Wendy Smith
Research and Publications
My research
explores strategic paradoxes – contradictory yet interrelated
strategies. Managers face tensions such as exploring and exploiting,
stability and flexibility, global and local, financial and social.
Traditional organizational scholarship responds to these tensions with a
contingency approach, choosing the right strategy for the right
situation (Lawrence & Lorsch, 1967). In contrast, I draw from a paradox
perspective which argues that managing contradictory strategies
simultaneously enables long-term organizational sustainability (i.e.
Cameron & Quinn, 1988; Lewis, 2000). I specifically explore the
characteristics and processes of organizations and their top management
teams as they explore for tomorrow while exploiting for today, or as
they strive for financial success even while engaging a social mission.
This meso-level research links micro- and team-level characteristics and
processes with more macro-level outcomes, drawing heavily on rich
qualitative data.
I have developed three streams of research that
address the issues of paradoxical management. Please find below papers
and working papers for each of these streams of research.
1) Paradox Theory – Organizational scholars are increasingly applying a paradox framework to varied phenomena. Through investigating these multiple applications of paradox theory, I explore the underlying assumptions, antecedents, consequences, and boundary conditions of this theoretical lens. (see below)
2) Ambidexterity – Managing Exploration and Exploitation – What enables top management teams to effectively exploit existing products for today while exploring new opportunities for tomorrow? I study the leadership functions and processes of top management teams as they simultaneously explore and exploit. (see below)
3) Social Enterprises - Managing Social and Financial – I apply a paradox lens to the challenges of engaging both social and financial goals simultaneously. This research focuses on senior leadership decision making, as well as how senior leaders translate these tensions to their middle managers. (see below)
Smith, W. K. and Lewis, M. W. 2011. Toward a Theory of Paradox: A Dynamic Equilibrium Model of Organizing. Academy of Management Review, 36(2): 381-403. download
Smith, W.
K., Lewis, M. W., & Tushman, M. 2011.
Organizational sustainability: Organization design and senior leadership
to enable strategic paradox. In K. Cameron, & G. Spreitzer (Eds.),
The Oxford Handbook of Positive Organizational Scholarship:
798-810. New York, NY: Oxford University Press.
Dobrow, S., Smith, W., &
Posner, M. 2011. Managing the grading paradox: Leveraging the power of
choice in the classroom.
Academy of Management Learning & Education, 10(2): 261-276.
Smith, W. K.
2009. A Dynamic Approach to Managing Contradictions.
Industrial and
Organizational Psychology: Perspectives on Science and Practice, 2:
338-343.
Lewis, M.
Smith, W.K.
Andriopoulos, C., Strategic Agility as Managing Paradox.
Working Paper. Please email for
a copy.
2)
Ambidexterity – Managing Exploration and Exploitation
Tushman, M., Smith, W.K., &
Binns, A. 2011. The Ambidextrous CEO.
Harvard Business Review,
89(6): 1700-1706.
Binns, A., Smith, W.K. 2011.
Managing Paradox: The Discipline of Strategic Execution. The
European Business Review,
Smith, W.
K.,
Binns, A., & Tushman, M. 2010.
Complex Business Models: Managing Strategic Paradox Simultaneously.
Long Range Planning,
43: 448-461.
Tushman, M., Smith, W. K.,
Wood, R., Westerman, G., & O'Reilly, C. 2010.
Organizational Design and
Innovation Streams.
Industrial and Corporate Change. 19:5. 1331-1366.
Smith, W.
K., and Tushman, M. 2005.
Senior Teams and Managing
Contradictions: On the Team Dynamics of Managing Exploitation and
Exploration.
Organization Science,
16: 522-536.
Reprinted: Smith, W. K. &
Tushman, M. 2007. Gestion des
Contradctions Strategiques. In F. Bournois & J. Duval-Hamel & S.
Roussillon & J.-L. Scaringella (Eds.),
Comites Executifs: Voyage au
coeur de la dirigeance: 37-46. Paris: Eyrolles: Editions
d'Organisations.
Reprinted: Smith, W. K. and
Tushman. M. (2010). Managing Strategic Contradictions: A Top Management
Team Model for Simultaneously Exploring and Exploiting.
Handbook of Top Management
Teams. F. Bournois, J. Duval-Hamel, S. Roussillon and J.-L.
Scaringella. Houndmills, Palgrave-MacMillian: 60-70.
Tushman, M., and W. K. Smith.
2002. Organizational Technology. J. Baum (Ed.),
Companion to Organization,
Malden, MA,
Blackwell. 386-414.
Gatignon, H., M. Tushman, W.K.
Smith, and P. Anderson. 2002.
A Structural Approach to Assessing Innovation:
Construct Development of Innovation Locus, Type, and
Characteristics. Management Science,
48: 1103-1122.
Smith,
W.K. Dynamic Decision Making:
Supporting Multiple Strategic Goals Simultaneously.
3)
Social
Enterprises – Managing Social and Financial
Smith, W.K. and
Besharov, M. A Paradoxical Leadership Model for Social Entrepreneurs:
Challenges, Leadership Skills, and Pedagogical Tools for Managing a
Double Bottom Line.
Working Paper.
Please email
for a copy.
Besharov, M. and
Smith W.K.
Conflicting Logics in Hybrid Organizations: A Process Model of
Internal Organizational Responses.
Working Paper.
Please
email for a copy.
Smith, W.K. and
M. Besharov. Managing Social
and Financial Goals Simultaneously: A Case Study of a Global Social
Enterprise.
Working Paper.