Utforskning och exploatering: att hantera paradoxen i digitala bolag. En kvalitativ fallstudie om hur ledare i SaaS-bolag hanterar spänningen om att utforska nya möjligheter eller effektivisera med befintliga kompetenser

Abstract

Leadership in technology-intensive companies plays a central role in how organizations balance the paradox between exploration and exploitation. The purpose of this thesis is to create a deeper understanding of how this balance is managed in technology-based organizations through capabilities, strategies, and trade-offs, based on March’s (1991) theory of organizational learning. The thesis highlights how leaders in technologically changing environments interpret uncertainty, risk, and resources, and how these interpretations are reflected through different ambidextrous approaches. Furthermore, comparisons are made between leaders' trade-offs and experiences that form the basis for decision-making between conflicting logics. The report shows that leaders' choices are largely shaped by how they perceive the uncertainty and pace of change in the world around them. Environments that are perceived as stable prioritize exploitation and incremental improvement, while changing environments prioritize exploration and innovation. The conclusion shows that there is no universal strategy for SaaS companies, but that the optimal balance between exploration and exploitation is a continuous trade-off that is reshaped by how leaders form ambidexterities and how they prioritize signals that are then translated into opportunities.