Management of service quality – differences in values, practices and outcomes

Key enabling factors for organizational ambidexterity in the public sector

Purpose

The capability of an organization to perform not only incremental quality improvements to the existing processes and products but also innovative or radical improvements that explore new opportunities is referred to as organizational ambidexterity. Research indicates that the long-term success of organizations demands a dynamic balancing of and excelling at both perspectives. However, there is considerably less clarity as regards how this can be achieved. The purpose of this paper is to empirically explore enabling factors for organizational ambidexterity in the public sector.

Design/methodology/approach

This study is a qualitative study based on interviews with managers at two public organizations in Sweden. The analysis is conducted using a soft system methodology.

Findings

Nine enabling factors for organizational ambidexterity are identified and presented in two pictures inspired by the Soft System Methodology. The study indicates that it above all is important to create leeway for exploration to achieve organizational ambidexterity in the public sector. The study strengthens the belief that some quality movement values and tools can be considered important, whereas others can counteract the ability to achieve organizational ambidexterity in public administration.

Practical implications

Practitioners and scholars can use the identified enablers and the Soft System Methodology presented in this study to examine and develop the organizational ambidexterity of other public organizations.

Originality/value

This study explores empirically the concept of ambidexterity in the public sector, a perspective that few previous scholars have studied.

Choosing the Best Business Improvement Strategy: The Effects of Organisational Size and Sector on Management Decision-Making

Managers in all sorts of organisations face difficult choices in choosing what, why and when different business improvement methodologies should be applied. Many approaches are available, which exhibit various degrees of overlap, reinvention and claims of universal application. Given the resources involved, especially in regard to time and costs, there is a need to provide some form of guidance in choosing a business improvement methodology or combination of approaches. The aim of this paper is to review the effects of organisational size and sector on management choice of business improvement methodology.

A multi-method approach is used in this research. Firstly, an empirical research methodology is used to survey 800 UK organisations, encompassing different sizes and sectors, in relation to their choice of business improvement methodology. The findings indicate that business improvement methodologies are not universal. Multiple case study analysis (still ongoing) was conducted within five large organisations. Reference is made to preliminary analysis carried out within one of the organisations under study. This case illustrates that executives will introduce business improvement methodologies based on the needs of the organisation, as well as facilitate the transfer of learning and knowledge from experts who are familiar with the application of these tools.