Research Article
A Case Study on Ambidextrous Innovation of a Pharmaceutical Company though Firm’s Dynamic Capability
1 Bukwang Pharmaceutical, 2 Chung-Ang University
Published: January 2022 · Vol. 26, No. 3 · pp. 1-23
Full Text
Abstract
Technological innovation is an important factor in securing a company’s sustainable competitive advantages, profits, survival, and growth in a dynamic environment. Technological innovations may be classified into two components: i) exploratory innovations spurring the development of new technologies or processes paving the way for novel business opportunities, and ii) exploitative innovations focusing on advancing the existing technology or processes. Studies suggest that when bringing technological innovation, a company must maintain ambidextrous innovation which pursues both exploitative innovation and exploratory innovation to sustain its business. When Bukwang Pharmaceutical’s top management changed in 2013, internal data generated from this year were collected to identify the company’s dynamic capabilities and understand each capability’s effect on technological innovations. Also, the company’s proprietary strategy in managing trade-off characteristics when conducting exploratory and exploitative innovation simultaneously was investigated. As the result, Bukwang “sense” both exploratory and exploitive innovation opportunities through international conferences and networking. And the Company seize total of 8 exploratory innovation opportunities and 2 exploitive opportunities. Those opportunities were screened and selected by the corresponding department in Bukwang. Bukwang orchestrated possible tension and conflict between two modes of innovation by “organization separation.”
