Talk title: Understanding the meaning and management of exploration and exploitation in the context of small- and medium-sized IT consulting firms: An application of a paradox perspective

Speaker affiliation: Matthias Werner, WWU

Talk abstract: The high innovation pace in the IT sector requires IT consulting firms to innovate and learn constantly and in ever shorter cycles to ensure revenues in the long term. At the same time, IT consulting firms face high pressure to apply their current knowledge efficiently, which shapes a business model focusing on billable hours and short-term revenue. Compared to large IT consulting firms, small- and medium-sized IT consulting firms face greater resource scarcity to deal with short-term and long-term demands. This work-in-progress study aims to understand how these demands manifest and are managed in the context of small- and medium-sized IT consulting firms. Previous research frequently recurred to the concept of ambidexterity and assumed a rather conflicting relationship between activities of short-term and long-term character. This study applies a paradox perspective to identify how small- and medium-sized IT consulting firms engage in both separating and integrative practices to manage these disparate demands.