Unlocking organizational ambidexterity via the role of cross-functional coopetition in quick-service restaurants

The study seeks to understand the antecedents influencing the effectiveness of cross-functional coopetition and the consequences that go deeper into the significance of cross-functional coopetition within Quick-Service Restaurants (QSRs) by examining its impact on organisational ambidexterity, specifically exploitative and exploratory innovation. Using partial least structural equation modelling (PLS-SEM), data was collected from 336 employees in QSRs. While the results confirmed the hypothesized relationships, development culture and hierarchy culture have no relationship to cross-functional coopetition. There is a link between cross-functional coopetitive ability and competition in (a) exploitative innovation and (b) exploratory innovation, but social cohesion makes that link stronger. Cross-functional coopetition partially mediates the relationship between both ‘organisational structure and culture’ and organisational ambidexterity. General implications of the findings for coopetition and research on both ‘organisational structure and culture’ and organisational ambidexterity are discussed.