![]() Our paper highlights that various management control systems, as well as combinations of management control systems, are able to facilitate organizational ambidexterity. We use Malmi and Brown’s ( 2008) typology to classify the management control systems studied so far in relation to organizational ambidexterity. For this purpose, we systematically review the available papers on the topic. This paper provides an overview of this body of the literature and proposes fruitful future research avenues. Nevertheless, some articles have been published on the relations between organizational ambidexterity and management control systems. 2009 O’Reilly and Tushman 2013), little research on how management control systems support and influence organizational ambidexterity has thus far been conducted. 2014 McCarthy and Gordon 2011).ĭespite this apparent importance of management control systems for creating organizational ambidexterity, and ultimately firm survival and superior firm performance (Cao et al. However, an appropriate representation of ambidexterity objectives in a firm’s management control system may support the adequate pursuit of exploration activities, which, in turn, may help ensure an organization’s longer-term existence (Haustein et al. 2009 Hill and Birkinshaw 2014 McNamara and Baden-Fuller 1999). Research has found that while many firms do not lack a focus on exploitation, they often invest too little time and resources into exploratory activities (Davis et al. Therefore, management control systems can further the exploitative as well as the exploratory behavior of employees in an organization. Similarly, Strauß and Zecher ( 2013) argue that strategic issues such as balancing exploratory and exploitative activities may also be pursued with the help of management control systems. Malmi and Brown ( 2008) and Guenther ( 2013) purport that management control systems influence the behavior of managers and employees. To develop and maintain an adequate balance between exploitation and exploration, the use of management control systems can be essential (McCarthy and Gordon 2011). In general, ambidextrous organizations seem to show better performance and greater competitiveness (Cao et al. O’Reilly and Tushman ( 2013), for instance, study the influence of organizational ambidexterity under uncertain conditions and find that higher survival rates, better financial performance and more innovation are clearly linked to organizational ambidexterity. ![]() Many studies show a positive correlation between organizational ambidexterity and the survival of organizations. In the literature, the simultaneous pursuit of and balance between exploitation and exploration is referred to as organizational ambidexterity (O’Reilly and Tushman 2013). 2011 Wernerfeldt 1984), Simons ( 2010) therefore argues that organizations need to (i) exploit their existing resources to be able to generate revenues and earnings and (ii) explore new opportunities and resources, create innovations and adapt to arising changes. In line with the basic tenets of the resource-based view (Barney 1991 Barney et al. Thus, organizations must cope with a high level of uncertainty, adapting to new developments while carefully utilizing their resources to do so (e.g., Güttel and Konlechner 2009 Winter and Szulanski 2001). ![]() Most contemporary organizations find rapid technological developments and political changes difficult to predict (e.g., Coeckelbergh 2012 Grant 2015). The paper concludes with several specific ideas for further research. In line with this notion, some of the included papers even find a complementary effect of the combined use of opposing management controls to support the achievement of organizational ambidexterity. Overall, the results of the review show that rather than a single specific management control system, a package of management control systems and various forms of using such systems may be necessary to successfully achieve and manage organizational ambidexterity. The aim of the present short survey paper is to provide an overview of the current literature on organizational ambidexterity and management control systems. Some recent studies indicate that management control systems may be able to foster organizational ambidexterity. In recent years, the management literature has increasingly investigated organizational ambidexterity-the ability to balance exploitative and explorative activities-as an important antecedent to firm survival and performance.
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