The New Entrepreneurial Leader

CHAPTER 1Cognitive Ambidexterity: The Underlying Mental Model of the Entrepreneurial Leader

Heidi Neck

IN 2003 JIM POSS WAS WALKING DOWN A BOSTON STREET WHEN HE noticed a trash vehicle in action. The truck was idling at a pickup point, blocking traffic, smoke pouring out of its exhaust, and litter was still prevalent on the street. There has to be a better way, he thought to himself. In investigating the problem, Poss learned that garbage trucks consume more than 1 billion gallons of fuel in the United States alone. The vehicles average only 2.8 miles per gallon, and they are among the most expensive vehicles to operate (BigBelly Solar 2010). In the early 2000s, municipalities and waste collection services were considering more-fuel-efficient ...