TY - JOUR

T1 - Organizational ambidexterity and student achievement

T2 - Do knowledge exploration and exploitation in schools make a difference?

AU - Pietsch, Marcus

AU - Aydin, Burak

AU - Montecinos, Carmen

AU - Bellibaş, Mehmet Şükrü

PY - 2024/12/4

Y1 - 2024/12/4

N2 - While studies on ambidexterity and its impact on outcomes have been ubiquitous in organizational research, the literature regarding its nature in schools has been scarce and has lacked information about its impact on student achievement. To address this research gap, this study examined the interactive role of the two dimensions of ambidexterity—exploration and exploitation—in accounting for variations in school-level average student achievement in language and math. Additionally, we investigated the moderating role of several school-context variables (school size, school location [rural or urban], student poverty, and school type). We used data from a random sample of 295 schools in Chile, estimated structural equation models, applied response surface analysis, and employed machine learning. The results showed that a high integration of exploration and exploitation, and hence ambidexterity, was significantly related to student achievement. In high-poverty schools, a focus on acquiring new knowledge and exploring innovations can function as a catalyst for reducing the achievement gap. We conclude that the integration of exploration and exploitation in schools could help schools increase student achievement and reduce educational inequalities.

AB - While studies on ambidexterity and its impact on outcomes have been ubiquitous in organizational research, the literature regarding its nature in schools has been scarce and has lacked information about its impact on student achievement. To address this research gap, this study examined the interactive role of the two dimensions of ambidexterity—exploration and exploitation—in accounting for variations in school-level average student achievement in language and math. Additionally, we investigated the moderating role of several school-context variables (school size, school location [rural or urban], student poverty, and school type). We used data from a random sample of 295 schools in Chile, estimated structural equation models, applied response surface analysis, and employed machine learning. The results showed that a high integration of exploration and exploitation, and hence ambidexterity, was significantly related to student achievement. In high-poverty schools, a focus on acquiring new knowledge and exploring innovations can function as a catalyst for reducing the achievement gap. We conclude that the integration of exploration and exploitation in schools could help schools increase student achievement and reduce educational inequalities.

KW - Educational science

KW - Ambidexterity

KW - Exploitation

KW - Exploration

KW - Knowledge

KW - Poverty

KW - Student achievement

U2 - 10.1016/j.jik.2024.100636

DO - 10.1016/j.jik.2024.100636

M3 - Journal articles

VL - 10

JO - Journal of Innovation and Knowledge

JF - Journal of Innovation and Knowledge

SN - 2530-7614

IS - 1

M1 - 100636

ER -