Organisational Ambidexterity, Strategic HRM, and Firm Performance in Nigerian Consumer Electronics Companies

This study empirically examines the interplay among organisational ambidexterity (simultaneous exploration and exploitation activities), strategic HRM practices, and firm performance in Nigerian consumer electronics companies, drawing data from importers and assemblers in Lagos, Onitsha, and Kano. The consumer electronics market in Nigeria is characterized by rapid technological disruption and intense price competition, requiring firms to simultaneously optimize existing operations while developing new capabilities, a challenge with significant HR management implications. A quantitative analytical design was employed, with 195 senior managers and HR directors in 38 companies completing validated instruments. Hierarchical regression and conditional process analysis were applied. March's Ambidexterity Theory and Wright and McMahan's Strategic HRM Framework provide the theoretical grounding. Findings reveal that strategic HRM practices (flexible staffing, cross-functional training, and innovation-oriented performance rewards) positively predict both exploration and exploitation activities, and that this dual enablement partially explains firm performance outcomes. The moderating role of environmental turbulence is confirmed: in highly turbulent market environments, HR investments in exploration-oriented talent management produce stronger performance returns than exploitation-focused practices. The study fills a critical empirical gap: organisational ambidexterity has not previously been examined in relation to strategic HRM in Nigerian consumer markets, where informal sector competition and regulatory unpredictability create unique ambidexterity demands. Recommendations include differentiated HR practices for innovation versus operational units, ambidexterity metrics in HR scorecards, and R&D talent development incentives. Keywords: organisational ambidexterity, strategic HRM, firm performance, consumer electronics, Nigeria