Adapting (to) Agile Methods: Exploring the Interplay of Agile Methods and Organizational Features

Abstract

It is a common understanding that agile methods are not implemented “one-to-one” from guidelines but are tailored to the specific conditions of organizations. This perspective, however, can be extended by taking into account that agile methods also have a considerable impact on organizational features of introducing firms. Against the backdrop of current application scenarios of agile methods in practice, this paper aims to capture and explain the interplay of agile methods and organizational features as well as their respective adaptations. By utilizing adaptive structuration theory as a theoretical research lens, I employ a qualitative-empirical research approach comprising four case studies. I find that the interplay of agile methods and organizational features represents a process of mutual adaptation that constitutes the organizational change in terms of agile methods’ implementation. I further conclude that agile methods represent a vehicle to foster desired organizational change.