Firms in emerging economies face unique challenges stemming from environmental dynamism, limited resources, uncertain conditions, and intense competition, necessitating swift strategic innovation decisions to ensure survival and growth (Kyrdoda, Balzano & Marzi 2023; Yunita et al. 2023). Small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in emerging economies like South Africa encounter challenges such as limited product innovation (Sarfo, Manesh & Caputo 2024), limited technology adoption, human resource shortages, financial resource constraints (Mhlongo & Daya 2023), restricted market penetration, cyber-attacks, and operational uncertainty. Market restrictions compound these challenges and necessitate innovative strategies for survival and growth (Partanen et al. 2019). However, SMEs in these contexts struggle to apply existing knowledge effectively to innovation amidst such uncertainty, especially in resource-constrained countries such as South Africa (Cenamor, Parida & Wincent 2019; Zacca, Dayan & Ahrens 2015). This signifies the need for SMEs to develop strategic capabilities that enable agility, adaptability, and competitive resilience. It becomes imperative for these firms to foster a culture of innovation and agility to adapt to the rapidly evolving landscape. Many SMEs seek to discover their niches to establish a competitive advantage (Chigori 2023; Galli-Debicella 2021).

In today’s digital age, reliance on existing technologies requires SMEs to have human resources management skills. They must also explore new technologies and adapt to changing market dynamics to stay competitive (Indrawati, Caska & Suarman 2020). One increasingly significant capability in line with these challenges is digital ambidexterity (DA), which is the ability to exploit existing digital technologies and explore new digital technologies (Costa, Soares, & De Sousa 2020). However, for SMEs to develop and deploy DA, they need significant resources, which many SMEs lack. Partanen et al. (2019) confirm the struggle with concurrent exploitation and exploration strategies due to resource constraints. Developing DA requires a strategic approach that balances immediate goals with a long-term vision and invests in necessary resources and capabilities (Choi, Ha & Kim 2021; Wang, Li & Qi 2023). This strategy entails thoroughly assessing the current technological landscape and identifying opportunities to leverage existing technologies effectively through network capabilities (NCs).

To assist SMEs in addressing their internal limitations, NC, which is the firm’s ability to build and leverage inter-firm relationships, is acknowledged by researchers (Liao, Hu & Wei 2023; Shu, Ren & Zheng 2018). Networking capabilities have been cited as central to engaging with other businesses and industry experts, providing SMEs with access to new ideas, resources, and market opportunities previously beyond their reach (Audretsch et al. 2023; Parida et al. 2016). These networks are crucial in eliminating resource constraints and facilitating knowledge creation by providing access to diverse and valuable information across organisational boundaries. Through such collaborations, SMEs can enhance their innovation capabilities and improve their chances of success in digital exploitation and digital exploration strategies (Audretsch et al. 2023; Costa et al. 2020). Learning through collaboration and information sharing is crucial for SMEs to remain competitive amid ever-changing market conditions (Chigori 2023).

Thus, leveraging NC becomes imperative for SMEs in emerging economies to navigate various complexities (poor product innovations (Sarfo et al. 2024), technology adaptation, human resources shortages, financial resources (Mhlongo & Daya 2023), restricted market penetration, cyber-attacks, and operational uncertainty) and ultimately ensuring their long-term viability and growth.

Small and medium enterprises can benefit from employing digital exploration and exploitation initiatives to shape their strategies in response to economic pressures (Guo et al. 2020; Wei, Yi & Guo 2014). Given the complexities of managing technology in SMEs, the concept of a firm’s NC becomes crucial for enhancing visibility and success.

Despite the growing body of literature on ambidexterity and NC, little is known about the relationship between DC and NC. It is worth noting that limited knowledge exists on how NC moderates the relationship between DA and business performance (BP) in SMEs within emerging markets (Chigori 2023). Most existing studies examine these constructs in isolation or apply them in large firms in developed countries, which limits the applicability of the findings to SME contexts such as South Africa, where economic volatility and resource scarcity prevail. Therefore, a critical knowledge gap exists regarding how SMEs can leverage network-based strategies to enhance the effectiveness of DA and improve SME performance. This study addressed this gap by exploring the impact of NC on the relationship between DA and SME BP.

Scholars view NC and DA through different theoretical lenses.

Some of the key theories that explain these constructs are the knowledge creation theory (Walter et al. 2006; Wang et al. 2023), social ties theory (Partanen et al. 2019), the resource-based view (RBV) (Jugdev & Mathur 2013; Walter et al. 2006), and the dynamic capabilities theory (DC) (Schoemaker, Heaton & Teece 2018; Shuen, Feiler & Teece 2014; Teece 2007). These theories converge on a key principle: Firms must develop capabilities to access, integrate, and reconfigure internal and external resources. The current study is grounded within the RBV and DC perspectives. The RBV framework informs how firms achieve sustainable advantage through valuable, rare, inimitable, and non-substitutable endeavours (Barney 1991). The different valuable, rare, inimitable, and non-substitutable vary from physical assets, human resources, skills, and firm competencies, which SMEs lack due to resource scarcity. The RBV overlooks the reality that business environments are always changing. The DC view, on the other hand, emphasises how firms reconfigure their resource base over time in changing environments. For instance, Teece, Pisano & Shuen (1997) view DC as processes that enable firms to build, integrate, and reconfigure internal and external competences to address market change. Eisenhardt and Martin (2000) similarly characterise DC as the firm’s processes for reconfiguring, integrating, acquiring and releasing resources to match market changes. Based on the preceding view, DA and NC are conceptualised as dynamic capabilities comprising routines through which a firm alters its resource configurations in a turbulent context.

As a dynamic capability, DA facilitates sensing technological opportunities and recombining digital resources with existing processes. Network capability is the firm’s ability to develop and leverage inter-organisational relationships (Walter et al. 2006). Network capability enables the firm to access complementary external resources and knowledge, facilitating innovation and adaptation (Partanen et al. 2019). Both DA and NC embody resource integration and reconfiguration processes consistent with DC theory: DA supports sensing and seizing digital opportunities, while NC provides the platform to integrate these new resources through relationships (Eisenhardt & Martin 2000). Walter et al. (2006) found that a firm’s NC ensures the capacity to develop and utilise ties, which is significant for underscoring NC as a performance-relevant capability.

Within this framing, causal logic shows that DA influences NC and later performance. Thus, DA enhances NC by generating rich information flows and connective technology (e.g. digital platforms and communication tools) that strengthen external linkages. In other words, by exploiting and exploring digital tech, firms produce knowledge and connectivity that deepen their network relationships. The inclusion of knowledge management (KM) is theorised as a complementary dynamic capability that underpins these processes. Effective KM routines (e.g. knowledge sharing, codification, learning systems) ensure that knowledge generated by digital exploration and network interactions is captured and disseminated (Walter et al. 2006). Partanen et al. (2019) further reinforce KM, suggesting that solid social ties facilitate knowledge exchange, collaboration, and resource sharing among firms, leading to the development of robust capabilities.

This view aligns with the ideas of Walter et al. (2006). It is further reinforced by Wang et al. (2023), who state that firms can systematically create and leverage knowledge to enhance their capabilities. Furthermore, as elucidated by Jugdev and Mathur (2013) and Walter et al. (2006), the RBV underscores the strategic allocation of resources to build and sustain competitive advantages, a process closely intertwined with NC.

Digital ambidexterity enables firms to explore both existing and new digital technologies simultaneously (Costa et al. 2020). This concept is characterised by a balance between exploitation (leveraging existing resources) and exploration (seeking new opportunities) (Turner & Lee-Kelley 2013). This dual approach is particularly relevant in SMEs due to their unique challenges and resource constraints. In SME settings, this balance takes on added impact as it balances the tension between limited resources and the need to innovate. Small and medium enterprises, constrained by limited resources, encounter an acute dilemma between exploiting current capabilities and exploring new possibilities (Costa et al. 2020). Achieving this balance is challenging and requires a rethinking of management practices, especially for SMEs that lack the resources of larger firms.

The concept extends beyond traditional business operations into the digital realm, where DA becomes critical (Mustafa et al. 2022).

Digital ambidexterity can significantly improve SME performance, but it can be challenging due to resource constraints and a lack of credibility (Jing, Zhang & Ma 2023; Skare, De Las Mercedes De Obesso & Ribeiro-Navarrete 2022). Digital exploration can be costly and risky, while digital exploitation requires efficient optimisation of existing technologies and resources. Strategic partnerships and networks can help SMEs extend their capabilities beyond immediate constraints (Song, Yang & Yu 2020; Vrontis et al. 2020), exploring new markets and technologies without incurring total costs (Faroque et al. 2022; Song et al. 2020; Walter et al. 2006). However, ambidexterity requires careful management and a tailored approach to each SME’s unique circumstances.

Despite the challenges, SMEs engaging in DA can improve operational efficiency and adaptability, enhancing BP. However, successfully pursuing DA requires strategic choices and effective capability deployment. This approach, while challenging, can enable SMEs to navigate the complexities of today’s business landscape more effectively. Therefore, the researchers suggest that:

Hypothesis 1: SMEs’ pursuit of digital ambidexterity is positively associated with their business performance.

Digital ambidexterity not only influences internal processes but also reshapes how SMEs interact externally. Digitally ambidextrous firms often engage in cross-boundary collaborations and knowledge exchange, both of which are foundational to NC (De Falco et al. 2017). Through digital tools, SMEs can enhance their ability to manage external relationships, foster trust, and gather structured information from their business partners.

Through this process, DA strengthens the SME’s ability to form and leverage networks.

Digital platforms continue to take precedence in the business environment. While digital issues were previously considered technical Information Communication and Technology (ICT) issues, they have become a lifeline for success-seeking firms (De Falco et al. 2017). The widespread use of digital platforms has re-engineered how value is created (Jing et al. 2023). Businesses increasingly base their value sources on the relationships and information flows between organisational units and partners. Small and medium enterprises can benefit from such digital exploitation and exploration of networks, considering their restricted access to resources (Cenamor et al. 2019).

Digital ambidexterity is essential for digital businesses, involving shared group coordination, external knowledge communication, and relational handling of diverse individuals and partners (Cenamor et al. 2019; Costa et al. 2020). It involves leveraging traditional and online interactions to build relationships and stay competitive. Digital adoption can increase innovation, collaboration, and productivity, improving outcomes and performance (Jöhnk et al. 2022). Digital ambidexterity also aids in internal communication, resource coordination, and adapting to changing market conditions. Through DA, digital competencies enable firms to manage diverse partner networks across national boundaries (Jing et al. 2023). In line with the above, digital ambidextrous capability enables SMEs to engage more effectively with external partners and better gather and organise structured information from them.

Empirical work on entrepreneurial and manufacturing SMEs shows that ambidextrous firms depend on well-developed NC to source diverse external knowledge, orchestrate partner interactions, and translate digital experimentation into marketable value propositions (Cenamor et al. 2019). At the same time, engaging concurrently in digital exploration and exploitation deepens a firm’s relational routines, strengthening its aptitude for selecting, coordinating, and reconfiguring partners, which, in turn, magnifies the performance payoffs of both capabilities (Partanen et al. 2019). Evidence that NC positively moderates the link between partner diversity and growth (Parida et al. 2016) further implies that it converts the breadth of digital-ecosystem ties into scalable revenue and innovation benefits when combined with DA. In short, the relationship is complementary and synergistic: strong NC enables DA to flourish, while sustained ambidextrous activity continuously upgrades the firm’s NC, producing superior innovation and growth outcomes. These reasons show that embracing DA can enhance NC. These different opinions suggest that:

Hypothesis 2: There is a direct relationship between digital ambidexterity and network capability.

Network capability enables SMEs to acquire knowledge, access external resources, and co-create value with business partners through collaboration and relationship building. Networks foster growth through inter-firm connections that enable access to resources and capabilities (Mu 2013). Through inter-firm connections, the firm enhances its ability to procure and use crucial knowledge for its success and competitiveness (Sarwar et al. 2021; Venugopal et al. 2020). Researchers and practitioners constantly realise the importance of efficient and effective KM (Farida & Nuryakin 2021; Majid et al. 2020; Sarwar et al. 2021; Shu et al. 2018). The firm’s connections, networks, and contacts with different stakeholders (other firms, customers, suppliers, and state institutions) significantly facilitate the procurement of scarce information and resources (Sarwar et al. 2021; Zhang & Du 2019; Zhang et al. 2016). However, networks offer less value to large firms with significant financial and managerial resources for obtaining and processing information (Del Giudice et al. 2018). Alternatively, SMEs’ small size hinders progress.

Network capability enables SMEs to form and mobilise partnerships that grant access to complementary resources and knowledge, thereby co-creating value even under resource constraints (Mu 2013). Network capability opens access to scarce knowledge and resources by building strong inter-firm relationships. This relational capability fosters innovation (Zhang & Du 2019) by helping firms sense new opportunities and enhance organisational dynamism. These external ties are especially critical given SMEs’ limitations in size and internal resources. Knowledge management routines such as knowledge sharing and codification enable organisations to capture, organise, and disseminate both explicit and implicit knowledge internally and across their networks. These routines thus bolster DA by driving both exploitative innovation (through optimising existing knowledge and best practices) and exploratory innovation (through integrating external knowledge) (Walter et al. 2006), and they reinforce NC by ensuring effective knowledge exchange and collaboration among partners.

Therefore, the harmony between NC and KM is crucial for performance in DA. Well-developed NC allows SMEs to identify new opportunities, manage information flows, and stimulate innovation. Conversely, weak network structures may impede resource acquisition and innovation, particularly for SMEs lacking internal depth. Acquiring knowledge through NC from various sources ensures the transformation of firms and the improvement of BP. Thus, it is hypothesised that:

Hypothesis 3: Network capability has a direct relationship with small and medium enterprises’ business performance.

While DA contributes directly to performance, its full value may be realised through mediating impact on NC.

Integrating social tie theory and NC to understand resource acquisition presents a compelling argument, yet warrants critical examination. While the theory aptly underscores the need to leverage external networks for resource access, particularly for SMEs (Farida & Nuryakin 2021; Majid et al. 2020; Sarwar et al. 2021; Shu et al. 2018), it may oversimplify the complexities involved in managing these networks (Partanen et al. 2019). The assumption that firms can readily access and exploit external resources through networks may not account for inherent challenges, such as trust-building, potential opportunism, and power imbalances among entities (Parida et al. 2016). Additionally, although useful, the dichotomy between strong and weak ties might not fully capture the nuanced, evolving nature of business relationships (Field & Scott 1981). The emphasis on networking also raises questions about the resource drain involved in establishing and maintaining such networks, potentially diverting focus from core operational efficiencies (Wang et al. 2023). The model assumes strategic intent and capability in SMEs, overlooking structural and technological constraints that may limit the practicality of networking strategies. Therefore, while the framework provides valuable insights, its application requires a nuanced understanding of the firm’s specific context, capabilities, and inherent trade-offs in network-based resource development. Therefore, it can be suggested that:

Hypothesis 4: Networking capability mediates the relationship between digital ambidexterity and SME business performance.

The data collection yielded 390 fully completed questionnaires. Participants were invited to participate voluntarily, in accordance with ethical clearance number CHI051SCHI01. This study focused on Eastern Cape SME business owners and managers chosen for their expertise in their respective companies and their involvement in inter-firm collaboration. Respondents to the cross-sectional survey were sampled using convenience and snowball sampling. Small- and medium-enterprise business owners and managers were targeted for their expertise in firm strategies and inter-firm collaboration. Selecting them as respondents ensured informed and reliable responses. The selection of convenience and snowball sampling suited the study due to the absence of a comprehensive SME sampling frame. The chosen sampling ensured efficient access to a hard-to-reach population while maintaining sufficient sample size for analysis.

The study data were collected from South Africa, specifically the Eastern Cape province. The data were collected from various business districts, as shown in the preceding sections. To fully understand the data, software packages including MS Excel (Microsoft Inc., Redmond, WA, US), Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) version 27 (IBM, Armonk, NY, US), the Hayes PROCESS Macro, and Analysis of Moment Structures (AMOS) (IBM, Armonk, NY, US) were used for the analysis. The business districts of respondents are presented in Figure 1. The chart shows that the majority of respondents (37.7%; n = 147) were in the Alfred Nzo district. Of the 390 respondents, 81 respondents (20.8%) had their businesses in the Joe Gqabi district, while 50 respondents (12.8%) were in the OR Tambo district (see Table 1).

Twenty-eight respondents (7.2%) were in the Amathole district, 49 (12.6%) in the Chris Hani district, and 35 in the Sarah Baartman district.

The study employed the SMEs’ BP (15 items; α = 0.898 (see Table 2), measuring opinions embedded in the reviewed empirical literature. The adapted instrument for SMEs’ BP was based on scales developed by Napwanya (2019). Thus, the investigation of SMEs’ BP was used to measure performance in the article. Of these, 15 items were considered to analyse SMEs’ BP.

The intervening variable, NC (α = 0.921) (interpersonal competence, knowledge of one’s partner, ability to work in tandem, and clarity of thought) applied in the article was adopted from various empirical studies (Walter et al. 2006). The 15-item construct of NC (see Table 2) was employed in the study to survey how SMEs manage relationships, create harmony with other firms, and manage their firms’ social interactions and the knowledge they have of other firms’ operations. The confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) showed that NC loads on a single factor with moderately high factor loadings ranging from 0.552 to 0.708.

To measure DA, empirical analysis of literature, including Partanen et al. (2019), Posch and Garaus (2019), and Ortiz de Guinea and Raymond (2020), as well as Zhang et al. (2016), was reviewed, leading to the adoption of Partanen et al. (2019)’s ambidexterity concept. The CFA showed that DA loads on a single factor with moderately high factor loadings ranging from 0.507 to 0.648. The internal consistency of DA (9 items, α = 0.810) showed a good overall scale coefficient (see Table 2).

Ethical clearance to conduct this study was obtained from the University of Fort Hare’s Research Ethics Committee (No. CHI051SCHI01).

The findings from the Hayes PROCESS macro mediation analysis are presented in Table 3 and Figure 1. Results indicated that DA had a significant positive direct effect on the mediator variable, NC (β = 0.8199, t = 22.1388, p ≤ 0.0001). In addition, NC had a significant positive direct effect on SMEs’ BP (β = 0.4936, t = 8.7146, p ≤ 0.0001). These results support the mediational hypothesis.

With the mediator variable (NC) being controlled, the mediation analysis results indicated that DA was a significant predictor of SMEs’ BP (β = 0.2418, t = 3.8907, p = 0.0001). Since the direct effect of DA on SMEs’ BP is significant, this result is consistent with partial mediation. Furthermore, the total effect of DA on SMEs’ BP is also statistically significant (β = 0.6465, t = 14.3253, p ≤ 0.0001). To establish the mediating effect of NC, the indirect effect was tested using a percentile bootstrap estimation approach with 20 000 samples. The results indicated that the indirect effect was statistically significant (β = 0.4047, 95% confidence interval (CI) [0.2913, 0.5277]). These findings are consistent with partial mediation. Higher levels of DA were associated with SMEs’ BP scores, which were approximately 0.4047 points higher, as mediated by NC. Since the indirect effect is statistically significant, there is sufficient evidence at a 5% level of significance to reject the null hypothesis and conclude that NC significantly mediates the relationship between DA and SMEs’ BP (β = 0.4047, 95% CI [0.2913, 0.5277]). A conceptual model was thus proposed based on the analysis (Figure 2).

The provided statistical analysis details the impact of DA on SMEs’ BP, mediated by NC. The direct effect of DA on NC (β = 0.8199, p < 0.0001) is significant and positive, indicating that SMEs embracing DA tend to develop superior NCs. This can be attributed to digitally savvy businesses being more adept at using online platforms and tools for networking, collaboration, and market exploration, thereby enhancing their NC.

The conceptual model also shows a direct effect of NC on BP (β = 0.4936, p < 0.0001). This reflects the SME’s ability to develop, maintain, and leverage business relationships and networks. The positive relationship between NC and BP signifies that robust NCs, such as strategic partnerships and collaborations, are critical for BP in SMEs. This may be because effective networks provide access to resources, information, and markets that can significantly enhance competitive advantages and operational efficiencies. The direct positive effect of DA on BP (β = 0.2418, p = 0.0001) suggests that DA directly contributes to improving BP. This is likely because digital tools and strategies enable SMEs to optimise operations, reach broader markets, and innovate in product and service delivery.

The significant indirect effect of DA on BP through NC (β = 0.4047) indicates that NC mediates a considerable part of the impact of DA on BP. This suggests that while DA is crucial, its full potential to enhance BP is realised when combined with strong NC. The total effect of DA on BP (β = 0.6465, p < 0.0001) combines the direct and indirect impacts, showcasing the substantial overall influence of DA on BP.

This underscores the multifaceted benefits of digital initiatives in SMEs.

Digital ambidexterity emerges from our structural model as a statistically significant, direct antecedent of SME BP, even after controlling for firm size, age, and industry (Jansen et al. 2009). While prior scholarship questions whether resource-constrained firms can sustain ambidexterity (Wenke, Zapkau & Schwens 2021), the present results show a net performance benefit, thereby challenging recommendations that small firms should specialise in either exploration or exploitation (Venugopal et al. 2020). Nevertheless, the effect size is modest, confirming earlier evidence that limited slack can render ambidexterity costly relative to single-mode digital strategies (Rustenburg 2017). Hence, SMEs must complement DA with additional capability levers to fully offset resource demands.

The current findings identify NC as the firm’s ability to build and leverage dense, trust-based ties with customers, suppliers, and digital platform partners as a precise lever. DA positively influences NC, and NC in turn exhibits a substantial, direct contribution to BP, thereby producing a partial mediation of the DA and BP relationship (Farida & Nuryakin 2021; Majid et al. 2020; Partanen et al. 2019). Expanding the dynamic capability view, NC turns ambidextrous learning into marketable possibilities by accelerating information flows, joint technology development, and building goodwill, as noted by Teece (2007) and by extending Granovetter’s (1973) strong-tie logic into digital-ecosystem contexts. In practical terms, NC affords under-resourced SMEs privileged access to external knowledge, reputation signals, and complementary assets (Tsai 2016; Walter et al. 2006), thereby magnifying the payoffs of DA while containing its costs.

Bricolage is a further contingency that underpins this virtuous cycle: the improvisational recombination of readily available resources under constraint (Lévi-Strauss 1966). Empirically, SMEs that practise bricolage repurpose digital tools, partner knowledge, and platform affordances to protect intellectual assets informally, thus lowering the marginal cost of ambidextrous initiatives and amplifying NC’s mediating effect (Cenamor et al. 2019; Faroque et al. 2022). These findings position NC as the critical social mechanism linking DA to performance, demonstrate bricolage as an adaptive capability buffering resource scarcity, and integrate both into a context-sensitive ambidexterity framework for SMEs. Managers are therefore advised to cultivate relationship-building routines, such as joint digital hackathons and co-creation agreements, while preserving organisational slack for bricolage-driven experimentation, thereby realising the full strategic value of DA.

The study advances the literature by empirically demonstrating that DA contributes to SMEs’ performance through the mediating role of NC. The findings align with and extend social ties theory, which posits that networks facilitate access to resources and coordination. The study’s findings also show that DA strengthens social capital by enabling SMEs to leverage existing and emerging digital processes and opportunities. The study also integrates digital transformation with strategic management.

These findings also have implications for the theory of social bonds (Partanen et al. 2019). Small and medium enterprises in emerging economies, without a proper understanding of network information and network decisions, may make premature, incomplete, ambiguous, and often misleading decisions (Field & Scott 1981; Marineau 2007). This suggests that distant and arms-length relationships described by the theory reinforce how loosely connected ties arise from loosely focused social interactions through NC, especially in developing nations’ economies.

Managers facing distant and arm’s-length relationships should not quickly share strategic information without considering partners’ actual attitudes and motivations in terms of cooperation. As such, SMEs in emerging economies must be cautious about excessive optimism, while large partners show only partial openness. Consequently, SME managers should initiate the development of their internal network’s capabilities (Mainardes et al. 2017). This helps SMEs establish strong, reliable, and trustworthy partnerships. They initiate strategic information-sharing partnerships only after managers have proven the relationship mutually beneficial and reliable. Such partnerships may assist SMEs in recognising additional benefits from DA.

It has been acknowledged that SMEs face resource constraints that lead to considerable exploitation, yet typically retain extensive exploration knowledge (Partanen et al. 2019). Thus far, SMEs may be unwilling to disclose their novel ideas to their stakeholders (partners). Novel ideas are often key competitive advantages that enable SMEs to maintain their market position. Hence, building mutually beneficial partnerships to pursue DA with competition partners may be illegitimate. This is often considered collusion, leading to price-fixing and other illegal, unsanctioned activities. Hence, another avenue for future research is to investigate the role of DA and networking capabilities in the collusion of horizontally competing partners.

While the current study focused on SMEs, examining ambidexterity in banks, insurance companies, and other financial institutions could be groundbreaking. A holistic perspective in SMEs can be achieved on DA by looking at these avenues.