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Edgar Perez is a 2018 graduate of the PHD Program in Leadership and Change at Antioch University.

Dr. Edgar Perez, Ph.D.[left] at his Dissertation Defense with Dissertation Chair, Dr. Mitchell Kusy [right].

Dissertation Committee

  • Mitchell Kusy, Ph.D.. Chair
  • Donna Chrobot-Mason, Ph.D., Committee Member
  • Elizabeth Holloway, Ph.D., Committee Member

Keywords

Adaptive capacity, Ambidexterity, Mixed methods, Social networks, Social capital, Resilience, Scale development, Organizations

Document Type

Dissertation

Publication Date

2018

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to develop a resilient network ambidexterity scale. While numerous research efforts have considered the dimensions of social capital, resilience, and adaptive capacity to evaluate organizations and communities, few have explored social network indicators within organizations that can be used to mobilize ambidextrous strategies during times of disruption. The emphasis here was to understand the tendencies and behaviors that networks possess to sustain or achieve success along the parallel strategies of optimization and exploration. This study progressed in three specific phases toward filling this void in organizational development literature, using a mixed-methods approach. Phase 1 was the development of the item pool and analysis of the scale to establish face and content validity. Phase 2 included administering an online survey to 344 participants. Data collected were analyzed using exploratory factor analysis, followed by a partial confirmatory factor analysis These revealed a two-factor solution central to identifying resilient network ambidexterity: Optimizing Organizational Boundaries and Exploring Novelty. Phase 3 involved getting feedback on the revised scale from organizational leaders and practitioners working in innovative fields to refine the final RNA instrument. This research made connections between resilience and ambidexterity in organizations through ongoing inquiry on ways that fusing distinct paradigms impacts organizational outcomes. The development of this scale can serve as a useful tool for organizations to assess their level of resilience and mobilize the features of optimization and exploration. This dissertation is available in open access at AURA: Antioch University Repository and Archive, http://aura.antioch.edu/ and Ohiolink ETD Center, https://etd.ohiolink.edu/

Comments

Edgar Perez, Ph.D.

ORCID Scholar ID#: 0000-0002-4384-9878

Eddie is passionate about developing ambidextrous practices in organizations. Over his 20-year career in the U.S. Army Special Forces, he witnessed firsthand the value of understanding complexity leadership and complex adaptive systems. As part of his dissertation journey, he and an Antioch colleague developed a model of resilience thinking for organizations to enhance their adaptive capacity and encourage ambidextrous strategic thinking during disruptions.

Eddie is the principal of Tierra Firma Consulting and works with organizations and leadership teams on how to mobilize ambidextrous strategies and bounce forward during episodic periods of disruption.

Eddie earned a Ph.D. in Leadership and Organizational Change from Antioch University where his research involved developing a rapid assessment tool to assess the potential organizations possess to mobilize ambidextrous strategies during disruptions.

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