Science Research Management ›› 2022, Vol. 43 ›› Issue (8): 174-182.

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Influencing mechanism of simultaneous ambidextrous leadership on radical innovation

Ge Yuanqin1, Li Shuwen2, Luo Jinlian2   

  1. 1. School of Economics and Management, Shihezi University, Shihezi 832000, Xinjiang, China; 
    2. School of Economics and Management, Tongji University, Shanghai 201804, China
  • Received:2019-09-04 Revised:2020-05-22 Online:2022-08-20 Published:2022-08-22

Abstract:     At present, enterprises are facing the critical period of technological transformation in China. Innovation plays an increasingly prominent role in promoting and reshaping the scientific and technological revolution. As a latecomer to technological innovation, China has introduced a great number of advanced technologies for incremental innovation and has achieved rapid economic development over the last four decades. Though incremental innovation could help China narrow technological gap with developed countries, it can hardly make breakthrough, as is witnessed as a matter of fact that Chinese enterprises often encounter the curb in terms of chip supply and core patents by foreign counterparts. In this sense, the development of Chinese enterprises and even national economic stability will continue to be restrained if Chinese enterprises cannot make radical innovation. Thus, it is particularly important how to enhance radical innovation. However, simultaneous ambidextrous leadership provides a new perspective to analyze the impact of leadership behavior on radical innovation.
    This paper collected data from R&D and production department managers and subordinates from large manufacturers in Shandong, Shanghai and Beijing, China. With the help of the head of the human resources department, we randomly selected more than 800 employees and assigned each of them with a number. Questionnaires were coded before being distributed. We provided each of the participants with a questionnaire, and a cover letter describing the procedures of the research and the voluntary nature of their participation. The participants were assured that their ratings would be confidential and used for academic purposes only. The completed questionnaires would be collected on the spot. To alleviate the concern of common method bias, we collected data in two phases at two weeks interval. In the first wave, the participants were asked about gender, education, simultaneous ambidextrous leadership, sense-making and pay increase. In the second wave, the participants were asked about radical innovation, fault-tolerant dynamics and decision-making participation. After collecting data, utilizing reliability and validity analysis, descriptive statistical analysis, hierarchical regression analysis, bootstrapping and simple effect analysis, taking sense-making and pay increase as mediation, and fault-tolerant dynamics and decision-making participation as moderation, this paper conducts an empirical study from the perspective of resource conversion. 
    The results indicate that: (1) simultaneous ambidextrous leadership has a significantly positive influence on radical innovation; (2) decision-making participation and fault-tolerant dynamics mediate the influence of simultaneous ambidextrous leadership on radical innovation; (3) the interaction of organizational sense-making and pay increase moderates the indirect relationship between simultaneous ambidextrous leadership and radical behavior, high sense-making and high pay increase can maximize the effect of simultaneous ambidextrous leadership. 
    This study contributes to the literature in three ways: first, this paper makes a breakthrough to the traditional framework of ambidextrous leadership, brings the space-time dimension into the research of leadership, and reveals the impact of ambidextrous leadership on radical innovation in different space and at the same time. Second, this paper reveals the influence path of simultaneous ambidextrous leadership on radical innovation, introduces fault-tolerant atmosphere and decision-making participation into the relationship between simultaneous ambidextrous leadership and radical innovation, and provides a clear reference path for simultaneous ambidextrous leader to obtain core competitive advantage from the perspective of two ability relationships. Third, from the joint perspective of sense-making and reward increasing, this paper reveals the boundary conditions of simultaneous ambidextrous leadership influencing radical innovation, makes up for this deficiency and lays a foundation for the follow-up empirical study of sense-making, and provides an important reference for enhancing or weakening the impact of simultaneous ambidextrous leadership.

Key words: simultaneous ambidextrous leadership, fault-tolerant dynamics, decision-making participation, sense-making, pay increase, radical innovation