S.O.L.V.E.S. is a book about exploring the tension between exploitation and exploration of
business capabilities within an organization. The primary academic underpinnings include the
theory of contextual ambidexterity. The most accepted definition of ambidexterity is a balance
between explorations and exploitation resulting in an organization being capable of exploiting
their existing competencies while simultaneously exploring new opportunities. James March
refers to this as the exploration of new possibilities and the exploitation of old certainties.
Exploitation includes such things as choice, refinement, production, selection, execution
efficiency and implementation. While exploration encompasses knowledge creation and
analysis of future opportunities. The book gives many examples of large organizations that have
explored successfully and some that have exploited to their ultimate detriment.