Dynamic innovation model for ambidextrous SMEs: Insights from a bibliometrics analysis

Abstract

Purpose: Ambidextrous SME innovations and technology models have led to success stories in the past. They face new challenges due to increasing uncertainty in the business environment. Purpose: The study reviews ambidexterity literature to determine trends and themes existing in the body of literature on ambidexterity.

Design/methodology/approach: The study employed a bibliometric and Vosviewer analysis of 1808 articles published on Scopus database from 1999–2022. The study used several indicators including data overview (scientific production in the area and three field-plot), conceptual structure (co-occurrence network, thematic map, and evolution), keyword analysis, and thematic mapping.

Findings/results: The analysis indicated five main themes on which the ambidexterity literature focuses. The results revealed that the key themes in ambidexterity literature are continuous innovation, knowledge management, dynamic capabilities, entrepreneurial and market orientation, enterprise resource management (ERM), and business performance.

Practical implications: The review highlighted that SMEs struggle more in dynamic business environments. Business changes in recent years have proved the importance of innovation, ERM, knowledge management, and dynamic capabilities as beneficial factors for achieving enhanced performance.

Originality/value: The analysis reveals several links in literature and valuable insights into possible models that can be scaled up and replicated across different industries. Themes in the domain mainly focussed on knowledge management, firm performance, digital transformation, open innovation, dynamic capabilities as well as entrepreneurial and marketing orientation The proposed business model can assist SMEs owners and managers in swiftly adapting to unpredictability in the changing business climate caused by the recent pattern of events.