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In an analogy to the first dimension, I propose that exploration and exploitation also
move along a continuum, in this case given by the configuration of ties in the informal network.
The network is sparse in the exploration phase and dense in the exploitation phase,
corresponding to weak ties during exploration and strong ties during exploitation.
Proposition 2. The exploration and exploitation phases of knowledge move along a
continuum of network configuration, where the network is sparse during exploration and dense
during exploitation.
Assembling the parts: A theory of knowledge sharing in DGPs
It is intuitive to assume that the two task dimensions occur concurrently, and that they
influence each other in some way. Before I draw a conclusion on this assertion, a few remarks
need to be made regarding the characteristics of the proposed dimensions. The first task
dimension, conception and implementation, builds on subsequent phases, therefore carrying a
temporal connotation. Similarly, the phases of the second task dimension, exploration and
exploitation, might succeed each other temporally, but their main characteristic is that they are
content-related. As March (1991) affirmed, a combination of exploration and exploitation must
be present at all times. Therefore, it can be asserted that the two task dimensions are interrelated.
The implementation of DG requires a balanced mix of exploration and exploitation, where
exploration is more important in the conceptual phase, and exploitation becomes more fruitful in
the implementation phase.
Proposition 3. In DGPs, task dimension I (conception and implementation) and task
dimension II (exploration and exploitation) are interrelated, where exploration is primarily
associated with the conceptual phase, and exploitation is mainly linked to the implementation
phase.
Since the two task dimensions discussed above are interrelated, it makes sense to arrange
them in a two-by-two matrix. The figure below depicts the matrix, summarizing the theory
developed in this chapter. Each quadrant resulting from the interrelation between the two task
Convention