The Relationship Between Strategic Knowledge and Absorptive Capacity and their Impact in Enhancing Organizational Ambidexterity Through Strategic Agility
An Analytical Exploratory Study in some branches of Mobile Telecommunications Companies in Iraq
A Dissertation Submitted to the Council of the Faculty of Administration & Economics / Karbala University It is part of the requirements to obtain of a certificate Doctor Philosophy in Business Administration Sciences
Presented by
Ahmed Abdullah Amanah Al-Sammari
Supervised by
Prof. Dr. Akram Muhsen Mehdi Al-Yasiri
Assis. Prof. Dr. Hussein Huraja Khali Al-Hasnawi
Abstract
This study aimed to test the effect of the relationship between Strategic Knowledge and Absorptive Capacity in Enhancing Organizational Ambidexterity through Strategic Agility as an intermediate variable in Mobile telecommunications companies in Iraq. In order to achieve this, the Strategic Knowledge Dimensions are (Organizational Environment, Strategic Priorities and Organizational Capabilities) were been adopted based on Pappas(2001), and the Dimensions of the Absorptive Capacity are (Acquisition, Assimilation, Transformation, and Exploitation) of External and Internal knowledge based on Zahra&George(2002), and the Dimensions of Strategic Agility are (Strategic Sensitivity, Collective Commitment, and Resource Fluidity) were based on Doz&Kosonen(2008), and the Dimensions of Organizational Ambidexterity are (Exploratory Innovation and Exploitative Innovation) were based on Jansen(2005).
Mobile Telecommunications Companies in Iraq (Asia Cell, Zain Iraq, Korek Telecom, Alkafeel Omnnea and Iraq Cell) were selected within the Middle Euphrates region as well as the capital Baghdad to test this study by means of a questionnaire form as a key tool in collecting field survey data for the current study. It included (169) managers of companies and heads of departments and divisions, as well as the authorized managers of companies that have obtained exclusive agencies and staff of service centers scattered in the provinces sample study.
A range of appropriate statistical processing methods have been used in data analysis. Using the normal distribution test, And Confirmation Factor Analysis, A set of descriptive statistics, As well as correlation analysis (Pearson (Regression analysis using structural equation modeling, And Path Analysis.
One of the most important conclusions of the study is that the relationship between Strategic Knowledge and the Absorptive Capacity has an effective and moral effect on Enhancing Organizational Ambidexterity through the superior capabilities of the Strategic Agility of the organizations that helped them sustain their competitiveness and superiority over their competitors as a result of a strong and significant effect of independent variables (Strategic Knowledge and Absorptive Capacity) in organizational Ambidexterity for Organizations.
Key Words: Strategic Knowledge, Absorptive Capacity, Strategic Agility, Organizational Ambidexterity, Iraqi Mobile Telecommunications Companies.
