RESEARCH PAPERS

Comparative Analysis of Driving Logics for Ambidextrous Innovation Performance: A Fuzzy-Set Qualitative Comparative Analysis

  • Wang Qi ,
  • Zhang Lingling ,
  • Ge Yuanqin
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  • 1. School of Economics and Management, University of Chinese Academy of Science, Beijing 100190;
    2. School of Economics and Management, Shihezi University, Shihezi 832000;
    3. Enterprise Development Research Center, Shihezi University, Shihezi 832000
Wang Qi, Doctoral Candidate; Zhang Lingling, Professor, PhD, Doctoral Supervisor; Ge Yuanqin, Professor, PhD, Doctoral Supervisor, Corresponding Author, E-mail: geyuanqin@shzu.edu.cn.

Received date: 2025-07-17

  Revised date: 2025-11-03

  Online published: 2026-09-24

Abstract

[Purpose/Significance] To overcome the limitations of traditional research that treats ambidextrous innovation as a monolithic construct and overlooks differences in its internal driving mechanisms, this paper, from a configurational perspective, aims to deconstruct and compare the antecedent configurations leading to high exploratory and high exploitative innovation performance, thereby revealing the asymmetric patterns between them and deepening the understanding of the ambidexterity paradox. [Method/Process] Based on the “Technology-Organization-Environment” (TOE) framework, which is, enhanced by integrating perspectives such as knowledge governance and “data empowerment” to deepen the conceptual understanding of boundary-spanning search and knowledge dynamic capabilities, this study employs fuzzy-set Qualitative Comparative Analysis (fsQCA) to empirically analyze data from 483 Chinese enterprises. By separately calibrating fuzzy sets for exploratory and exploitative innovation performance as outcome variables, it systematically examines the synergistic effects of boundary-spanning search, knowledge dynamic capabilities, and environmental complexity. [Result/Conclusion] The research identifies three pathways leading to high exploratory innovation performance and two pathways leading to high exploitative innovation performance. Comparative analysis reveals a fundamental asymmetry in their driving logics: high exploratory performance relies on the combination of boundary-spanning search and knowledge creation capability within complex environments, whereas high exploitative performance depends on the internal synergy of knowledge dynamic capabilities aligned with a stable environment. This study confirms the configurational roots of the inherent tension in ambidextrous innovation, providing important theoretical and practical insights for enterprises to contextually allocate resources and precisely manage these two types of innovation activities.

Cite this article

Wang Qi , Zhang Lingling , Ge Yuanqin . Comparative Analysis of Driving Logics for Ambidextrous Innovation Performance: A Fuzzy-Set Qualitative Comparative Analysis[J]. Library and Information Service, 2026 , 70(19) : 72 -86 . DOI: 10.13266/j.issn.0252-3116.2026.19.006

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