Organizational ambidexterity in tourism research : a systematic review

Abstract

The ambidexterity concept is largely used in the strategic management field. However, little is known about its use in travel, tourism, hospitality, leisure, and event research. This study offers not only the first comprehensive analysis of the use of this concept but also a rationale for why it should be more widely used in travel, tourism, hospitality, leisure, and event research. The results show that (1) ambidexterity is scarcely used by researchers, (2) most papers are based on empirical data, and (3) all empirical studies were done either in Europe or in Asia. Moreover, scholars have focused on three main outcomes: sustainability, human resources performance, and market performance. This review allowed us to advance suggestions for practice and future research.