The mediating role of agile practices in enhancing resilience during uncertainty: Senior leaders' perceptions

Abstract

An increasing amount of academic literature suggests that agile business models can enhance resilience when confronted with challenging situations. Agile organisations demonstrate an enhanced ability to anticipate and respond to change, equipping them with greater resilience to navigate difficult circumstances. To obtain a comprehensive understanding of the ways in which agility enhances the resilience of organisations, it is critical to acquire a profound comprehension of the fundamental characteristics that define agility. To develop a thorough comprehension of agility and its contribution to promoting organisational resilience, the researcher undertook a comprehensive analysis of the impacts of uncertain situations, including the COVID-19 pandemic, on the business environment. Based on cross-sectional data from 14 semi-structured interviews, it was found that uncertainty had a detrimental effect on the business's capacity to sustain its operations in the foreseeable future. Furthermore, it influenced the regular decision-making processes within organisations in the ordinary course of business. The study examines the factors contributing to the effective implementation of agile practices, emphasising the key competencies that foster agility. Additionally, it underscores the role of specific mechanisms guided by senior leaders in facilitating and directing these capabilities. The study's findings emphasise the significance of the mechanisms that revolve around the senior leadership's capacity to promote and execute agility inside the company. As a result, a guiding framework is designed for senior leaders, emphasising the importance of strategic foresight as a crucial tool for the successful adoption of agile practices.