How Does the Digital Transformation of Suppliers Affect Customer Ambidextrous Innovation?

This study aims to explore the complex transmission mechanisms between supplier digital transformation and customer ambidextrous innovation, and how these mechanisms achieve customer ambidexterity. Building on the Chinese A-share listed enterprises between 2007 and 2022, our findings reveal that supplier digital transformation positively promotes customer ambidextrous innovation. Mechanism for the supplier–customer paired relationship in two points: (1) supplier digital transformation enhances customer ambidextrous innovation by reducing asset specificity, with a greater effect on customer exploitative innovation than exploratory innovation. (2) supplier digital transformation only promotes customer exploitative innovation by improved management efficiency. Configurations for the digital transformation mechanisms in ambidexterity: (1) high valence of ambidexterity with supplier digital transformation and asset specificity as core causal conditions present. (2) low valence of ambidexterity with supplier digital transformation, asset specificity, and management efficiency as core causal conditions absence. An interesting finding is that supplier asset specificity embedding plays the most critical role for customer ambidexterity. This study provides important implications for leveraging the digital innovation capabilities of partnerships in the supply chain to preserve competitive advantages.