How paradoxical leadership affects ambidextrous innovation: The role of knowledge sharing

• Lin Yi

  Huazhong University of Science and Technology

• Hongyi Mao

  Guizhou University of Finance and Economics

• Zongjun Wang

  Huazhong University of Science and Technology

In an increasingly dynamic and complex competitive environment, leaders are likely to face contradictory demands and ambidextrous innovation. From the perspectives  of absorptive capacity and organizational inertia, we examined the relationship between paradoxical leadership and ambidextrous innovation, and the moderating role of knowledge sharing in this relationship. Participants were 306 senior or intermediate executives with innovative experience from high-technology companies in China. Results of our empirical analysis showed that paradoxical leadership was positively related to both exploratory and exploitative innovation. Knowledge sharing positively moderated both these relationships, such that, when knowledge sharing was high, stronger paradoxical leadership was correlated with more ambidextrous innovation. Theoretical and practical implications are discussed.

1. Lin Yi, Huazhong University of Science and Technology
   School of Management
2. Hongyi Mao, Guizhou University of Finance and Economics
   School of Business Administration
3. Zongjun Wang, Huazhong University of Science and Technology
   School of Management

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