Embarking on a Business Agility Journey: Balancing Autonomy Versus Control

TY - JOUR

T1 - Embarking on a Business Agility Journey

T2 - Balancing Autonomy Versus Control

AU - Beretta, Michela

AU - Smith, Pernille

PY - 2023/8

Y1 - 2023/8

N2 - While agile represents a crucial element of digital transformation, there is limited empirical evidence on how agile is actually implemented. This article presents a longitudinal case study of the agile implementation journey of a large product manufacturer over two years. It shows how the firm was able to achieve a large-scale agile implementation through a mix of top-down and bottom-up approaches. This process entailed continuous adaptations of agile to the firm’s circumstances and needs, including ongoing articulations and re-articulations of agile to incorporate local ideas and address emerging challenges. This article also presents a framework for guiding managers undertaking an organization-wide agile implementation.

AB - While agile represents a crucial element of digital transformation, there is limited empirical evidence on how agile is actually implemented. This article presents a longitudinal case study of the agile implementation journey of a large product manufacturer over two years. It shows how the firm was able to achieve a large-scale agile implementation through a mix of top-down and bottom-up approaches. This process entailed continuous adaptations of agile to the firm’s circumstances and needs, including ongoing articulations and re-articulations of agile to incorporate local ideas and address emerging challenges. This article also presents a framework for guiding managers undertaking an organization-wide agile implementation.

KW - agile software development

KW - agility

KW - case study

KW - innovation

KW - innovation management

U2 - 10.1177/00081256231177718

DO - 10.1177/00081256231177718

M3 - Journal article

SN - 0008-1256

VL - 65

SP - 93

EP - 115

JO - California Management Review

JF - California Management Review

IS - 4

ER -