Organizational Ambidexterity and the Emerging-to-Advanced Economy Nexus: Cases from Private Higher Education Operators in the UK.

The expansion of advanced market economy (AME) firms into emerging market economies (EME) is well-documented. In recent decades, EME companies have moved increasingly into AMEs, especially within the manufacturing sector, as well as other important AME sectors such as higher education (HE). However, the latter have received less attention. This study conducts an in-depth qualitative analysis of two EME HE organisations operating in the international HE sector in London. The argument applies a theoretical framework of organisational ambidexterity with which to examine the contexts and complexities in collaborations between EME-HE and AME-HE firms. These argument surfaces, inter alia: differing dynamics in relation to institutional frameworks and sense-making; myopic internationalisation; tensions regarding organisational reputation, place, partner, and product legitimisation; unfulfilled reverse innovation and ‘explorative-pull’ phenomena. Overall, the paper develops novel conceptual frameworks of practical relevance which inform EME-AME firm collaborative operations in AME settings.