The issue of organizational agility: mapping past, present and future landscape

Abstract

Organizational agility (OA) initiatives are increasingly used to improve business performance and the literature on the subject is advancing every year. The objective of this article is to tie OA literature together for a panoramic view. A hybrid review having a three-pronged approach has been used to create a cohesive understanding of OA, its retrospective and intellectual structure: narrative literature review to map the evolution, bibliometric analysis for analyzing research trends and science mapping for identifying broad themes. OA is viewed as a “dynamic capability” instead of the panoptic set of principles as thought earlier. Research is moving toward mapping links with capabilities like innovation, leadership, ambidexterity, etc. Contextualization of OA is needed for different industries/sectors to examine the idiosyncrasies of its process. Further, keeping resilience and sustainability at the center of agility research will be beneficial in times when overlapping crises threaten organizational survival and continuity. Managers should remain informed about emerging research to guide efforts toward scaling agility or redesigning organizational systems for greater responsiveness. Iterative processes and outputs, agile staffing practices, and leadership and change-capacity development are recommended. This article uses a combination of review methods to gain a holistic understanding of OA. It complements previous reviews and will supplement future systematic reviews. The framework proposed in the article will guide the crisis management strategy for organizations.