Abstract Organizational sustainability requires production systems improvement and adaptation simultaneously balancing environmental, social and business dimensions. This exploratory study investigates how quality management exploitation and exploration may ambidextrously contribute to support environmentally sustainable production development. The study uses data collected through an online survey from ISO 9001 certified manufacturing firms. Drawing upon organizational ambidexterity in management literature, and using fuzzy-set qualitative comparative analysis (fsQCA) to examine the data, we develop a set of propositions that link quality ambidexterity to environmentally sustainable production. Results reveal alternative equifinal configurations of quality management practices that lead to environmentally sustainable production. All configurations combine quality exploration and exploitation practices. The consideration of multiple goals, and especially the requirement for cost efficiency, reveals tensions between the two quality learning modes. The study provides evidence that quality management ambidexterity, the simultaneous presence of quality exploitation and exploration practices, is an important determinant of environmentally sustainable production. The findings provide insights for managers on how to leverage organizational improvement capabilities to achieve sustainability goals.

中文翻译：

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探索质量双元性与可持续生产之间的关系

摘要 组织可持续性需要生产系统的改进和适应，同时平衡环境、社会和商业维度。这项探索性研究调查了质量管理开发和探索如何能够同时促进环境可持续生产发展。该研究使用通过 ISO 9001 认证制造公司的在线调查收集的数据。利用管理文献中的组织二元性，并使用模糊集定性比较分析 (fsQCA) 来检查数据，我们制定了一组将质量二元性与环境可持续生产联系起来的命题。结果揭示了导致环境可持续生产的质量管理实践的替代等最终配置。所有配置都结合了质量探索和开发实践。对多个目标的考虑，尤其是对成本效率的要求，揭示了两种质量学习模式之间的紧张关系。该研究提供的证据表明，质量管理的双重性，即质量开发和勘探实践的同时存在，是环境可持续生产的重要决定因素。调查结果为管理者提供了有关如何利用组织改进能力实现可持续发展目标的见解。高质量开发和勘探实践的同时存在，是环境可持续生产的重要决定因素。调查结果为管理者提供了有关如何利用组织改进能力实现可持续发展目标的见解。高质量开发和勘探实践的同时存在，是环境可持续生产的重要决定因素。调查结果为管理者提供了有关如何利用组织改进能力实现可持续发展目标的见解。