Strategic ambidexterity in green product innovation: Obstacles and implications

Scholars and managers routinely point to various uncertainties in explaining why manufacturing firms struggle with green product innovation is different from conventional innovation. This explanation yet unsatisfactory as a thorough understanding of how firm deals uncertainty exists literature. At the same time, there lack agreement firm's capabilities shape its practices, which could contribute this gap. Based on case study at five multinational manufacturers, paper sets out capability perspective by learn innovate order make sell greener products. A powerful favored way for under through strategic ambidexterity. With learning strategy, rely existing competences one area (exploitation) while they simultaneously explore new another (exploration). However, our results show that ambidexterity oftentimes unachievable due several factors, result, are forced choose between highly uncertain risky alternative strategy more conservative but also less based exploitation only, often preferred option. In addition, findings shed light role we conclude face indeed abundant, fundamentally not nor caused external sources only.