Orchestrating efficiency–flexibility ambidexterity in major infrastructure projects: a dual case study

Purpose The paper aims to address how program management organizations (PMOs) in major infrastructure projects design structures to balance efficiency and flexibility ambidexterity. It explores the alignment of organizational designs with environmental dynamics and program characteristics, seeking to expand ambidexterity theory in program management and provide practical frameworks for resolving paradoxes in complex projects. Design/methodology/approach The study employs a qualitative dual-case strategy, analyzing Dalian Metro Line 4 and Qingdao Metro Line 1 in China. Data collection involves 28 semi-structured interviews, archival documents and field observations, with cross-case comparison and abductive analysis to identify antecedents of ambidexterity. Findings The research reveals that PMOs achieve ambidexterity through structural separation (spatial division of functional units) in stable environments and sequential switching (temporal lifecycle adjustment) in uncertain contexts. Key antecedents include external environmental dynamics, program scale/complexity and organizational structures (e.g. matrix vs. parallel designs). Research limitations/implications The dual-case design may limit generalizability, and qualitative data require cross-context validation. The study advances program-level ambidexterity theory and highlights the role of contextual alignment in balancing efficiency and flexibility. Practical implications The findings guide program managers to tailor ambidexterity strategies (structural/sequential) to environmental uncertainty and program characteristics, emphasizing organizational design elements (standardization, decentralization) for operational adaptability. Originality/value This study uniquely extends ambidexterity theory to major infrastructure program management, identifying contextual mechanisms for balancing paradoxical demands and offering a novel framework for practice-driven organizational design.