%0 Journal Article %J Technology Innovation Management Review %D 2012 %T Organizational Ambidexterity: How Small Technology Firms Balance Innovation and Support %A John Schreuders %A Alem Legesse %K ambidextrous organization %K entrepreneurship %K innovation %K support %X Many technology entrepreneurs start their companies by focusing on an innovation that creates a market offer to attract their first customers. When the entrepreneur’s firm makes its first sale, the dynamics of the organization change and the entrepreneur faces a new challenge: how can the firm concurrently develop new products and support existing customers? This problem is of great concern to entrepreneurs who own small technology firms and is the subject of this article. In this article, we first address the innovate-versus-support dilemma that small technology firms face early in their lifecycles. Next, we describe the paradigm of the ambidextrous organization. We conclude with a discussion of five mechanisms small firms can use to achieve balance in their quest to concurrently satisfy the need to innovate while fulfilling the demands of existing clients and products. %B Technology Innovation Management Review %I Talent First Network %C Ottawa %V 2 %P 17-21 %8 02/2012 %U http://timreview.ca/article/522 %N 2 %1 Carleton University John Schreuders is a senior software systems engineer at Mitel Networks in Kanata, Ontario. John is a licensed professional engineer with Professional Engineers Ontario (PEO). After graduating from the Royal Military College in Kingston, John started his engineering career as a combat systems engineer in the Canadian Navy. After that, he went on to work for defence contractors and later for the International Space Station project. Recently John returned from working in New York as a software systems engineer for Wall Street. He is currently pursuing his Master’s degree in Technology Innovation Management at Carleton University in Ottawa, Canada. %2 Carleton University Alem Legesse is pursuing his M.Eng studies in Carleton University’s Technology Innovation Management program in Ottawa, Canada. He is the founder of Syncrodata Inc., a software company that provides software development services for Android, Blackberry, and iOS devices. He holds an MSc degree offered jointly by computer science, engineering, and mathematics at Carleton University. His research interests are mobile developments, telecommunications, open source, and business models. He previously worked as a software designer for RIM, Alcatel-Lucent, and Nortel, and as a flight security analyst for Transport Canada. %R http://doi.org/10.22215/timreview/522