How can digitalisation help emerging marketing multinational companies improve innovation performance through international ambidexterity? Analysis of China's healthcare industry

PurposeThis study aims to explore the role of international ambidexterity (IA) in improving the innovation capability of emerging market multinationals. In particular, the main purpose of this research is to study the relationship amongst digitalisation, IA and innovation performance (IP) amongst multinational enterprises in China's healthcare industry.Design/methodology/approachThe data for this investigation were collected from 134 listed companies in China's healthcare industry during the study period. This study tested the hypotheses by constructing a two-way fixed-effects model.FindingsThe results show that both the balance dimension and the combined dimension of IA have significant positive effects on IP. Digitalisation not only has a direct positive effect on IP but also positively moderates the positive correlation between IA and IP.Originality/valuePrevious studies have not captured the relationship between ambidexterity, digitalisation and IP, and this study helps to fill in the gap and examine these associations in China's healthcare industry. The results of this study provide valuable insights for healthcare industry managers to understand the role of ambidexterity and digitalisation in innovation in the context of internationalisation.