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Today's businesses are facing a world that is more complex, turbulent and unpredictable than in the past with increasing levels of environmental complexity. Rather than proposing environmental uncertainty as a mediator/moderator of the relationship between agility and performance as others have done, the authors offer an alternative view where supply chain agility is seen as mediating the relationship between environmental uncertainty and supply chain performance.

The authors propose that supply chain agility is a response to the effects of environmental uncertainty and, as such, environmental uncertainty should be seen as a driver of supply chain agility. Few studies test the direct relationship between uncertainty and supply chain performance, and none simultaneously test for agility's mediation and moderation effect between environmental uncertainty and agility.

The model was statistically assessed using partial-least-squares structural equation modeling (PLS/SEM) by analyzing survey data from manufacturing managers in 136 US firms. The study results did not indicate a significant relationship between environmental uncertainty and supply chain performance. However, the authors did find a significant positive relationship between agile manufacturing and supply chain performance using measures that were primarily operations-centered rather than financial. Additionally, the authors found that agile manufacturing fully mediates the relationship between environmental uncertainty and supply chain performance.

The authors’ model, though simple, provides a base for future research for them and other researchers who can incorporate other impacting variables into the model. The study results show that uncertainty can be a force for good and that utilizing agile manufacturing can be a new source of opportunity.

This study aims to test a model in which the effect of strategic information technology (IT)-business alignment capability (hereafter referred to as “strategic alignment”) on organizational performance is examined via the mediating role of organizational agility [studied as operational adjustment agility (OAA) and market capitalizing agility (MCA)] along with the moderating influence of environmental uncertainty.

The research uses survey data accumulated from 220 managers (IT and bank managers) working in the regional rural banks of Odisha, India. A structural equation modelling approach is used to investigate the strategic alignment-performance relationship.

The findings demonstrate the positive effect of strategic alignment on agility (studied as OAA and MCA). This paper finds the positive effects of strategic alignment and both OAA and MCA on organizational performance. The moderation analysis reveals that in an uncertain environment, strategic alignment has more impact on MCA than OAA. However, the test of mediation exhibits OAA as a more significant mediator promoting the strategic alignment-performance linkage, than MCA. This was further validated from the moderated-mediation analysis.

Although previous research studies (mostly conducted in the context of developed countries) have reported about the positive strategic alignment-agility-performance linkages, yet the literature is silent regarding the influence of external contingent factors on these relationships from a rural banking perspective in a developing country setting (such as India). The research extends the strategic alignment-agility-performance theories and provides empirical support for these unique associations in the context of rural banking in India and thereby, greatly contributes to the existing strategic alignment literature.

Agile organisations do not arise from a single characteristic but comprise a combination of various aspects. Thus, this study aims to examine the combined effects on organisational agility regarding firms’ utilisation of digital technology to create value during the COVID-19 pandemic, how firms perceive uncertainty related to their own organisational response and the degree to which they have an entrepreneurial mindset.

Using a fuzzy-set qualitative comparative analysis, this study investigates 355 established firms and start-ups in Norway.

This study finds digitalisation is required for agility to develop, but that it needs to be combined with having an entrepreneurial mindset or being a start-up and lower levels of perceived uncertainty. Hence, entrepreneurial mindset and low uncertainty are important factors for digitalisation, and in turn, for agility to be developed.

Agility is recognised as being pivotal for firms’ competitiveness and innovation and argued to be significant in overcoming sudden economic shocks. However, lacking empirical scrutiny are investigations into the relationship between digitalisation and agility, and how digitalisation might act as a driver for building agility, which the authors tackle herein.

The purpose of this paper is to investigate the impact of behaviour-based and buffer-based management mechanisms on enterprise agility using the lens of the agency theory.

This study is based on data collected from 185 manufacturing enterprises using a survey instrument. The authors employ structural equation modelling for data analysis.

The results of this study show that buffer-based mechanisms used for dealing with agency uncertainty of supplier/buyer not only have a positive impact on agility of enterprises, but are also contingent on the behavioural interventions used in the relationship with a supplier/buyer. Behaviour-based mechanisms also positively impact enterprise agility through mitigating the likelihood of supplier/buyer opportunism.

This study demonstrates that buffer- and behaviour-based management mechanisms can be used as complementary approaches against agency uncertainties for enhancing enterprise agility. Therefore, for enterprises to boost their agility, it is vital that their resources and capabilities are fairly distributed across entities responsible for creating buffers through functional flexibility, as well as individuals and teams dealing with stakeholder engagement, in particular, suppliers and buyers.

The authors use the lens of the agency theory to assimilate and model characteristic agency uncertainties and management mechanisms that enhance enterprise agility.

COVID-19 has caused critical supply chain problems, especially in sustainable supply chain management, but very few empirical studies have been explored how to improve the firm sustainability through supply chain endeavours such as supply chain agility to manage the impacts of COVID-19. This paper aims to develop a model to incorporate supply chain agility and supply chain relationships that link firm sustainability to mitigate the impacts of the pandemic.

The authors conducted an online survey and collected 203 valid responses from businesses in the United Arab Emirates, and employed an exploratory factor analysis, mediated regression analysis and structural equation modelling methodology to test the models and hypotheses.

The authors find that the adoption of supply chain agility can improve supply chain relationships and positively impact sustainability. Meanwhile, supply chain relationships partially mediate the relationship between supply chain agility and sustainability. In addition, sustainability mitigates the impacts of COVID-19 pandemic on supply chains.

The results provide fruitful insights and implications for the challenges and uncertainties caused by the pandemic post COVID-19 and provide several directions for further research.

This paper addresses the emergence of strategic agility as adaptive capability to face the need to adapt to a constantly changing environment. Special emphasis is paid to governance mechanisms as a microfoundation of dynamic capabilities, investigating the dynamics and outcome in regards to the digitalization of supply chains and its socio-economic relations of its members.

A multiple-case study method is applied to explain the impact of a digitalization initiative in the form of an I4.0 implementation in a supply chain context. Building on qualitative in-depth interviews of experts in managerial positions, 16 cases from the manufacturing industry involving an I4.0 implementation across the supply chain were analyzed. Based on a conceptual design science approach, the CIMO logic (context, intervention, mechanisms and outcome) framework is used to investigate the interplay between agility as a dynamic capability and governance mechanisms.

The studied cases demonstrate an intensification of synergistic combinations of inter-firm resources to manage digitalization across the supply chain (SC). With the implementation of I4.0, competitive advantage along the SC takes higher priority over the competitive advantage in the individual or dyadic perspective. Strategic agility as a dynamic capability to cope with and adapt to the changing environment is hereby crucial emphasizing relational SC governance (SCG) as essential as a microfoundation to adjust the structure and management of SCs. Relationships, which allow competitive advantage as a SC balance out traditional power mechanisms within the SC hierarchy. Trust, collaboration and flexibility, aligned with common incentives in generating competitive advantages enable the SCs to mitigate uncertainty and risk while preventing opportunistic behavior.

The study offers SCM managers in-depth insights into strategic agility and how to address the recent challenge of digitalization successfully. Identifying crucial dynamics within SCG mechanisms based on first-hand use cases, practical success factors for implementing I4.0 to optimize effectiveness and efficiency can be derived how to structure and manage future SCs.

This paper contributes to the first insights examining the implications of digitalization and the role of strategic agility as a capability to adapt. Investigating the microfoundation of governance within this capability, this research provides insights on the socio-economic level, while discussing specific mechanisms how relationships of SCs evolve proposing relevant insights for future research.

Drawing on a strategic agility perspective, the authors develop a theoretical framework and empirically examine how digital platform adoption and capability impact business performance via digital-enabled strategic agility in the context of professional service firms.

The authors propose and examine a conceptual framework based on survey data from 127 professional service firms in New Zealand.

This study reveals the impact of digital platform capability on the business performance of professional service firms that employ digital platform technologies. The results suggest that organizational innovation and managers' creative efficacy will be used as distal antecedents and contribute to digital platform capabilities. In addition, digital strategic agility can mediate the link between digital platform capabilities and business performance.

This study is one of the first to investigate when and how digital platforms empower professional service firms. This study reveals the role of digital strategic agility and digital platform capabilities in knowledge-intensive enterprises. This research advances the development of knowledge-based economy in the information age by applying and extending strategic agility to the uncertain and volatile business environment. The authors' new conceptualization provides a deeper understanding of how and why professional services business and organizations can adapt to the post-COVID era smoothly and successfully.

Dissolving industry boundaries, coupled with an increasing need for collaboration and mutual adaptation, necessitates the adoption of diverse innovation concepts and flexible management practices. While organizations are striving to be agile and receptive, prioritizing flexibility over meticulous planning, the strategies required to achieve these outcomes remain underdeveloped.

Between 2019 and 2022, 100 peer-reviewed papers were reviewed to identify 68 agile practices, forming the basis for the classification. A conceptual-to-empirical approach led to the framework's development, involving 40 expert interviews and nine focus groups with participants from different countries from 2020 to 2023. These interactions validated the framework's dimensions and real-world applicability.

The study revealed that inter-organizational agility serves as a catalyst, effectively harmonizing open and frugal innovation to address market and customer constraints. This framework offers managers a valuable tool for navigating uncertainties and ambiguities and creating and capturing value within open innovation ecosystems that go beyond transient competitive advantages.

The case study suggests co-innovation and bricolage as novel managerial capabilities that foster innovation, mainly when supported by inter-organizational agility. It provides insights into distinguishing between various forms of agility through a multidimensional framework.

The study provided crucial insights into the necessity for agility in complex and uncertain environments. Through the integration of frugal and open innovation approaches in co-innovation, inter-organizational agility is presented as a framework for achieving both transient competitive advantage and sustainable innovation power.

This study is to compare the impact of organizational agility and flexibility on performance of each type of product innovation (radical vs incremental innovation). Additionally, the moderating effect of technological turbulence on the relationship between the two types of organization is examined.

Based on gaps in the existing literature, the survey data are collected from managers who are in charge of developing new products in three industries: food and beverage, chemical and machinery (N = 431). Confirmatory factory analysis is used to verify measurement items and regression analysis is used to test hypotheses.

The results show that organizational agility increases performance in radical innovation both in a certain situation and an environment with technological turbulence. In contrast, the impact of organizational flexibility is limited to increasing performance in both radical and incremental innovation performance in a certain situation.

Our study extends the knowledge of organizational agility and flexibility in the domain of product innovation. Adaptation of organization to respond the technological turbulence will stimulate creativity of new product development teams to produce new useful ideas and transform these ideas to product innovation. The different types of organizing a new product development team to handle technological turbulence will provide different results in product innovation performance. In addition, the findings provide a recommendation on how the organization of a new product development team can improve performance in each type of product innovation under technological turbulence.

The complexity and uncertainty of healthcare operations increasingly require agility to safeguard a high quality of care. Using a microfoundations of dynamic capabilities perspective, this study investigates the effects of nurses' implicit voice theories (IVTs) on the behaviors that influence their individual agility.

This research uses quantitative survey data collected from 2,552 Canadian nurses during the fourth wave of the Covid-19 pandemic in the fall of 2021. Structural equation modeling is used to test a conceptual model that hypothesizes the effects of three different IVTs on nurses' creativity, spontaneity, agility and the quality of care they deliver to patients.

The results reveal that voice-inhibiting cognitions (like “suggestions are criticisms for higher-ups”, “I first need a solution or solid data”, and “speaking up has negative repercussions”) negatively impact nurses' creativity and spontaneity in crafting solutions to problems they face daily. In turn, this affects nurses' individual agility as they attempt to adapt to changing circumstances and, ultimately, the quality of care they provide to their patients.

Even if organizations have little control over employees' pre-held beliefs regarding voice, they can still reverse them by developing and nurturing a voice-welcoming culture to boost their workers' agility.

This study combines two theoretical frameworks, voice theory and dynamic capabilities theory, to study how individual-level factors (cognitions and behaviors) contribute to nurses' individual agility and the quality of care they provide to their patients. It answers the recent calls of scholars to study the mechanisms through which healthcare operations can develop and sustain dynamic capabilities, such as agility, and better face the “new normal”.