An Original Theoretical and Empirical Contribution to Understanding Organisational Ambidexterity Under Severe Resource Constraints in Sub-Saharan African Firms

Organisational ambidexterity theory was developed in resource-rich, institutionally stable environments, and its applicability to sub-Saharan African firms operating under severe resource constraints and institutional fragility requires fundamental theoretical reconceptualisation. This study makes an original contribution by developing a Resource-Constrained Ambidexterity Theory (RCAT), which posits that ambidextrous performance under severe constraints requires distinct mechanisms from those identified in affluent economy research: specifically, constraint-induced creativity in exploration activities, informal knowledge networks substituting for formal R&D systems, and opportunistic sequencing of exploitation and exploration rather than simultaneous pursuit. Theory development combines systematic review of 150 existing ambidexterity studies with a comparative case study of 10 Nigerian firms achieving ambidextrous outcomes across manufacturing, financial services, and agricultural sectors. Data from 100 executive interviews and 5 years of performance tracking inform theoretical construct development and refinement. The RCAT is empirically tested using survey data from 280 Nigerian and Ghanaian firms, employing structural equation modelling with configural comparative analysis to identify the necessary and sufficient conditions for ambidextrous performance under constraints. Results confirm that constraint-induced creativity and informal knowledge networks are the primary ambidexterity mechanisms in the Sub-Saharan context, replacing formal R&D investment as the dominant exploration driver. Opportunistic sequencing is more prevalent and effective than simultaneous ambidexterity for resource-constrained firms. The study provides a theoretically original recontextualisation of ambidexterity theory and a practically relevant ambidexterity management model for Sub-Saharan African business leaders.

Keywords: organisational ambidexterity, resource constraints, sub-Saharan Africa, theory development, Nigeria