Nexus of government support, IT capabilities, organisational ambidexterity and performance in public sector organisations

Objective: Public sector organisations encounter major challenges in today’s fast-changing environmental scenario. Given their limited resources and management capabilities, some of these organisations strive to survive in the face of technological advances. To tackle this issue, the present study aims to explore how government support can harness information technology (IT) to overcome crises, capitalise on innovative opportunities, adapt to shifting work conditions and foster new competitive initiatives to serve the public interest in a better way. Design/Methodology: This research uses partial least squares structural equation modelling (PLS-SEM) to analyse the data collected from 314 respondents working in public sector government organisations in Pakistan. Results: The results reveal that government support is positively correlated with IT capabilities which, in turn, have a direct positive relation with organisational ambidexterity and, finally, are serially mediated with organisational performance. Government support and IT capabilities play a key role in boosting organisational ambidexterity, resilience and performance. Furthermore, the study highlights the potential impact of government support on improving organisational ambidexterity. Theoretical and practical implications: These results provide empirical evidence that supports the resource base theory with a dynamic capability view and offer guidance on how government can effectively allocate resources and leverage government support. The study also provides theoretical contributions and managerial considerations for improving business performance and achieving sustainable development.