Adapting to learn and learning to adapt: How professional service firms organize for ambidextrous learning

Abstract

Digitalization is causing organizations and their members to reflect and rethink their knowledge bases and needs, as well as organizational forms and means for staying competitive. For professional service firms (PSFs), this is especially challenging as they rely on—and offer their clients—professional expertise that builds on a well-defined domain of knowledge and professional jurisdiction. In this article, we explore how two classic, elite PSFs organize to learn about digital technologies residing outside their organizational and professional boundaries. Building on the literature on ambidextrous learning, we find that they do so by adapting to learn, that is, starting innovation labs aimed at explorative learning. This also enables them to learn to adapt, meaning that they develop abilities to dynamically adapt to contextual changes. Based on our analysis we develop three propositions for what aspects influence how PSFs organize for structural and/or contextual ambidexterity. We contribute to the theorizing of how PSFs can organize to encourage ambidextrous learning and digital innovation while at the same time protecting the professional core and organizational culture and reputation.