Fiona Sutherland

Duality theory and the management of the change–stability paradox

This article proposes that duality theory plays a role in obtaining more nuanced and textured insights into the complex, paradoxical stability–change nexus by illustrating how tensions are managed not through definitive resolution toward one pole or the other, but through improvised boundary heuristics that establish a broad conforming imperative while opening up enabling mechanisms. Duality thinking also reinforces the need to discard assumptions about opposing values, instead replacing them with an appreciation of complementary concepts. The article explores the characteristics of dualities to allow managers to chart what they are seeking from their management interventions and subsequent choices in structural support systems. A key benefit of identifying and explaining duality characteristics comes in attempting to understand how to mediate between two contradictory dimensions of organizing, such as continuity and change. Our argument is that both need to be encouraged, but this requires a particular mindset where the problem of mediation viewed as the need to work towards simultaneity and synergistic mutuality rather than resolution of action between the two opposing dimensions.

Changing Forms of Organizing

This chapter charts the evolution of organizing forms, in particular the nature and scope of exploration and exploitation as complementary forces stimulating change and continuity. The chapter contextualizes the emergence of ambidexterity as the capacity to both use and refine existing knowledge while also creating new knowledge. Further, ambidexterity capability may be leveraged through a duality-based organizing forms architecture, providing the means for enabling organizations to explore and exploit with equal success. Finally, the chapter highlights how ambidexterity capability introduces a unique process view of the explore—exploit tension that draws on duality theory as an explanatory framework.

The Efficient Innovator

This chapter reviews the contents of the book and its central arguments. It acknowledges that external change operates as a consistent presence rather than as an exception, but that a productive organizational response incorporates both instability and stability. This culminates in a paradox of sorts, wherein sustainable success demands a commitment to simultaneously high levels of both innovation and control. It is at this energetic intersection of both where ambidexterity capability receives its impetus. The chapter highlights the book’s proposition that success requires simultaneous exploration and exploitation in high doses, encouraging tension and discontinuity. Finally, the chapter summarizes the argument for a duality ecosystem fostering ambidexterity because it augments the conversion of ideas into commercial implementation without compromising speed.

Embracing the Tension

This chapter furthers the book’s proposition that at the heart of duality theory resides the explore—exploit problem, which is concerned with how firms can stimulate innovation for the future while maintaining a high return upon existing opportunities. It also addresses how to build ambidexterity capability. Based on longitudinal case study data, the chapter suggests that one productive method for developing ambidexterity capability involves pursuing a dual organizational identity embracing innovation and efficiency as mutually inclusive pursuits. The chapter draws on the case evidence to show that a leader sensegiving/sensemaking communications strategy needs to shift from one formulated around constancy, efficiency, and control to one imbued with duality thinking. The chapter also connects the case evidence with theory.

Designing Business Innovation

This chapter examines a case study focusing on the practical transition of innovation ‘wow’ to practical ‘how.’ It establishes some concrete recommendations for developing ambidexterity capability based on a combination of case lessons, results from salient research, and experience in melding the two. The chapter connects design and innovation, identifies some of the most useful tools and techniques, and prescribes a series of actions stimulating ambidexterity capability. The case data reinforces the nonlinear nature of innovation. In addition, the chapter witnesses the failure of reductionistic attempts to commoditize design thinking, which tend to produce mechanistic outcomes. However, it also demonstrates how powerful design thinking and its associated methodologies and tools can be in democratizing innovation in a conservative, declining firm.

The Innovation Imperative

This chapter establishes the context, background, and aims for the book noting that organizations must manage ostensibly opposing forms, such as stability and change, and freedom and accountability. Organizations therefore need to manage simultaneously for both efficiency (exploitation) and flexibility (exploration). The chapter foreshadows the book’s key premise that the exploration—exploitation tension represents a ‘duality’ that must be embraced rather than resolved. It foreshadows the results of several longitudinal research cases demonstrating that innovation works best when in concert with efficiency, rather than as a stand-alone or as an alternating on and off priority. Finally, the chapter introduces how innovation capacity can be developed through ambidexterity capability.

Are body image and eating attitudes, behaviours, and knowledge of parents of pre-schoolers associated with parent feeding practices?

Some parent feeding practices have been linked to disordered eating and higher BMIs in children. Relatively little research has examined factors that influence parent feeding practices. The aim of this study was to identify relationships between the parent feeding practices that have been linked to unhealthy eating patterns in children, and parent body image, eating attitudes, behaviours, and knowledge. Participants were 326 parents of pre-school children from Victoria (97.5% mothers). Parents completed measures of parent body dissatisfaction, body image knowledge, dieting behaviours, and parent feeding practices of their child closest to four years old (58% girls, aged 2-6 years). Knowledge scores were inversely associated with a number of negative feeding practices, including instrumental feeding, and with the frequency of parents reporting negative behavioural intentions to brief vignettes reflecting appearance-based stigma. Parent weight and shape concerns were positively associated with restrictive feeding practices, including restricting high-fat foods in their pre-schooler. Parent dieting was positively related to restricting and controlling feeding practices. Given that such parent feeding practices are associated with long-term risk of weight gain and disordered eating in children, these findings highlight the need for prevention interventions for parents of pre-schoolers. This abstract was presented in the Parental Roles in Prevention and Support stream of the 2014 ANZAED Conference.

A parent's guide to promoting positive body image in their young children: development of a prevention resource

Body dissatisfaction (BD) and eating disorders (EDs) commonly emerge during adolescence, but foundations for these problems are laid during childhood. Also, some research has demonstrated that BD is increasingly prevalent in younger children. Parents play an important role in fostering positive environments for their children; however, parents need information and skills to facilitate this. This presentation describes the development of a resource to support parents in this task. First, a literature review identified parental risk factors for child BD and EDs. Second, focus groups with 43 parents of children aged 1 to 6 years and interviews with 11 early childhood professionals highlighted that parents require more information about body image (BI) and the roles they can play in promoting childrens positive BI. A concise and evidence-based resource with realistic guidelines in multiple formats was favoured. Accordingly, a resource has been developed in booklet and website formats, providing parents with information about what influences a childs BI and practical tips to help their child develop positive BI. There are also several parent and child activities, all of which will be described. The resource is being evaluated using a randomised controlled trial with parents of children aged between 2 and 6 years. This abstract was presented in the Prevention stream of the 2013 ANZAED Conference.