Marketing Ambidexterity Research: A Systematic Literature Review and Future Research Agenda
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.33751/jhss.v10i2.214Keywords:
Marketing ambidexterity, marketing exploration, marketing exploitation, SME performance, systematic literature reviewAbstract
This study systematically reviews the development of marketing ambidexterity research and proposes a future research agenda by examining publication trends, antecedents, consequences, and existing research gaps. This study employed a Systematic Literature Review (SLR) approach using the Scopus database. The search focused on reputable English-language journal articles published between January 1, 2020, and December 31, 2025. Of the 278 articles initially identified, 45 were selected for in-depth analysis. Bibliometric analysis and thematic synthesis were conducted to map publication trends, dominant themes, conceptual relationships, and future research directions. The findings indicate that marketing ambidexterity has increasingly been examined through the perspectives of market-driven orientation, market-driving orientation, digital marketing capabilities, entrepreneurial orientation, dynamic capabilities, and small and medium-sized enterprise performance. The main antecedents include entrepreneurial orientation, online marketing capabilities, digital capabilities, market knowledge, and cross-functional capabilities. Its primary consequences include business performance, innovation performance, competitive advantage, and sustainable competitive advantage. This review is limited to reputable English-language journal articles published within the specified period. Future studies should develop more robust measurement models, employ longitudinal and multilevel research designs, and extend the investigation to emerging markets, small and medium-sized enterprises, service industries, digital platforms, and crisis contexts. This study contributes to the literature by synthesizing fragmented knowledge on marketing ambidexterity and clarifying its antecedents, consequences, theoretical gaps, and future research agenda. It also provides practical insights for designing adaptive, data-driven, and innovation-oriented marketing strategies.
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