Research Article
The Effect of Team Ambidextrous Activities on Creative Performance
Joongbu University
알스퀘어그룹
Published: January 2015 · Vol. 44, No. 2 · pp. 515-542
DOI: https://doi.org/10.17287/kmr.2015.44.2.515
Abstract
This study examined the effects of ambidextrous activities involving exploration and exploitation on team creative performance. Research on organizational ambidexterity and creativity as sources of competitive advantage has continued to attract attention and has been conducted from various angles. However, despite research findings that have individually demonstrated these as key factors directly linked to organizational performance and competitive advantage in their respective domains, research seeking to elucidate the relationship between organizational ambidextrous activities and creativity remains insufficient. This study aimed to reveal the impact on organizational creative performance by integrating ambidextrous activities—which require the pursuit of dynamic tension and balance within teams—into the creative performance process. Data for hypothesis testing were collected at the team level from 147 teams at a representative firm in the domestic entertainment industry. First, team ambidexterity was redefined as the constructs of combination and balance through a latent congruence model, thereby integrating the various claims of prior research. Additionally, supervisor encouragement, autonomy, and time pressure—known as creative work environment factors influencing organizational creativity—were included in the analysis, confirming the moderating effects of work environment factors on the relationship between team ambidexterity and creative performance. The analysis results showed that the effect of ambidexterity balance on team creative performance was not significant, while ambidexterity combination had a positive effect. Regarding the moderating effects of work environment factors, supervisor encouragement was not significant, but significant moderating effects of autonomy and time pressure were confirmed. As autonomy increased, the impact of ambidexterity combination on creative performance grew larger, whereas the impact of ambidexterity balance on creative performance decreased. Furthermore, as time pressure increased, a buffering moderating effect was confirmed wherein the impact of ambidexterity combination on creative performance decreased.
