Navigating storms together: team involvement in crisis decision-making and strategic ambidexterity in Chinese firms

Purpose This study examines how team involvement in crisis decision-making within Chinese firms impacts the development of strategic ambidexterity in response strategies. It demonstrates how team-based decision-making fosters the integration of explorative and exploitative strategies, the moderating role of threat from the crisis and the influence of ambidexterity on ultimate decision quality. Design/methodology/approach A quantitative survey was conducted with 287 business executives and senior managers from various Chinese industries. Respondents reflected on recent crisis situations, evaluating team involvement, crisis-induced threat level and the characteristics of their crisis response strategies. Ordinary least squares (OLS) regression was used to test the proposed hypotheses. Findings Team involvement in crisis decision-making significantly supports the development of an ambidextrous recovery strategy that balances exploration and exploitation. This relationship strengthens under conditions of higher threat from the crisis, highlighting the increasing value of collaborative decision-making in severe crises. Ambidextrous strategies are linked to higher quality assessments of decision outcomes. Originality/value This study contributes to crisis management and strategic ambidexterity research by showing how team involvement fosters ambidextrous strategies, particularly under severe crisis-induced threat conditions. The findings offer practical insights for managers, emphasizing the importance of team-based decision-making and balanced strategic approaches during crises. The study provides a culturally specific view of these phenomena within the context of Chinese firms, extending theoretical understanding and offering actionable guidance for practitioners.