Beyond numbers and metrics: Ambidextrous behavior as a mediator between knowledge management, perceived organizational support, and research productivity in an Indonesian university

While existing studies on research productivity largely prioritize quantitative metrics, such as publication counts and citation rates for university rankings, they tend to overlook the complex dimensions of the research process, including contextual, institutional, and individual-level factors. This narrow focus has often contributed to unethical publishing practices that undermine academic integrity, such as the rise of predatory journals. Among the overlooked factors, ambidextrous behavior (AB) which is the ability to balance exploratory and exploitative activities, is increasingly recognized as essential for enhancing research productivity. However, its mediating role in the relationship between knowledge management (KM), perceived organizational support (POS), and research productivity (RP) remains underexplored. Therefore, this study aims to investigate how AB mediates the influence of KM and POS on the RP of faculty members at an Indonesian university. Data from a close-ended survey of 255 faculty members at a private university in Indonesia were analyzed using partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM). The results show that while KM, POS, and AB exert positive effects on RP, only the KM on AB and AB on RP paths are statistically significant, with AB significantly mediating the effect of KM on RP. After controlling for contextual factors, academic rank and research funding have significant positive effects on RP, underscoring the importance of KM and AB as individual job resources and funding as a key organizational resource.