S.O.L.V.E.S‪.‬

S.O.L.V.E.S. is a book about exploring the tension between exploitation and exploration of 

business capabilities within an organization. The primary academic underpinnings include the 

theory of contextual ambidexterity. The most accepted definition of ambidexterity is a balance 

between explorations and exploitation resulting in an organization being capable of exploiting 

their existing competencies while simultaneously exploring new opportunities. James March 

refers to this as the exploration of new possibilities and the exploitation of old certainties. 

Exploitation includes such things as choice, refinement, production, selection, execution 

efficiency and implementation. While exploration encompasses knowledge creation and 

analysis of future opportunities. The book gives many examples of large organizations that have 

explored successfully and some that have exploited to their ultimate detriment.