions. The study highlights the need for future research to adapt theoretical perspectives to understand EO’s unique and hybrid aspects in social entrepreneurship, expand empirical research into under-represented geographical areas, conduct more longitudinal and qualitative studies to track changes in EO over time, and explore new variables that can further our understanding of EO in social entrepreneurship. The novelty of this study lies in the application of the TCCM framework to systematically analyze the literature on EO in social entrepreneurship. This framework facilitates the organization and evaluation of theoretical underpinnings, methodologies, contexts, and variables to identify relevant research gaps and future directions on the topic.
... Previous research has shown that AL positively affects project performance, service innovation, and service recovery performance (Ahmad et al., 2022;Gentle & Metselaar, 2020;Martínez-Climent et al., 2019;Zheng et al., 2017). Zhang et al. (2018) and Prabhu and Srivastava (2023) found that leadership style can help create partner satisfaction and a collaborative atmosphere, so it is possible that AL can act as an antecedent of CC. ...
Banks often partner with fintech to provide comprehensive solutions for customers, but these collaborations are often unsuccessful. This study explored how a bank’s collaboration capability (CC), ambidextrous leadership (AL), and government policy (GP), affect bank performance sustainability (BS). Quantitative survey method was used to collect data from senior executives at 105 commercial banks in 20 Indonesian cities. The proposed model was identified by structural equation modeling-partial least squares, with SmartPLS 4. Results indicate that CC has a positive effect on BS and is moderated by GP. AL has a positive effect on BS and CC, and CC can act as mediator. This research contributes to the development and validation of a new model and offers an initial idea about how leaders can create a culture of collaboration while the government carries out its responsibility in regulating and fostering collaboration. Future studies should explore different types of banks, e.g. Islamic banks.
... In the context of family businesses, ambidextrous leadership is crucial because it helps organizations balance maintaining family traditions and heritage with the need to innovate and adapt to market changes. This leadership style also ensures that while the organization explores new opportunities, it also refines existing processes, thereby enhancing overall performance capacity (Martínez-Climent et al., 2019). ...
Entrepreneurial resilience is crucial for the sustainability of family businesses, especially in dynamic and uncertain environments. Despite the growing interest in entrepreneurial resilience, existing research has yet to fully explore how both cognitive (entrepreneurial mindfulness) and strategic (ambidextrous leadership) leadership factors collectively shape resilience, particularly in the family business context. This study addresses this gap by investigating how scaling-up performance capacity mediates these relationships, providing a more integrative perspective on resilience-building mechanisms in family firms. Using a quantitative approach, data was collected through questionnaires from 265 family business owners in Indonesia. The data was analyzed utilizing Smart PLS (Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling) to evaluate the proposed hypotheses. The results reveal that entrepreneurial mindfulness and ambidextrous leadership have a positive and significant impact on entrepreneurial resilience. Furthermore, the capacity for scaling-up performance functions as an important mediator, enhancing the connection between leadership behaviors and resilience. Theoretically, this study contributes to the expanding literature on family business sustainability by integrating resilience-building strategies with leadership and performance capacity constructs. These findings provide practical contributions for family businesses in adopting effective leadership strategies and increasing adaptive capacity to enhance resilience against market uncertainties and generational transitions.
Innovative work behavior, entrepreneurial orientation, and organizational performance are central to achieving competitive advantage and resilience in dynamic business environments. This study examines how innovative work behavior affects organizational performance within firms. The study also explores the critical role of entrepreneurial orientation as both a direct influence on organizational performance and as a mediator in the relationship between innovative work behavior and organizational performance. This research was conducted on small & medium enterprise in the Province of Bali, Indonesia. Data were collected by 396 questionnaires from managers representing small & medium enterprise as research respondents and analysis was carried out using structural equation modelling. Results indicate that innovative work behavior has a positive impact on organizational performance, though its effect is enhanced significantly when mediated by entrepreneurial orientation. Specifically, the analysis reveals a strong relationship between innovative work behavior and entrepreneurial orientation, demonstrating that organizations fostering innovative behaviors are more likely to develop a proactive and risk-oriented culture. entrepreneurial orientation, in turn, shows a substantial direct positive effect on organizational performance, confirming its role as a critical driver of organizational success. Importantly, the mediation analysis suggests that entrepreneurial orientation partially mediates the relationship between innovative work behavior and organizational performance, channeling innovation efforts toward strategic objectives for optimal performance gains. The study contributes to the fields of innovation and entrepreneurship by elucidating the synergistic relationship between innovative work behavior and entrepreneurial orientation in driving organizational performance. The findings highlight the importance of fostering an entrepreneurial organizational culture that directs individual innovation toward strategic outcomes. This research provides valuable implications for organizational leaders aiming to enhance performance through integrated innovation and entrepreneurship strategies, and it sets the stage for future research exploring additional mediating factors and varied industry applications.
To survive the competition in the banking industry after the fintech uprisings, banks implement various collaborations, but they often turn out to be unsuccessful. This study examines the impact of collaboration capability on bank performance sustainability, as well as how ambidextrous leadership and digital capability influence it. The methodological framework includes the development of instruments based on previous literature and quantitative procedures. The data were obtained by distributing questionnaires to 101 private commercial banks in Indonesia. The proposed model is analyzed using structural equation modelling techniques with partial least squares (SEM-PLS), using SmartPLS 4.0. This study’s findings show that collaboration capability has a direct positive effect on bank performance sustainability, digital capability has a direct positive effect on both collaboration capability and bank performance sustainability; while ambidextrous leadership has a direct positive effect on collaboration capability but not on bank performance sustainability. This study contributes to the development and validation of a new model on the influence of collaboration capability on performance sustainability along with the influence of ambidextrous leadership and digital capability in the Indonesian banking sector.
Most studies on entrepreneurial orientation (EO) have examined its effects on financial performance, leaving a gap in understanding EO’s dimensions and their impact on SMEs’ social performance, particularly in developing economies. Additionally, the moderating role of charismatic leadership (CHL) on the EO-social performance (SOP) relationship remains underexplored. This study, based on the resource-based view theory and employing a multidimensional EO approach, investigates how the dimensions of EO—innovation (INNOV), proactiveness (PROA), and risk-taking (RIS) influence SOP, examining the moderating effects of CHL in manufacturing SMEs in Yemen. An analysis of data from 200 manufacturing SMEs was conducted using partial least squares (PLS) to test the hypotheses. The results reveal that PROA significantly enhances SOP, with CHL moderating this relationship, while INNOV and RIS do not significantly impact SOP, and CHL has no moderating effect on these dimensions. This study contributes to EO literature by examining EO through a multidimensional lens, highlighting its implications for SOP within SMEs, particularly in developing countries, and introducing CHL as a novel moderator. Practically, the findings suggest that manufacturing SME owners and managers should recognize that not all EO dimensions benefit social performance and that CHL can enhance social outcomes.
In the current study, the relationship between ambidextrous leadership and change-oriented organization citizenship behavior (CO-OCB) was tested through a mediated mechanism of leader-member exchange (LMX). To test the hypothesized association, the study took a sample of employees from small and medium enterprises in the textile sector of Pakistan. Their respective supervisors were also taken as respondents. The responses from 175 respondents were collected at two different points in time while maintaining an appropriate time interval. SPSS 24 and AMOS 24 were used for data analysis purposes. The study applied confirmatory factor analysis and structural equation modeling for model fitness and direct effects, respectively. The mediated mechanism was tested by applying PROCESS macro. The study found a positive and significant association between ambidextrous leadership and CO-OCB. The study results also supported the mediating role of LMX in the hypothesized relationship. It is suggested, based on the study findings, that leaders promote risk-taking behaviors by establishing quality relationships with their subordinates to achieve innovative development goals.
This study aims to investigate the relationship between ambidextrous leadership, business models, and financial performance of Indonesia’s microfinance institutions (MFIs) while also exploring the mediating role of business models and the moderating effect of environmental dynamism in this relationship. Data were collected from 104 microfinance institutions in Indonesia and analyzed using the mediation moderation procedure (ModMed) with macro Process 4.0. The results indicate a positive relationship between ambidextrous leadership, business model, and financial performance. As expected, the study also reveals that the MFI business model is positively related to financial performance and mediates the relationship between ambidextrous leadership and financial performance. The moderating analysis has confirmed the role of environmental dynamism in the relationship between business models and financial performance. The findings provide valuable insights for practitioners in the microfinance sector, suggesting that fostering ambidextrous leadership can enhance the effectiveness of business models, ultimately leading to improved financial performance. Moreover, this paper contributes to the existing literature by examining complex models on the relationship between ambidextrous leadership and financial performance by integrating business models and environmental dynamism within Indonesia’s microfinance institutions. AcknowledgmentBeasiswa Pendidikan Indonesia (BPI) supported this paper and its publication. We thank Lembaga Pengelola Dana Pendidikan (LPDP) and Balai Pembiayaan Pendidikan Tinggi (BPPT) Pusat Layanan Pembiayaan Pendidikan (PUSLAPDIK) for funding this article with grant number 03426/BPPT/BPI.06/9/2023.
The aim of this paper is to present research on determinants of entrepreneurial intentions through the framework of the theory of planned behaviour and an individual innovative cognitive style. By employing the theory of planned behaviour, the authors evaluate how personal attitudes, subjective norms and perceived behavioural control can affect one’s intentions to become an entrepreneur. Additionally, the innovative cognitive style is tested as a potentially significant determinant of entrepreneurial intentions. A questionnaire survey was done using the sample of 330 bachelor and master students in economics and business from Slovenia. Research propositions were tested using linear hierarchical regression modelling. The results suggest that personal attitudes towards entrepreneurship, subjective norms and perceived behavioural control are positively related to one’s entrepreneurial intentions. The innovative cognitive style has also been found to be significant in creating one’s intention to become an entrepreneur. The paper extends the current knowledge on entrepreneurial intentions by analysing the exclusive and mutual influence of different factors recognised by the theory of planned behaviour and the innovative cognitive style on entrepreneurial intentions, as well as providing useful insights into antecedents of entrepreneurial intentions in the Slovenian context.
This research examines and presents a new model concerning how small entrepreneurs predict what markets will be like in the future through considering the competitors, prices, finances, labor costs, raw materials, and progress of the ASEAN economic community. This study applies a descriptive explanatory technique. It also utilizes a quota sampling method with a structural equation model and qualitative descriptive technique. The research results reveal that companies’ entrepreneurial actions and backgrounds had a positive influence on anticipating the future. Next, future anticipation had a positive effect on the additional effort, market performance, and consumer value. It was also discovered that the entrepreneurial learning process consisted of three stages for employers. The learning process was done through parents as employees and from their direct exposure as entrepreneurs. This is considered hybrid entrepreneurship. This study attempts to fill the research gap pertaining to the lack of models on future market anticipation (FMA) by providing an appropriate quantitative research framework and new perspectives on exploring research into FMA for SMEs. Future studies need to focus on examining the function of the learning process as it pertains to hybrid entrepreneurship, as examined from a number of viewpoints.
This paper focuses on dynamic capabilities and, more generally, the resource‐based view of the firm. We argue that dynamic capabilities are a set of specific and identifiable processes such as product development, strategic decision making, and alliancing. They are neither vague nor tautological. Although dynamic capabilities are idiosyncratic in their details and path dependent in their emergence, they have significant commonalities across firms (popularly termed ‘best practice’). This suggests that they are more homogeneous, fungible, equifinal, and substitutable than is usually assumed. In moderately dynamic markets, dynamic capabilities resemble the traditional conception of routines. They are detailed, analytic, stable processes with predictable outcomes. In contrast, in high‐velocity markets, they are simple, highly experiential and fragile processes with unpredictable outcomes. Finally, well‐known learning mechanisms guide the evolution of dynamic capabilities. In moderately dynamic markets, the evolutionary emphasis is on variation. In high‐velocity markets, it is on selection. At the level of RBV, we conclude that traditional RBV misidentifies the locus of long‐term competitive advantage in dynamic markets, overemphasizes the strategic logic of leverage, and reaches a boundary condition in high‐velocity markets. Copyright © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Entrepreneurial marketing is a useful entrepreneurial strategy to achieve certain goals. This is mostly true for nascent entrepreneurs running small businesses for two main reasons. On the one hand, these entrepreneurs encounter various kinds of resource scarcity. On the other hand, nascent entrepreneurs, especially the ones without having any previous start-up experience, face decision complexity and decision uncertainty in their decisions, including marketing decisions. Given the fact that entrepreneurial marketing emanates from entrepreneurial thinking and decision-making, there should be a direct link between entrepreneurial marketing and entrepreneurial decision-making. Coming to the conclusion that there are few, if any, studies regarding entrepreneurial decisions in entrepreneurial marketing, we conducted a qualitative content analysis to present a taxonomy of main entrepreneurial marketing decisions. According to our findings based on the data gathered by conducting semi-structured interviews with nascent Iranian high-tech entrepreneurs active in biotechnology and nano-technology industries and analyzed by open coding, marketing mix decisions, core marketing decisions, market entry decisions, opportuni-ty-related decisions, innovation decisions as well as growth decisions are the main decisions made by nascent entrepreneurs, respectively.
Entrepreneurial marketing is a useful entrepreneurial strategy to achieve certain goals. This is mostly true for nascent entrepreneurs running small businesses for two main reasons. On the one hand, these entrepreneurs encounter various kinds of resource scarcity. On the other hand, nascent entrepreneurs, especially the ones without having any previous start-up experience, face decision complexity and decision uncertainty in their decisions, including marketing decisions. Given the fact that entrepreneurial marketing emanates from entrepreneurial thinking and decision-making, there should be a direct link between entrepreneurial marketing and entrepreneurial decision-making.
Coming to the conclusion that there are few, if any, studies regarding entrepreneurial decisions in entrepreneurial marketing, we conducted
a qualitative content analysis to present a taxonomy of main entrepreneurial marketing decisions. According to our findings based on the data gathered by conducting semi-structured interviews with nascent Iranian high-tech entrepreneurs active in biotechnology and nanotechnology industries and analyzed by open coding, marketing mix decisions, core marketing decisions, market entry decisions, opportunity-related decisions, innovation decisions as well as growth decisions are the main decisions made by nascent entrepreneurs, respectively.
This study established a broad theoretical framework combining agency theory and resource and capacity theory. We sought evidence of these theories’ implications for corporate entrepreneurship (CE) and an understanding of how corporate entrepreneurship affects performance. To identify relationships between these theories and concepts, we designed a research model and tested it using data from a questionnaire to 114 multinational firms. Findings provide general support for this theory, indicating that CE is positively associated with principal management-based incentives and capabilities on performance.
