Ambidextrous improvisation is critical for new ventures navigating environmental uncertainties and seizing emergent opportunities. Yet, how these ventures resolve the inherent contradictions between exploitative and explorative improvisation remains under-explored. Drawing on ambidexterity theory, this study employs qualitative comparative analysis to investigate the configurations of factors that facilitate ambidextrous improvisation. We analyze data from 82 new ventures in China to examine the impacts of market conditions (environmental turbulence and marketization), organizational resources (ties with service intermediaries and complementary assets), and founding team cognition (transactive memory systems and creative self-efficacy) on ambidextrous improvisation. The findings indicate that both external and internal factors significantly enhance ambidextrous improvisation, with environmental stability and marketization level playing pivotal roles. This research broadens the theoretical understanding of ambidextrous improvisation and offers practical insights for managing ambidextrous improvisational strategies in dynamic markets.
