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Existing studies have paid less attention to the impact of knowledge accumulation on digital transformation and its boundary conditions. Hence, this study aims to investigate the effects of ambidextrous knowledge accumulation on manufacturing digital transformation under the moderation of dynamic capability.

This study divides knowledge accumulation into exploratory and exploitative knowledge accumulation and divides dynamic capability into alliance management capability and new product development capability. To clarify the relationship among ambidextrous knowledge accumulation, dynamic capability and manufacturing digital transformation, the authors collect data from 421 Chinese listed manufacturing enterprises from 2016 to 2020 and perform analysis by multiple hierarchical regression method, heterogeneity test and robustness analysis.

The empirical results show that both exploratory and exploitative knowledge accumulation can significantly promote manufacturing digital transformation. Keeping ambidextrous knowledge accumulation in parallel is more conducive than keeping single-dimensional knowledge accumulation. Besides, dynamic capability positively moderates the relationship between ambidextrous knowledge accumulation and manufacturing digital transformation. Moreover, the heterogeneity test shows that the impact of ambidextrous knowledge accumulation and dynamic capabilities on manufacturing digital transformation varies widely across different industry segments or different regions.

First, this paper shifts attention to the role of ambidextrous knowledge accumulation in manufacturing digital transformation and expands the connotation and extension of knowledge accumulation. Second, this study reveals that dynamic capability is a vital driver of digital transformation, which corroborates the previous findings of dynamic capability as an important driver and contributes to enriching the knowledge management literature. Third, this paper provides a comprehensive micro measurement of ambidextrous knowledge accumulation and digital transformation based on the development characteristics of the digital economy era, which provides a theoretical basis for subsequent research.

For survival and prosperity, enterprises need to simultaneously engage in exploitation and exploration. Digital transformation is of great significance to enterprise innovation. However, the impacts of digital transformation on exploitation and exploration remain unclear. Moreover, the impacts of technological diversity on the relationships between digital transformation and exploitation and exploration are also unknown.

Based on an integrated perspective of dynamic capability theory and organizational inertia theory and using data from Chinese listed enterprises from 2007 to 2020, this study clarifies the effects of digital transformation on exploitation and exploration and assesses the moderating effect of technological diversity.

The results show that digital transformation improves exploitation, but negatively impacts exploration. Technological diversity mitigates the negative effect of digital transformation on exploration, but the moderating effect on the relationship between digital transformation and exploitation is not significant.

This study contributes to the existing literature on the digital paradox and provides guidance for enterprises to clarify the direction of digital transformation.