Ambidexterity in the search phase of the innovation process: first results of an empirical study

The aim of this work is to study ambidexterity capability in the search phase of the innovation process; in particular we want to look at the differences in terms of search practices between firms that show ambidexterity capability in the search phase of the innovation process and firms that do not show such a capability. In other words our interest is focused on analyzing the practices put in place by a sample of Italian firms to search for new knowledge (both local and distant) and to examine if there is some heterogeneity in the use of these practices between ambidextrous and non-ambidextrous firms. To this purpose, a survey has been carried out collecting data from a sample of medium high tech Italian firms