LAUSR

Abstract This paper discusses an on-going study that examines the role of organizational ambidexterity associated with the pursuit of Disruptive Innovation by incumbent organizations in the space sector. The study pursues evidence of the approaches used by organizations to pursue balance between the paradoxical tensions of exploration versus exploitation, and integration versus differentiation. Many authors have theorized how organizations might achieve such balance and some have produced empirical data to show how rare firms have survived a disruption. This study analyzes cases from the space sector as an example of a public service sector in which government agencies or regulators play a strong role. It is theorized that the unique interaction between firms and government within public service sectors may lead to different empirical patterns regarding innovation dynamics. Furthermore, well-established organizations may harness ambidexterity to simultaneously explore and exploit or to integrate and differentiate. The research question asks, how do well-established organizations in the space sector harness ambidexterity as part of their innovation strategy? This study reviews literature from organizational studies and innovation theory and proposes a framework by which to analyze the innovation behavior of incumbent organizations in the space sector. Specifically, the framework asks how organizations exercise ambidexterity in the areas of organizational architecture, culture, technology, policies, processes and communication.