Eight organizational enablers of digital service-sales ambidexterity in industrial firms
Journal of Business & Industrial Marketing
ISSN: 0885-8624
Article publication date: 19 November 2021
Issue publication date: 15 November 2022
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this study is to explore organizational enablers of frontline employees’ (FLEs) service-sales ambidexterity (SSA) in industrial firms expanding their digital service portfolios.
Design/methodology/approach
The authors conducted a qualitative study of five industrial firms pursuing digital service growth and, for this purpose, collected and analyzed interview data obtained from 50 service and sales managers and FLEs across three continents.
Findings
The authors identify and explain eight organizational enablers of digital service-sales ambidexterity (DSSA), operating at the macro, micro and meso levels.
Practical implications
Service and sales managers should use the identified organizational enablers to exploit the established service business and to explore new digital growth paths.
Originality/value
The study expands the prior understanding of SSA by advancing the concept of DSSA, unpacking its multilevel dynamics and operationalizing eight organizational enablers.
Keywords
Acknowledgements
This article is based on the first author’s dissertation, which was chaired by the second author. This work was supported by the Swiss Innovation Agency Innosuisse under grant 34121.1 IP-SBM.
Citation
Classen, M. and Friedli, T. (2022), "Eight organizational enablers of digital service-sales ambidexterity in industrial firms", Journal of Business & Industrial Marketing, Vol. 37 No. 11, pp. 2142-2155. https://doi.org/10.1108/JBIM-02-2021-0080
Publisher
:Emerald Publishing Limited
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