Ruifang Wang

Ruifang Wang joined Maynooth University School of Business in 2015 as a lecture in Management. Ruifang earned her PhD from University College Dublin, Michael Smurfit Graduate School of Business, where she also obtained an MSc in Project Management. She earned her BEng from Beijing Jiaotong University (China). Before joining Maynooth Univeristy, Ruifang held appointments at University College Dublin lecturing in the Quinn School of Business, including modules on Business in Society and Global Business amongst others. Prior to entering academia Ruifang worked as a Project Manager Assistant at China Railway 17th Bureau Group, No. 4 Engineering Group. Ruifang’s primary research focuses on the understudied role of middle managers in the strategy process and organizational innovation. This interest explores three key questions that are central to this burgeoning stream of literature: 1. What is the meaning of ambidexterity (combining exploration and exploitation) at a managerial level, and how is ambidexterity manifested in manager’s day-to-day activities? 2. What are the origins, antecedents, and drivers of ambidexterity at a managerial level? 3. What impact, if any, does managerial ambidexterity have on a manager’s career progress and an organisation’s capacity to innovate. In addressing these questions, Ruifang uses longitudinal datasets of the managerial characteristics, strategic and networking behaviours, and career progress data to explore middle managers ability to engage in ambidextrous behaviours (combining exploration and exploitation activities) and their role based performance. Her work has been presented at conferences including the Academy of Management, Strategic Management Society and the British Academy of Management.