An empirical examination of vacillation theory
实证检验了企业在探索与利用之间摇摆的频率和规模对绩效的影响，发现两者均呈倒U型关系，即过少或过多、过小或过大的摇摆都不利于绩效。
Research summary : Since N ickerson and Z enger (2002) proposed how vacillation may lead to organizational ambidexterity, large‐sample empirical tests of their theory have been missing. In this paper, we empirically examine the performance implications of vacillation. Building upon vacillation theory, we predict that the frequency and scale of vacillation will have inverted U ‐shaped relationships with firm performance. We test our hypotheses using patent‐based measures of exploration and exploitation in the context of technological innovation and knowledge search . Managerial summary : Firms often shift their focus on technological innovation and knowledge search from seeking new and novel knowledge (i.e., exploration) to extending and refining existing knowledge (i.e., exploitation) or vice versa. We examine how the frequency and scale of firms vacillating between exploration and exploitation may affect their performance. We find that both too infrequent or too frequent changes and a too small or too large scale of changes are not desirable . Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.