Organisational ambidexterity and knowledge management: A systems perspective towards Smart Model-based Governance

The purpose of this paper is to propose a new framework for the governance of 'modern' smart organisations that integrates IT-based orientation to decision-making, systems thinking through system dynamics modelling and cybernetics. The design of the proposed framework is based on the key role played by knowledge in the governance of organisations. The literature on ambidexterity, organisational learning, knowledge management and systems thinking is the adopted research background. A synthesis of the connection points between these fields is proposed within a theoretical framework named Smart Model-based Organisations. The main result of this work is represented by the proposed Smart Model-based Governance (SMbG) framework and an example of application. There are two main findings related to the contribution of the proposed framework: the overcoming of 'data-based' approaches that favour rigidity in knowledge governance and the contribution of systems approaches that, increasing organisational involvement, improve knowledge governance.