controversies of inter-organizational ambidexterity

Generally conceptualized at an intra-organizational level, ambidexterity can also appear at an inter-organizational level when organizations decide to collaborate and distribute activities of exploration and activities of exploitation according to their specialty. In this paper, we investigate these collaborations, often presented as win-win solutions. On the basis of two case studies of R&D partnerships benefiting from regional subsidies, we show the tensions which cross these alliances and the controversies which divide the partners. Our analysis, based on actor-network theory, indicates that the conditions of a successful inter-organizational ambidexterity do not exist a priori. The success of the partnership rather rests on a continuous translation process creating the convergence between the stakeholders.