Understanding how business transformation processes are driven: A business agility model

Al a ez, Alonso; Bo del, Bo ja
A icle
Unde s anding how business ans o ma ion p ocesses
a e d i en: A business agili y model
Adminis a i e Sciences
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Sugges ed Ci a ion: Al a ez, Alonso; Bo del, Bo ja (2025) : Unde s anding how business
ans o ma ion p ocesses a e d i en: A business agili y model, Adminis a i e Sciences, ISSN
2076-3387, MDPI, Basel, Vol. 15, Iss. 4, pp. 1-44,
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Ci a ion: Al a ez, A., & Bo del, B.
(2025). Unde s anding How Business
T ans o ma ion P ocesses A e D i en: A
Business Agili y Model. Adminis a i e
Sciences,15(4), 128. h ps://doi.o g/
10.3390/admsci15040128
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A icle
Unde s anding How Business T ans o ma ion P ocesses A e
D i en: A Business Agili y Model
Alonso Al a ez and Bo ja Bo del *
Depa men o Compu e Sys ems, Uni e sidad Poli écnica de Mad id, 28031 Mad id, Spain;
[email p o ec ed]
*Co espondence: bo ja.bo [email p o ec ed]
Abs ac : Agile ans o ma ion p ocesses a e o c i ical impo ance in he con empo a y
business en i onmen , as companies in es a signi ican amoun o esou ces, ime, and a -
en ion in o achie e a s a e o business agili y. These p ocesses a e complex, and companies
lack e e ence oadmaps, guides, and e en a common language o success ully achie e hei
goals. To assis o ganiza ions in hese ans o ma ions, se e al business agili y models ha e
been p oposed o help unde s anding whe e he ans o ma ion e o mus be applied and
whe e i s e ec s will be mani es ed. Howe e , he e a e nume ous such ans o ma ions,
which may be pa ial, and which e lec he au ho ’s belie s and p e e ences, a he han
necessa ily aligning wi h he needs o o ganiza ions. The e o e, mo e comp ehensi e and
gene al models a e equi ed. This pape add esses his challenge. Th ough a igo ous
sea ch and e iew p ocess o he exis ing li e a u e, 15 models we e iden i ied and used as
a basis. A e a p ocess o analysis and e inemen based on he comple eness o business
agili y, he equency wi h which hei dimensions a e men ioned in he models we e
analyzed, and he simplici y in he esul was sea ched o , we p opose a model based on
nine dimensions. Each dimension desc ibes whe e o ocus he ans o ma ion p ocess, plan
he necessa y ac ions, unde s and he esul s, and compa e he p ocess wi h o he simila
p ocesses. The p oposed model is comp ehensi e and highligh s he dimensions mos
equen ly men ioned in a ious cases and in he s a e o he a . I applies o he concep o
comple eness in business agili y, co e ing he en i e o ganiza ion, ins ead o pa ial and
biased iews. This app oach has been alida ed h ough a su ey o pa icipan s in an
ongoing s udy abou agile ans o ma ions o inc ease he adap abili y and sus ainabili y
o o ganiza ions. Ou p oposal has some known limi a ions, such as he c i e ia used in i s
elabo a ion, i s g anula i y, and he equi alence o i s dimensions wi h o he models. As
o i s use, i is a ool, no a oadmap o a de ailed ans o ma ion plan, and i has no ye
been empi ically alida ed.
Keywo ds: business agili y; agile; agile ans o ma ions; agile en e p ises; adap i e o ganiza ions;
adap abili y; sus ainable o ganiza ions
1. In oduc ion
The concep o agili y was ini ially de eloped wi hin he so wa e indus y wi h he
objec i e o enhancing he e iciency o small eams engaged in so wa e p oduc ion by
in eg a ing p inciples de i ed om he manu ac u ing indus y (Takeuchi & Nonaka,1986).
I was soon ecognized ha he op imal way o achie e he ull bene i s o agili y was
o ex end his philosophy and p ac ice o he en i e o ganiza ion (Denning,2018). This
ex ension is commonly e e ed o as business agili y, en e p ise agili y, o o ganiza ional
Adm. Sci. 2025,15, 128 h ps://doi.o g/10.3390/admsci15040128
Adm. Sci. 2025,15, 128 2 o 44
agili y. I is en isioned as an ideal s a e o o ganiza ions in which hey can adap in an
agile (quick and lexible) way o a apidly changing en i onmen (Hesselbe g,2018).
O ganiza ions implemen wha a e known as “Agile T ans o ma ions” in o de o
achie e he s a e o business agili y (Spayd & Mado e,2020). The p ocess o agile ans o -
ma ion is o c i ical impo ance in he con empo a y business en i onmen , as companies
in es a signi ican amoun o esou ces, ime, and a en ion in hei pu sui o business
agili y (Denning,2018).
Despi e he e o in es ed, he indus y es ima es ha be ween 47% (Odilo ,2024)
and 70% (Robinson,2019) o agile ans o ma ions ail. The e a e many easons o his.
Fo s a e s, he lack o a model is a common ac o in many ailed ans o ma ions (Ko e
& Cohen,2012). Bu speci ically in he case o agile ans o ma ions, in addi ion o gene al
easons (cul u e, leade ship, o ganiza ional s uc u e) (Mund a,2018), easons ela ed
o he managemen o he ans o ma ion (how o measu e i , how o de ine i s scope,
how o manage i , how o communica e i ) (Ba na d,2024) a e men ioned whe e ha ing a
model would help o p ope ly manage he ans o ma ion p ocess. In he cou se o hei
own esea ch, he au ho s ound such a need and disco e ed ha se e al p ac i ione s
(Hesselbe g,2018;D. Rigby e al.,2020;Sidky e al.,2024) had de eloped hei own solu ions
o his ques ion. These models a e amewo ks ha help o ganiza ions o unde s and he
scope o a ans o ma ion o classi y ac i i ies, me ics, o me hods used.
A model in his con ex is a na a i e, a simpli ica ion o eali y (Taleb,2012). Na a-
i es help o deal wi h p oblems o a complex na u e (Be ge ,2019), and agile ans o ma ion
p ocesses i his de ini ion (Goh & Mund a,2024). In his way, a model becomes a ool o
educe he isk o ailu e o an agile ans o ma ion.
The exis ence o models de eloped by p o essionals and o ganiza ions ha de elop
hei ans o ma ion p ocesses used by o he o ganiza ions as inspi a ion o hei own
p ocesses, is a sign ha he e is a need ha can be illed by he academic wo ld.
Howe e , despi e he impo ance gi en o i in indus y, hese agile ans o ma ions
ha e been s udied li le in academia (G ass e al.,2020;Abdul Wahab e al.,2024), despi e
he ex ensi e “g ay li e a u e” p oduced by p ac i ione s. Fo his eason, he au ho s
conduc ed a s udy o gain insigh in o agile ans o ma ions om an academic pe spec i e
(Al a ez & Bo del,2024). Speci ically, hey aimed o unde s and he objec i es o o ganiza-
ions pu suing hese p ocesses, he ac o s con ibu ing o hei success, and he di icul ies
hey encoun e .
In p epa ing o he ieldwo k (semi-s uc u ed wo kshops and in e iews), we iden i-
ied he need o a way o o ganize he opics o be add essed and o classi y he answe s o
be collec ed. This is no new: o he au ho s ha e highligh ed he lack o ools o acili a e
he de elopmen , con ol, and s udy o agile ans o ma ions (Ca oll e al.,2023); in pa ic-
ula , he lack o a uni ied amewo k o e e ence o assis o ganiza ions unde going agile
ans o ma ions.
In ou ex ensi e esea ch, we ha e ound se e al models, mos o hem in non-
academic o “g ay” li e a u e (like (Mund a,2018;D. Rigby e al.,2020), o (Sidky e al.,
2024)). These models, de eloped by p ac i ione s om hei own expe ience, consis o a
lis o a eas o aspec s ha should be he ocus o he ans o ma ion and also whe e i s
impac should be e alua ed.
In addi ion, we iden i ied an in e es in he academic li e a u e on he opic (Somme ,
2019). In addi ion, we ha e ound ha se e al s udies on agili y, agile amewo ks, and
agile ans o ma ions end o g oup elemen s, such as he ac o s in ol ed in he adop ion
o agili y and business agili y, in se s o se ies (Dike e al.,2016;Ve wijs & Russo,2023;
Gwangwadza & Hanslo,2024;Spä h & Wes ne ,2024). This shows ha he e is a need o a
Adm. Sci. 2025,15, 128 3 o 44
ool ha acili a es he analysis and managemen o in o ma ion and p ocesses ela ed o
agile ans o ma ions.
Howe e , none o hese models o se s can be conside ed as he e e ence ool ha
o ganiza ions need: ei he because hey ocus on e y speci ic a eas o because hey lea e
ou e y ele an aspec s. The e o e, we belie e ha he e is a eal gap: he lack o a
comp ehensi e e e ence model o suppo agile ans o ma ion p ocesses (Goh & Mund a,
2024), a model ha would help manage hese ans o ma ions and analyze hei impac .
To add ess his issue, we ha e de eloped a uni ied model ha se es as a common
amewo k o e e ence in agile ans o ma ions. This model will help o ganiza ions in
iden i ying he a eas o ocus o ans o ma ion and an icipa ing whe e hey can expec he
impac o he changes. These a eas a e wha we call “dimensions”. This model will assis
in classi ying and measu ing he impac o bo h ans o ma ion enable s and inhibi o s.
In de eloping his model, we ha e d awn on exis ing li e a u e, pa icula ly g ay
li e a u e om p ac i ione models. We ha e selec ed he elemen s ha appea mos
equen ly and hose ha help o p o ide a comple e ision o he ans o ma ion. Gi en
he comp ehensi e scope o business agili y, we ha e used comple eness as a guiding
p inciple in he elabo a ion o ou model.
The pape is o ganized as ollows. Sec ion 2desc ibes he c ea ion o he p oposed
e e ence model, including how he iden i ica ion o sou ces was conduc ed, he cu a ion
p ocess, and he lis o selec ed models. Sec ion 3in oduces he new and p oposed e e ence
model, lis ing and desc ibing he nine dimensions ha compose i . Sec ion 4p esen s a
s udy wi h use s based on h ee esea ch ques ions and wo kshops wi h eal s akeholde s.
Sec ion 5concludes he pape and summa izes he indings and ecommenda ions o
u u e esea ch. Two addi ional appendixes can be ound a he end o he pape . One
co e s in de ail he models analyzed. The o he appendix p o ides a comp ehensi e
o e iew o he dimensions o he model p oposed.
Rega ding he objec i es o his wo k, he e is a i s implici hypo hesis: is i possible o
c ea e a uni ied e e ence model o agile ans o ma ions? This model is he one p esen ed
in Sec ion 4. Howe e , i is necessa y o go u he : he p oposed syn hesis model equi es
some kind o con i ma ion wi h s akeholde s. The e o e, some esea ch ques ions ha e
been p oposed o de e mine whe he he model ul ills i s main pu pose o being use ul o
o ganiza ions de eloping an agile ans o ma ion:
RQ1: Do o ganiza ions demand business agili y e e ence models o help hem plan
and execu e hei agile ans o ma ion p ocesses? Add essed in Sec ion 4.2.1.
RQ2: Is he nine-dimensional syn hesis model mo e sui able o agile ans o ma ion
han o he cu en ly a ailable models? Response in Sec ion 4.2.2.
RQ3: Is he nine-dimensional model adap ed o he needs o he ans o ma ions?
Discussed in Sec ion 4.2.3.
The esea ch con ibu ions o his pape a e as ollows:
•Iden i y and analyze he a ious exis ing models o agile ans o ma ion;
•
P o ide a syn hesis model ha acili a es he managemen o agile ans o ma ion p ocesses;
•
Con i m his syn hesis model based on he e alua ion o pa icipan s in a s udy
on agile ans o ma ion. The pa icipan s a e p ac i ione s om o ganiza ions ha
a e unde aking hei own ans o ma ion p ocesses, o om o ganiza ions ha a e
helping o he s o do so.
2. C ea ion o a Comp ehensi e Re e ence Model Based on he
Li e a u e Re iew
The i s s ep in his p ocess was o analyze he academic li e a u e. As we will
see, his sou ce is no pa icula ly ex ensi e and i did no p o ide all he in o ma ion
Adm. Sci. 2025,15, 128 4 o 44
we we e looking o , so we had o u n o o he sou ces: he so-called “g ay li e a u e”,
pa icula ly books.
We hen analyzed he con en o his li e a u e in o de o iden i y he elemen s o
he model ha a e he subjec o his pape . A s uc u ed and o ganized iew o he key
dimensions o business agili y is usually called a model. This is a undamen al ool in he
implemen a ion o agile ans o ma ion, as i indica es he ocus o change.
Dimensions a e a eas o aspec s whe e he ocus o business agili y is placed. Conse-
quen ly, hey p o ide a mo e comp ehensi e and ope a ional unde s anding o he concep
han he a ious de ini ions. This p o ides a amewo k o he iden i ica ion and ex ac ion
p ocess.
Finally, and in o de o ga he eedback on he model, i was p esen ed o he pa ici-
pan s in ou s udy abou agile ans o ma ion in addi ion o he di e en models analyzed.
The eedback p o ided by he pa icipan s ega ding he a ious models se ed as a o m
o con i ma ion.
2.1. Rela ed Wo k
The i s s ep was o sea ch and o analyze e e ences in he li e a u e.
We ha e ollowed a simpli ied e sion o he PRISMA p ocess (Page e al.,2021) (no
e e y elemen o he PRISMA checklis is needed in ou analysis). The s eps a e shown in
Figu e 1.
Adm.Sci.2025,15,xFORPEERREVIEW4o 47


The i s s epin hisp ocesswas oanalyze heacademicli e a u e.Aswewillsee,
hissou ceisno pa icula lyex ensi eandi didno p o ideall hein o ma ionwewe e
looking o ,sowehad o u n oo he sou ces: heso-called“g ayli e a u e”,pa icula ly
books.
We henanalyzed hecon en o  hisli e a u eino de  oiden i y heelemen so  he
model ha a e hesubjec o  hispape .As uc u edando ganized iewo  hekeydi-
mensionso businessagili yisusuallycalledamodel.Thisisa undamen al oolin he
implemen a iono agile ans o ma ion,asi indica es he ocuso change.
Dimensionsa ea easo aspec swhe e he ocuso businessagili yisplaced.Conse-
quen ly, heyp o ideamo ecomp ehensi eandope a ionalunde s andingo  hecon-
cep  han he a iousde ini ions.Thisp o idesa amewo k o  heiden i ica ionand
ex ac ionp ocess.
Finally,andino de  oga he  eedbackon hemodel,i wasp esen ed o hepa ic-
ipan sinou s udyabou agile ans o ma ioninaddi ion o hediffe en modelsana-
lyzed.The eedbackp o idedby hepa icipan s ega ding he a iousmodelsse edas
a o mo con i ma ion.
2.1.Rela edWo k
The i s s epwas osea chand oanalyze e e encesin heli e a u e.
Weha e ollowedasimpli ied e siono  hePRISMAp ocess(Pagee al.,2021)(no 
e e yelemen o  hePRISMAchecklis isneededinou analysis).Thes epsa eshownin
Figu e1.

Figu e1.S eps ollowed ocollec andanalyze ela edwo k.
2.1.1.AcademicSou ces
Whenselec ingsou ces o  heli e a u e e iew,wewe einspi edby hesou ces
usedbyau ho so academica icles ha ha econduc edli e a u e e iewson he opic
o agile ans o ma ions,suchas(Dike e al.,2016).Ingene al,we ied ousecommon
andb oadsou ces.Howe e , obeon hesa eside,a es waspe o med oseei o he 
sou ceswouldaddag ea e numbe o mo especi ica icles.Theanswe wasnega i e.
Figu e 1. S eps ollowed o collec and analyze ela ed wo k.
2.1.1. Academic Sou ces
When selec ing sou ces o he li e a u e e iew, we we e inspi ed by he sou ces used
by au ho s o academic a icles ha ha e conduc ed li e a u e e iews on he opic o agile
ans o ma ions, such as (Dike e al.,2016). In gene al, we ied o use common and b oad
sou ces. Howe e , o be on he sa e side, a es was pe o med o see i o he sou ces would
add a g ea e numbe o mo e speci ic a icles. The answe was nega i e.
In choosing he mos app op ia e e minology o inding e e ences, i is impo an o
unde s and he meaning o he e ms used and wha is being sough wi h hem. Fi s o all,

Adm. Sci. 2025,15, 128 5 o 44
we ha e e e y hing ela ed o ans o ma ion p ocesses, unde s ood as ansi ions wi hin
o ganiza ions, which seek o gi e hem ce ain cha ac e is ics. These cha ac e is ics a e
de ined by agili y, a wo king philosophy (Beck e al.,2001) bo n in he wo ld o so wa e
de elopmen and ex ended o he whole o ganiza ion in he o m o business agili y and
equi alen e ms (en e p ise agili y, o ganiza ional agili y), o some imes de ined as he
abili y o “scale” agili y (Le ingwell,2007). I is a s a e ha a o s he adap abili y o he
o ganiza ion in he ace o changes in i s con ex and en i onmen . “Model” he e e e s o
na a i es (Taleb,2012) ha help manage hese ans o ma ion p ocesses.
As o he e ms used o loca e e e ences, a se ies o e y gene al wo ds (“agile”,
“agili y”
. . .
) on he subjec we e used o ensu e a su icien olume o con en , oge he wi h
o he much mo e limi ed e ms inspi ed by he e ms used by he au ho s o p e iously
known a icles on agile ans o ma ions.
In addi ion, ce ain e ms we e excluded as hey we e no o ally ela ed o he ocus
o his s udy. Fo example, e ms ha e e o e y speci ic aspec s such as amewo ks
o echniques (“Sc um”, “Kanban”, “Re ospec i e”), o ha e e o agili y a he eam
le el we e a oided, as we ocused on he ans o ma ion o he en i e o ganiza ion. The
same applies o e ms ela ed o scaling amewo ks (“SAFe”, “Nexus”, “Spo i y”), wi h
he excep ion o wo mo e gene al e ms (“agile a scale” and “scaling agile”), because
we ound ha hey we e used in p e iously known li e a u e as a way o exp essing
o ganiza ion-wide change.
We also excluded e ms ha we e oo gene al, such as hose ha exp essed he idea o
o ganiza ional change wi hou including agili y.
The e ms selec ed a e a se ha includes e y gene al aspec s (“agile”, “agili y”) and
mo e speci ic ones such as “business agili y”. The e a e se e al easons o he choice o
e ms: he mo e gene al ones we e chosen o ensu e a minimum numbe o e e ences and,
as soon as i became clea , he esul was he opposi e, wi h oo many. Ano he se o e ms
e e s o he di e en ways o naming he goal o he ans o ma ions: “business agili y”,
“en e p ise agili y”, “o ganiza ional agili y”, o “adap i e o ganiza ions”, and inally, hose
ela ed o ans o ma ions and hei challenges.
Thus, we s a ed ou sea ch using e ms such as “business agili y”, “o ganiza ional
agili y”, “en e p ise agili y”, “agile ans o ma ion”, “adap i e o ganiza ions”, “agile”,
“agili y”, o “agile a scale”. Table 1p o ides a summa y o he esul s o each o he e ms
selec ed om he sou ces used.
A comp ehensi e examina ion o he li e a u e e ealed ha a conside able numbe o
a icles we e no di ec ly ela ed o he subjec o ans o ma ions and he associa ed chal-
lenges. Fo ins ance, he e m “business agili y” is employed in di e se con ex s, including
economics, business adminis a ion, and o he ields, and is no inhe en ly ela ed o he
concep o agile ans o ma ion. A simila phenomenon occu s wi h o he gene al opics,
such as “agile” and “agili y”, which a e o en associa ed wi h he o e a ching cha ac e -
is ics o sys ems and o ganiza ions. E en mo e speci ic keywo ds, such as “scaling agile”
o “agile ans o ma ion”, yield esul s ela ed o he in oduc ion o speci ic amewo ks
in a con ex usually o so wa e enginee ing, a he han he comp ehensi e p ocess o
ans o ma ion unde in es iga ion. In his sense, i is wo h no ing ha agili y was bo n,
and is an essen ial pa o so wa e enginee ing, bu agile ans o ma ions end o co e he
whole o ganiza ion, ac ing as way o ansla e concep s and bene i s o so wa e enginee ing
in o he co e de ini ion and unc ioning o an o ganiza ion.
To ensu e he mos comp ehensi e analysis, sea ch e ms conside ed oo gene ic
(
e.g., “agile”
) we e excluded, and he ocus was na owed o he mos ep esen a i e e ms.
To his end, we ollowed a p ocess o g adual e inemen o he e ms used. To do his, we
elied on a icles al eady known and ele an o he opic (i.e., agile ans o ma ions and
Adm. Sci. 2025,15, 128 6 o 44
he ac o s ha enhance o inhibi hem). Wha we did g adually was o sample he esul s
o check ha excluded a icles we e no ele an o his wo k and ha p e iously known
a icles we e included in he e ms inally selec ed.
Table 1. Resul s o sea ching a icles ela ed o agile ans o ma ions owa ds business agili y.
Google Schola WoS Scopus
Any Type Re iew A icles To al Re iew A icles A icle Books
agile 1,250,000 38,500 28,206 584 5962 188
agili y 679,000 32,800 16,541 605 777 40
agile ans o ma ion 271,000 10,300 1.142 35 224 20
“agile ans o ma ion” 4160 197 156 5 37 3
“agile ans o ma ion”
challenges 3650 217 72 3 14 0
“agile ans o ma ions” 1580 124 1 1 37 3
“agile ans o ma ions”
challenges 1340 115 1 1 14 0
“business agili y” 12,600 537 316 2 85 2
“business agili y” agile 6150 265 73 1 13 2
“business agili y” agile
ans o ma ion 4970 195 13 0 0 1
“business agili y” agile
ans o ma ion challenges 4820 221 6 0 0 0
“o ganiza ional agili y” 20,300 998 582 17 117 1
“en e p ise agili y” 5450 269 185 9 12 4
“adap i e o ganiza ions” 4520 185 51 2 28 0
“agile a scale” 773 34 17 2 4 0
“scaling agile” 2770 187 97 4 29 1
This esul ed in a o al o 221 a icles e iewed on Google Schola (sea ch e m: “Busi-
ness agili y” agile ans o ma ion challenges), 13 in WoS (sea ch e m: “Business agili y”
agile ans o ma ion), and 13 in Scopus (sea ch e m: “Business agili y” agile). The mos
in iguing indings eme ged om keywo ds ela ed o “agile ans o ma ions,” al hough
hey we e occasionally qui e limi ing.
Ce ain c i e ia we e used o include o exclude e e ences. P e e ence was gi en o
a icles on o ganiza ional ans o ma ions ha use o a e based on he alues and p inciples
o he Agile Mani es o (Beck e al.,2001), o ha iden i y business agili y (and ela ed e ms)
as he goal o he p ocess. Excluded a e a icles ha ocus on ans o ma ion p ocesses a
he eam le el, ha ocus on he applica ion o speci ic agile amewo ks (such as Sc um,
Kanban, o SAFe), and ha ocus solely on he so wa e indus y o he impac on IT
depa men s wi hin o ganiza ions.
Finally, ollowing a comp ehensi e examina ion o he a icles (abs ac s, keywo ds,
and, on occasion, he con en ), a lis o 42 was ul ima ely compiled.
Du ing he analysis, a pa e n eme ged ha s a s o con i m wha we a e looking o
in his pape . This pa e n is he endency o g oup ac o s acco ding o hema ic a eas o
a ini ies. Tha is, he di e en au ho s look o ways o o ganize and hema ically s uc u e
a ound dimensions o o he simila en i ies he ac o s, key aspec s, and o he elemen s o
ans o ma ion p ocesses and agile amewo ks.
In he selec ed a icles, we ha e ound only one eal e e ence o a ans o ma ion
amewo k o model (Laan i,2017). Howe e , i is mo e a way o de ining he le el o
p og ess o ma u i y o he ans o ma ion a he han a lis o key aspec s o dimensions
on which o ocus he ans o ma ion p ocess.
In he sense o ou s udy, i is mo e in e es ing an a icle when he expe ience o
ans o ma ion in a pa icula o ganiza ion, o example Lego, is exposed and when a
numbe o dimensions o ans o ma ion a e lis ed (Somme ,2019).
Adm. Sci. 2025,15, 128 7 o 44
The es o he e e ences, while e y aluable o s udying he ac o s ha in luence
he success o ailu e o agile ans o ma ion, a e no use ul o he pu pose o ou wo k.
Fo example, he e a e se e al a icles ha analyze he ans o ma ion p ocess in a single
o ganiza ion (Somme ,2019;Laan i e al.,2011), o ha ocus on a speci ic amewo k
(Paasi aa a,2017;Ve wijs & Russo,2023), o on e y speci ic aspec s o he ans o ma ion
p ocess (Kaya,2023).
2.1.2. “G ay Li e a u e”
Fo his eason, we ha e u ned o o he non-academic bu e y nume ous sou ces.
These include pos s, a icles on websi es, and books. All o hese sou ces a e w i en om
he pe spec i e o hei au ho s, bu wi hou ollowing a igo ous o mal e iew p ocess
(o excep ionally as in (D. Rigby e al.,2020)).
As in he case o academic a icles, sea ching o a icles in he “g ay” li e a u e
equi ed a il e ing p ocess using he same combina ions o e ms. The main di e ence was
he use o gene alis sea ch engines (such as Google), which e u ned an eno mous numbe
o esul s. Applying he same c i e ia as in he case o he academic li e a u e, which
mean excluding a icles on speci ic amewo ks, e e ing o applica ion a he ha dwa e
le el o only in so wa e de elopmen p ocesses, could g ea ly limi he olume. A mo e
de ailed analysis allowed us o iden i y in e es ing con en on ce ain aspec s o agile
ans o ma ions (such as he ac o s ha acili a e o hinde hem) and se e al e e ences
o models ound in o he ypes o con en , such as books and websi es o o ganiza ions
dealing wi h business agili y.
Those wo ypes o con en a e pa icula ly ele an : books, which usually in ol e
a mo e igo ous p ocess o c ea ion and e iew, and which inco po a e e e ences ha
can be aced; and he con en o ce ain websi es speci ically dedica ed o he s udy o
business agili y.
Ou analysis o academic li e a u e e u ned se e al books, which se e as he ini ial
poin o e e ence o a mo e comp ehensi e sea ch. In addi ion, o he ools ha e been
employed o iden i y books like Google Books ( o comp ehensi e sea ches based on i le,
au ho , o keywo ds) and Good eads (based on ecommenda ions). To educe he numbe
o sea ch esul s, ce ain limi a ions we e in oduced. The ollowing we e excluded:
•Publica ions p io o 2000;
•Publica ions ha e e ed only o eams o depa men s, no he en i e o ganiza ion;
•Publica ions ha deal only wi h speci ic amewo ks o echniques;
•
Publica ions ha e e ed only o he indus y o ac i i ies di ec ly ela ed o so wa e.
The ollowing we e included:
•Publica ions ela ed o he alues and p inciples o agili y;
•Publica ions ela ed o aspec s o business agili y ans o ma ions.
As in he case o academic pape s, he majo i y o he books iden i ied pe ain o
opics ha a e no di ec ly ela ed o agile ans o ma ions o deal wi h e y speci ic aspec s
such as he use o ce ain ools o amewo ks. A e applying successi e il e s wi h mo e
speci ic sea ch e ms and he men ioned c i e ia, we ended up wi h a lis o 111 books.
A comp ehensi e examina ion o he books, o hei espec i e indexes when a ailable,
educed he lis o 41 books ha ha e been ead o a leas subjec ed o de ailed analysis.
O hese, 10 i les add ess he speci ic opic o agile ans o ma ion and he ac o s ha
acili a e o impede hese p ocesses.
The quali y o his ype o li e a u e a ies conside ably. Some wo ks a e o consid-
e able alue, inco po a ing da a om hei own s udy and analysis (as in D. Rigby e al.,
Adm. Sci. 2025,15, 128 8 o 44
2020), lis s o ac o s ha enhance o inhibi ans o ma ion p ocesses (as in Mund a,2018),
o hei own amewo k o acili a ing ans o ma ion (as in Spayd & Mado e,2020).
As in he case o a icles, he books show he endency o g oup oge he ac o s and
o explain he ans o ma ion p ocess by a ending o he aspec s o he o ganiza ion whe e
changes a e applied and whe e he e ec s o hese changes can be obse ed. In se e al
books, hese aspec s a e p esen ed in he o m o models o e e ed o as dimensions o
he ans o ma ion o o he equi alen e ms, whe e each au ho has hei own pe spec i e
and g ouping c i e ia.
In addi ion o academic pape s and books and p ac i ione s’ a icles, we ha e iden i ied
o he models ha a e al eady p esen and applied in indus y.
These models ha e been published by companies and o ganiza ions ha p omo e he
s udy o business agili y. Howe e , in o de o apply he g ea es possible igo , gene alis
sea ch ools ha e been employed in an a emp o comple e he lis o models.
To conclude, 15 sou ces ha e been selec ed o his esea ch. The sou ces ha e been
di ided in o he ollowing ca ego ies: six sou ces we e ob ained om books, one om
a icles, and eigh om o ganiza ions and companies. Fu he mo e, o he sou ces we e
iden i ied, bu hey did no con ibu e a di e en ial alue o he selec ed se , o hey we e
no ci able. These sou ces we e o in e nal use in ce ain o ganiza ions and he e a e no
published e e ences o desc ip ions.
All subsequen wo k is based on he analysis o hese sou ces.
2.2. Da a Cu a ion and Analysis
Following he iden i ica ion o he sou ces, he a ailable in o ma ion was subjec ed o
analysis in o de o ex ac he models and hei espec i e dimensions. The p ocess was
essen ially a adi ional ex e iew, wi h he assis ance o AI ools employed o summa ize
and ex ac ele an in o ma ion. F om each sou ce, we iden i ied and ex ac ed he
ele an aspec s o a ans o ma ion, seeking o iden i y simila i ies and a ini ies. In ce ain
ins ances, i is ela i ely s aigh o wa d o iden i y likenesses, gi en ha he e minology
employed o desc ibe hese aspec s is o en simila (e.g., “Cul u e” o “Leade ship”). In
o he cases, i has been necessa y o iden i y a ini ies by analyzing he way in which hey
a e de ined and looking o ela ed elemen s om o he sou ces.
Fo una ely, in ce ain ex s, his p ocess has been ela i ely s aigh o wa d. Se e al
ma e ials a e s uc u ed a ound his idea o dimensions (as in (Ha bo ,2021;Mund a,
2018)). In o he ins ances, i needs a mo e labo ious p ocess o ex ac he in o ma ion
on dimensions om ma e ials ha do no ely on hem as elemen s ha a icula e hei
discou se. Finally, he e ha e been ins ances whe e, despi e he use o elemen s ha
appea o be analogous o he concep o dimensions, i has been possible o disce n ha
he au ho o he au ho s we e no de ining a genuine model, bu a he a me hod o
enume a ing “laws” (Denning,2018) o means o p o iding solu ions o pa ial p oblems
o o ganiza ions.
The sou ces analyzed usually include a de ini ion o business agili y ha ends o
con e ge on he no ion o adap abili y. Ano he commonali y among hese de ini ions is
ha hey do no ocus on speci ic ou comes o goals, bu a he on he con inuous p ocess o
ans o ma ion. This p ocess is u he in o med by he implici assump ion ha business
agili y is con ingen upon he agili y o eams and he p inciples and alues espoused in
he Agile Mani es o (Beck e al.,2001).
The 15 sou ces selec ed o he li e a u e e iew (comp ising books, a icles, and
websi es) we e subjec ed o a da a cu a ion and analysis p ocess. This sec ion p esen s he
esul s and conclusions de i ed om his p ocedu e.
Adm. Sci. 2025,15, 128 15 o 44
mo e gene alized app oach has been sough o co e a wide ange o aspec s o he
o ganiza ion and i s ope a ions. Fo his eason, we ha e selec ed dimensions ha
may no appea equen ly, bu ha help o ex end business agili y o o he aspec s o
he o ganiza ion ha a e less equen ly men ioned.
•
Simplici y: The numbe o dimensions in he models analyzed a ies conside ably,
anging om 3 o 18 (wi h an a e age o app oxima ely 7). An e o has been made o
limi he numbe by seeking a ini y be ween dimensions. The inal numbe , 9, s ikes
a balance be ween he need o a oid unnecessa y b ead h and he desi e o include all
ele an aspec s o he o ganiza ion.
The lis o dimensions, wi h an explana ion o hei o igin (a de ailed desc ip ion can
be ound in Appendix B):
•“Human” dimensions
•
People: The opic o people- ela ed aspec s is men ioned di ec ly in 11 o he models
analyzed, and indi ec ly in he emaining ones. The e o e, i is selec ed ollowing he
equency c i e ia. People- ela ed aspec s (g ouped in his se o “Human” dimensions)
a e a cons an in all he models analyzed. They a e some imes mixed, bu hey a e
always p esen . The way people a e ea ed, de eloped, and e alua ed in he o gani-
za ion is p esen explici ly in 11 models, while in he es hey appea in e mingled
wi h cul u al and leade ship issues.
•
Cul u e: Cul u al change and he implemen a ion o a new agile cul u e a e explici ly
o implici ly p esen in all models. I is men ioned in 10 o he models, al hough in he
es hey may appea as pa o he people- o leade ship- ela ed dimensions. They
a e inco po a ed in o he model acco ding o he equency and comple eness c i e ia.
•
Leade ship: This is one o he mos commonly e e enced dimensions (i appea s
explici ly in 12 models) because, o he majo i y o au ho s, he pa h o business agili y
necessi a es a e-e alua ion o leade ship and managemen wi hin o ganiza ions. In
ac , we ha e iden i ied se e al e e ences (books in pa icula ) ha ocus on a new
app oach o agile leade ship. I is inco po a ed in o he model acco ding o he
equency c i e ia.
•“O ganiza ional” dimensions
•
S a egy: Men ioned in nine models. The e is no consensus among models ega ding
he modi ica ion o he o ganiza ional s a egy de ini ion, communica ion, and de el-
opmen p ocesses. Howe e , his is one o he key aspec s ha makes i possible o
ex end he scope o he ans o ma ion.
I is inco po a ed in o he model acco ding o he equency and comple eness c i e ia.
•
Go e nance: Men ioned in 11 models. Go e nance is a he e ogeneous dimension
ha encompasses a ange o elemen s ela ed o decision-making p ocesses, including
inance, planning, budge ing, and po olio managemen . This way, go e nance
applies he simplici y p inciple in addi ion o he equency.
•
O ganiza ion: This dimension is he mos equen ly e e enced, appea ing 13 imes
in he da a se . I encompasses all aspec s o o ganiza ional design and is one o he
mos consis en in i s de ini ion. Gi en ha agili y is o en ope a ionalized h ough
changes in wo k p ac ices, i is essen ial o align he o ganiza ional s uc u e wi h
hese changes o ensu e e ec i e implemen a ion. I is pa o he model ollowing he
equency c i e ia.
•“Value c ea ion” dimensions
•
P ocesses: This is ano he o he dimensions mos equen ly men ioned by he di e -
en models (12 imes), which makes sense gi en ha he ypical app oach o ini ia ing
an agile ans o ma ion is o implemen changes in he way o wo king. This dimen-

Adm. Sci. 2025,15, 128 16 o 44
sion encompasses he applica ion o di e se agile me hods and amewo ks (such as
Sc um, Kanban, o SAFe).
I is inco po a ed in o he model acco ding o he equency c i e ia.
•
Deli e y. Al hough i is no e e enced as equen ly as he o he dimensions (men-
ioned in six models), i has been included because i add esses ano he c i ical elemen
o his p ocess, which is also included in he c oss-cu ing cus ome dimension (men-
ioned ou imes). This is he de ini ion o agile alue s eams, which ep esen he
sequence ha leads om an idea o need o a p oduc o se ice in he hands o
cus ome s. Indeed, as pa o he a o emen ioned s udy (Al a ez & Bo del,2024)
conduc ed wi h a ious o ganiza ions, his is one o he p ima y a eas o ocus, and
whe e he mos signi ican inhibi o s and enhance s o agile ans o ma ion ha e been
iden i ied.
I is inco po a ed in o he model acco ding o he comple eness c i e ia.
•
Technology. This pa icula dimension is p esen in nine o he models ha we e
analyzed. In addi ion o i s equency, his dimension is selec ed o he comple eness
c i e ion, as i helps o co e a s a egic elemen in any cu en o ganiza ion, such
as echnology. In his con ex , “ echnology” e e s o he enabling ac o s o agile
ans o ma ion, which mus e ol e o acili a e he change. Jus as business agili y is a
way o ansla e concep s and p incipia o so wa e enginee ing in o he o ganiza ions,
echnology ac s a b idge be ween he wo wo lds.
I is inco po a ed in o he model acco ding o he equency and comple eness c i e ia.
While o he dimensions a e men ioned in he models analyzed, hey a e no a common
occu ence. In some cases, a single au ho may men ion a dimension, such as “Financial
p ocesses”, “Legal”, “Vendo managemen ”, o “Ex e nal pa ne s”. Fo una ely, we ha e
been able o i all hese dimensions in o one o he nine dimensions o ou model, as can be
seen in Table 2.
The dimensions explain he “wha ” and he “why.” I is impo an o emembe ha
agile ans o ma ion p ocesses ha e a s ong p ac ical componen , which implies asking
abou he “how”. In ha sense, i is possible o lis some o he echniques, p ac ices,
amewo ks, me hods, o concep s ha would be pa o each dimension.
To ully unde s and he eason o each o hem, an explana ion abou hei o igin,
de ini ion, and con en can be ound in Appendix B.
A isual ep esen a ion o he nine-dimension model can be ound in Figu e 2.
Adm.Sci.2025,15,xFORPEERREVIEW18o 47


o ansla econcep sandp incipiao so wa eenginee ingin o heo ganiza ions,
echnologyac sab idgebe ween he wowo lds.
I isinco po a edin o hemodelacco ding o he equencyandcomple enessc i e-
ia.
Whileo he dimensionsa emen ionedin hemodelsanalyzed, heya eno acom-
monoccu ence.Insomecases,asingleau ho maymen ionadimension,suchas“Finan-
cialp ocesses”,“Legal”,“Vendo managemen ”,o “Ex e nalpa ne s”.Fo una ely,we
ha ebeenable o i all hesedimensionsin ooneo  heninedimensionso ou model,as
canbeseeninTable2.
Thedimensionsexplain he“wha ”and he“why.”I isimpo an  o emembe  ha 
agile ans o ma ionp ocessesha eas ongp ac icalcomponen ,whichimpliesasking
abou  he“how”.In ha sense,i ispossible olis someo  he echniques,p ac ices, ame-
wo ks,me hods,o concep s ha wouldbepa o eachdimension.
To ullyunde s and he eason o eacho  hem,anexplana ionabou  hei o igin,
de ini ion,andcon en canbe oundinAppendixB.
A isual ep esen a iono  henine-dimensionmodelcanbe oundinFigu e2.

Figu e2.A isual ep esen a iono  henine-dimensionalmodel.
Table2p o idesasumma yo how he a iousmodelsa emappedin o henine
dimensions,offe inginsigh in o heo igino eachdimensionin hemodel.Figu e3p e-
sen sa isual ep esen a iono  heweigh assigned oeachdimensionwi hin hese o 
analyzedmodels.Thisweigh is henumbe o models ha men ioneacho  hedimen-
sions,ei he di ec ly,unde ano he name,o aspa o oneo  hedimensionso  hose
models,andisbasedon heda ainTable2.
Thissameg aphcanbeeasilyadap ed oano ganiza ionalcon ex , acili a ing he
iden i ica iono pi o alaspec sin he ans o ma ionp ocess,a easo  ocus,andpo en ial
a eas o imp o emen .
Figu e 2. A isual ep esen a ion o he nine-dimensional model.
Adm. Sci. 2025,15, 128 17 o 44
Table 2p o ides a summa y o how he a ious models a e mapped in o he nine
dimensions, o e ing insigh in o he o igin o each dimension in he model. Figu e 3
p esen s a isual ep esen a ion o he weigh assigned o each dimension wi hin he se o
analyzed models. This weigh is he numbe o models ha men ion each o he dimensions,
ei he di ec ly, unde ano he name, o as pa o one o he dimensions o hose models,
and is based on he da a in Table 2.
Adm.Sci.2025,15,xFORPEERREVIEW19o 47
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Figu e3.Theweigh o  hedimensionso  heindi idualmodelsiden i iedin heli e a u ein o he
ninedimensionso  hemodelp oposedon hispape .
3.2.Compa isonBe ween heSyn hesisModelandThosein heLi e a u e
Howdoes henine-dimensionalsyn hesismodelcompa ewi h hoseiden i iedin
hes udy?
Thenumbe o dimensions(9)isanin e media e alue,bu  hemos in e es ingis
heanalysiso  hei con en (eacho  hemodelsisanalyzedinde ailinAppendixAo 
hispape ,while hede ailso  hedimensionso  hep oposedmodelcanbe oundin
AppendixB):
 TheLegomodel(Somme ,2019)has i edimensions ha a eincludedin hesyn he-
sismodel:“O ganiza ionalS uc u e”and“Deli e yP ocesses”ha edi ec equi a-
len sin“O ganiza ion”and“Deli e y”.“Manda e”ispa o “Go e nance” o Lego,
while“FinancialP ocesses”canbeincludedinmo e hanonedimension,al hough
i  i sbes in“S a egy”becauseo i s oleinde ining heo ganiza ion’s oadmap.
 Thepe o mancemeasu esdimensionissp eadac ossse e aldimensions,pa icu-
la lyp ocessanddeli e y.
TheLegomodellea esou impo an aspec s ela ed opeopleandcul u eanddoes
no conside  echnology.
 Ha boo ’ssix-dimensionalmodel(Ha bo ,2021)hasmanypoin sincommonwi h
heonep oposedin hispape .Fi s o all,i gi esg ea impo ance o hehuman
dimensions:“O ganiza ionalCul u e”,“PeopleandEngagemen ”,and“Leade ship
andManagemen ”ha eanequi alen in“Cul u e”,“People”,and“Leade ship”.The
o he  h eedimensionso  hemodel(“Go e nanceand unding”,“O ganiza ional
s uc u e”,“Wo kingp ac ices”)alsoha edi ec equi alen s(“Go e nance”and
pa ly“S a egy”,“O ganiza ion”,“P ocesses”,o also“Deli e y”).
Themaindiffe enceis ha “Technology”isno includedasadimension.
 Hessellbe g’smodel(Hesselbe g,2018)has i eelemen s(dimensions) ha mapdi-
ec ly o hesyn hesismodel:“Cul u e”,“People”,“Leade ship”,“O ganiza ional
Design”,and“Technology”ha edi ec equi alen s.Thismodeldoesno conside 
s a egy,go e nanceo p ocessesaspa o businessagili y,whichmakesi lesscom-
ple e.
 Themodeldesc ibedinS.Mund a’sbook(Mund a,2018)iso ganizeda oundsix
dimensions.Fi eo  hemha edi ec equi alen sin hep oposedsyn hesismodel:
Figu e 3. The weigh o he dimensions o he indi idual models iden i ied in he li e a u e in o he
nine dimensions o he model p oposed on his pape .
This same g aph can be easily adap ed o an o ganiza ional con ex , acili a ing he
iden i ica ion o pi o al aspec s in he ans o ma ion p ocess, a eas o ocus, and po en ial
a eas o imp o emen .
3.2. Compa ison Be ween he Syn hesis Model and Those in he Li e a u e
How does he nine-dimensional syn hesis model compa e wi h hose iden i ied in
he s udy?
The numbe o dimensions (9) is an in e media e alue, bu he mos in e es ing is
he analysis o hei con en (each o he models is analyzed in de ail in Appendix Ao
his pape , while he de ails o he dimensions o he p oposed model can be ound in
Appendix B):
•
The Lego model (Somme ,2019) has i e dimensions ha a e included in he syn hesis
model: “O ganiza ional S uc u e” and “Deli e y P ocesses” ha e di ec equi alen s
in “O ganiza ion” and “Deli e y”. “Manda e” is pa o “Go e nance” o Lego, while
“Financial P ocesses” can be included in mo e han one dimension, al hough i i s
bes in “S a egy” because o i s ole in de ining he o ganiza ion’s oadmap.
•
The pe o mance measu es dimension is sp ead ac oss se e al dimensions, pa icula ly
p ocess and deli e y.
The Lego model lea es ou impo an aspec s ela ed o people and cul u e and does
no conside echnology.
•
Ha boo ’s six-dimensional model (Ha bo ,2021) has many poin s in common wi h
he one p oposed in his pape . Fi s o all, i gi es g ea impo ance o he human
dimensions: “O ganiza ional Cul u e”, “People and Engagemen ”, and “Leade ship
and Managemen ” ha e an equi alen in “Cul u e”, “People”, and “Leade ship”. The
Adm. Sci. 2025,15, 128 18 o 44
o he h ee dimensions o he model (“Go e nance and unding”, “O ganiza ional
s uc u e”, “Wo king p ac ices”) also ha e di ec equi alen s (“Go e nance” and
pa ly “S a egy”, “O ganiza ion”, “P ocesses”, o also “Deli e y”).
The main di e ence is ha “Technology” is no included as a dimension.
•
Hessellbe g’s model (Hesselbe g,2018) has i e elemen s (dimensions) ha map di-
ec ly o he syn hesis model: “Cul u e”, “People”, “Leade ship”, “O ganiza ional
Design”, and “Technology” ha e di ec equi alen s. This model does no conside s a -
egy, go e nance o p ocesses as pa o business agili y, which makes i
less comple e
.
•
The model desc ibed in S. Mund a’s book (Mund a,2018) is o ganized a ound six
dimensions. Fi e o hem ha e di ec equi alen s in he p oposed syn hesis model:
“People”, “Go e nance”, “O ganiza ional S uc u e”, “P ocesses”, and “Technology”.
The addi ional dimension “Cus ome ” can be seen as embedded in “Deli e y”. In
gene al, he cus ome is seen as he axis a ound which business agili y is buil , one o
he goals o which is o inc ease cus ome cen ici y.
•
This model does no include elemen s ela ed o leade ship, s a egy, o o ganiza ional cul u e.
•
The Business Agili y Ins i u e’s (BAI) (Sidky e al.,2024) i s model ( e sion 3.1,
2020) had ou dimensions and 12 domains buil a ound cus ome cen ici y. The
dimensions a e e y b oad and a e included in he nine-dimensional syn hesis model:
“Rela ionships” (go e nance, o ganiza ional s uc u e, people, p ocesses, and deli e y),
“Leade ship” (which also includes s a egy, p ocesses, s uc u e, and go e nance),
“People” (cul u e, people managemen , and p ocesses), and “Ope a ions” (p ocesses
and deli e y).
The majo missing elemen in his model is echnology, which is no conside ed pa
o business agili y.
•
The second BAI model (la e 2022) has a di e en s uc u e, al hough i can be ela ed
o he dimensions o he syn hesis model: esponsi e cus ome cen ici y, engaged
cul u e, alue-based deli e y (deli e y and p ocesses), lexible ope a ions (p ocesses,
s a egy, go e nance, o ganiza ion) and people- i s leade ship.
•
In gene al, all aspec s o he nine-dimensional syn hesis model a e co e ed, includ-
ing echnology, which would be pa o lexible ope a ions. The main di e ence
be ween he wo models is ha ce ain elemen s a e included bu less ele an (people,
echnology, s a egy).
•
The Agile Business Conso ium (ABC) (Agile Business Conso ium,2024) has a model
o i e dimensions, all o which a e included in he syn hesis model: “Agile Cul u e”,
“Agile People”, “Agile Leade ship”, “Agile Go e nance”, and “Agile S a egy”. This
is a model ha lea es ou he ope a ional aspec s o he o ganiza ion, such as p o-
cesses, deli e y, o echnology, and pu s a lo o ocus on he dimensions ha we can
call “human”.
•
E an Leybou n’s model (Leybou n,2016) is e y simple and ep esen s mo e o an
e olu iona y oadmap o business agili y. I s h ee dimensions can be easily mapped
o hei equi alen s in he syn hesis model: “Technical agili y” (p ocesses, deli e y),
“P ocess agili y” (o ganiza ion, p ocesses), and “Business agili y” (leade ship, s a egy,
go e nance). I omi s se e al elemen s o he syn hesis model, bu i s ocus is di e en :
i is abou ma king he p og essi e pa h o he adop ion o business agili y.
•
The Disciplined Agile En e p ise (PMI,2022) model is qui e unique. I has eigh
“blades” o dimensions ha a e e y much o ien ed owa ds aspec s o managing he
o ganiza ion. We belie e ha all o hem a e included in he syn hesis model: “En e -
p ise A chi ec u e” (o ganiza ion and p ocesses), “People Managemen ” (people), “In-
o ma ion Technology” ( echnology, go e nance), “Asse Managemen ” (go e nance,
Adm. Sci. 2025,15, 128 19 o 44
p ocesses), “Finance” (s a egy, go e nance), “Vendo Managemen ” (p ocesses), and
“Legal” (go e nance).
•
I also has a “T ans o ma ion” dimension, which is conside ed a ans e sal elemen
in ou model. As can be seen, compa ed o he syn hesis model, i does no include
leade ship, people o cul u e, o he “human” dimensions.
•
The McKinsey model (Aghina e al.,2018) has i e dimensions ha ha e a clea co e-
spondence wi h he equi alen dimensions in ou syn hesis model: S a egy, s uc u e
(“O ganiza ion” and “Go e nance”), p ocess, people, and echnology. Howe e , i
lea es ou o he key aspec s such as leade ship and o ganiza ional cul u e, o how
alue is deli e ed. I is an in e es ing model bu mo e limi ed han he one p oposed
in his pape .
•
The model de ined in he book “Doing Agile Righ ” (D. Rigby e al.,2020) has ou
dimensions, which a e qui e b oad compa ed o hose o o he au ho s, and which a e
included in he syn hesis model o nine dimensions: “Agile O ganiza ion, S uc u es,
and People Managemen ”, which co esponds o “O ganiza ion”, “P ocesses” and
pa ially o “People”; “Agile Leade ship”, which also includes cul u al aspec s; “Agile
Planning, Budge ing, and Re iewing”, which co esponds o “S a egy” and “Go -
e nance”; and “Agile P ocesses and Technology”, which co esponds o “P ocesses”,
“Deli e y”, and “Technology”. The main di e ence wi h he model p oposed in his
pape is he g anula i y o he dimensions, which a e less g anula and less de ined
han hose o he syn hesis model.
•
The Bosch model desc ibed in he p e ious book (D. Rigby e al.,2020) has i e
dimensions ha co espond di ec ly o hose o he model p oposed in his pape :
S a egy, o ganiza ion, leade ship, p ocess, and me hods (which includes aspec s o
deli e y), and cul u e. The main di e ence is he absence o “Technology”, since bo h
“Go e nance” and “Deli e y” a e pa ially co e ed by he dimensions o his model,
bu wi hou gi ing hem much ele ance.
•
Agili y Heal h (Agili y Heal h,2024) as a model is s uc u ed a ound se en “pilla s”,
which ha e a close co espondence wi h he model p oposed in his pape , al hough i
is no always di ec : “Cus ome Sea a he Table” is he way o exp ess “Cus ome
Cen ici y” as he axis a ound which he model is buil ; “Lean Po olio Managemen ”
is closely ela ed o “S a egy”; “O ganiza ional S uc u e and Design” is di ec ly
collec ed in “O ganiza ion”; “Agile F amewo k and Mindse ” co esponds o he
cul u e and p ocesses o he o ganiza ion; “Leade ship and Cul u e” is pa o he
“Leade ship” and “Cul u e” dimensions o ou model; “Make i S ick/Sus ain” is
pa o he c oss-cu ing aspec s o business agili y ans o ma ion; and “Technology
Agili y” is pa ly “Technology” and pa ly “P ocesses” and “Deli e y”. The mos
impo an missing dimension, “People”, is pa ially included along wi h he aspec s
o leade ship and cul u e.
•
As no ed abo e, SAFe (Scaled Agile F amewo k,2023), in i s de ini ion o an agile
scaling amewo k, includes a se o “compe encies” ha can be assimila ed o he
dimensions o a model and ha co espond o hose o he model p oposed in his
pape : “Lean-Agile Leade ship” wi h “Leade ship”; “Team and Technical Agili y”
wi h “P ocesses”; “Agile P oduc Deli e y” and “En e p ise Solu ion Deli e y” wi h
“Deli e y”, al hough a di e en scales; “Lean Po olio Managemen ” wi h S a egy
and Go e nance; “O ganiza ional Agili y” wi h O ganiza ion and, pa ially, S a egy;
“Con inuous Lea ning Cul u e” wi h “Cul u e”.
•
The main absen ee is “Technology”, which is co e ed in ou model (acco ding o he
comple eness c i e ion men ioned abo e).
Adm. Sci. 2025,15, 128 20 o 44
•
Finally, he “In eg al Agile T ans o ma ion F amewo k” model (Spayd & Mado e,
2020) has a unique layou , in ou quad an s, simila o dimensions, bu dis ibu ed
acco ding o hei o ien a ion: ex e nal o in e nal, and indi idual o collec i e. The
co espondence wi h he dimensions o he model p oposed in his pape a e “Lead-
e ship and Mindse ”, which is ela ed o “Leade ship” and “P ocesses”; “P ac ices
and Beha io ”, which would be pa o “P ocesses” and “People”; “O ganiza ional
A chi ec u e”, which would be mainly included in “O ganiza ion”, bu also in “Go e -
nance” and “P ocesses”; and “O ganiza ional Cul u e and Rela ionships” o aspec s
o “Cul u e”.
This model does no include echnology o s a egy, and only pa ially co e s issues
ela ed o alue deli e y, making i less comple e han ou p oposal, al hough i s app oach
is e y in e es ing.
4. Model Use and S udy wi h Use s
This sec ion is dedica ed o explaining he i s use o he model, as a ool o a s udy
on agile ans o ma ions, and how in ha same s udy, eedback was collec ed ha helped
alida e he model.
I is no possible o alida e a model in a pu ely expe imen al sense, as his would
equi e he model o be es ed in a con olled en i onmen . I is a ep esen a ion o eali y,
and mo eo e , o a eali y ha is no subjec o he cons ain s o expe imen al laws. Ra he ,
i is a na a i e ha se es o c ea e a simpli ied ep esen a ion, which in u n helps hose
who a e imme sed in hese ans o ma ion p ocesses. Consequen ly, he sole means o
alida ion is o assess he ex en o which his na a i e assis s hose who can bene i
om i .
4.1. Model Use
The nine-dimensional syn hesis model is a ool ha helps he s udy o business agili y
and he ac ions an o ganiza ion can ake o achie e his s a e. To assess he e icacy and
u ili y o his model, i was used in a s udy ha also included con i ma ion wi h use s.
The s udy was designed o iden i y he p ima y ac o s ha acili a e o impede
agile ans o ma ions. Al hough ull de ails abou how he popula ion was sampled and
managed we e p e iously epo ed (Al a ez & Bo del,2024), he e we can p o ide some
key in o ma ion abou he pa icipan s and he p ocess:
•
We wan ed o include o ganiza ions ha had a ela ionship and, mo e impo an ly,
di ec expe ience wi h business agili y ans o ma ion p ocesses. Fo his eason, we
ocused on a ac ing o ganiza ions ha we e a leas wo yea s in o hei ans o ma-
ion p ocess o , i hey el hey had comple ed i , his was wi hin he las wo yea s, o
ob ain a cu en pe spec i e. O ganiza ions ha had no begun o we e no planning a
ans o ma ion we e excluded.
•
In addi ion, we looked o consul an s who, a he ime o he s udy, we e suppo ing
a leas wo ans o ma ion p ocesses in o ganiza ions in di e en indus ies. The
consul an s b ing an agg ega ed and ans e sal ision om hei expe ience wi h he
di e en o ganiza ions hey help.
•
Th ough social media, announcemen s a e en s and p o essional o ums, and he
au ho s’ own agenda, 45 o ganiza ions we e iden i ied as po en ial pa icipan s, o
which 30 e en ually ag eed o ake pa in he s udy.
•
Rega ding o ganiza ions, 16 o hem we e o ganiza ions ha we e de eloping hei
own ans o ma ion p ocess ( inal o ganiza ions); and 14 we e om companies as-
sis ing hi d pa ies in hei implemen a ion (consul an s). Among hose ha had
de eloped a ans o ma ion p ocess, size anged om a ew dozen o mo e han

Adm. Sci. 2025,15, 128 21 o 44
100,000 employees: 10 could be conside ed la ge (mo e han 1000 employees) and
he es small o medium-sized. Looking a when hey s a ed hei ans o ma ion
p ocess, nine did so be o e 2020 and se en a e 2020, which many o ganiza ions ci e
as a key miles one in hei ans o ma ion.
•
99 indi iduals om 30 o ganiza ions ha e pa icipa ed in his s udy: 68 men and
31 women.
•
The s udy was conduc ed h ough a se ies o semi-s uc u ed wo kshops and in e -
iews ( he leng h anges om 1.5 o 3 h) wi h indi iduals om he o ganiza ions whe e
h ee key aspec s o ans o ma ion we e explo ed. In each o hese aspec s, quali a i e
and quan i a i e ques ions we e posed o acili a e compa ison
be ween o ganiza ions.
•
The pa icipan s in wo kshops and in e iews had o answe h ee main ques ions:
Wha is he objec i e o he ans o ma ion p ocess, and how can i be measu ed o
de e mine whe he i has been achie ed?; Which aspec s a e mos c ucial o change,
and whe e is he p ima y ocus o he ans o ma ion being placed?; and Wha ac o s
acili a e o impede he ans o ma ion p ocess?
•
The mainly quali a i e ou comes we e p oposed and p io i ized by he pa icipan s,
encou aging di e si y and a iabili y o esponses as opposed o al e na i e p ede ined
ou comes such as su eys. The esul s equi ed ca e ul analysis and e inemen and
bene i ed om he use o he nine-dimensional model as a ool o s uc u ing he
s udy esul s.
Figu e 4shows he schema o he wo kshops and in e iews and he ole o he model
be o e, du ing, and a e he mee ings.
Adm.Sci.2025,15,xFORPEERREVIEW23o 47


de e minewhe he i hasbeenachie ed?;Whichaspec sa emos c ucial o change,
andwhe eis hep ima y ocuso  he ans o ma ionbeingplaced?;andWha  ac o s
acili a eo impede he ans o ma ionp ocess?
 Themainlyquali a i eou comeswe ep oposedandp io i izedby hepa icipan s,
encou agingdi e si yand a iabili yo  esponsesasopposed oal e na i ep ede-
inedou comessuchassu eys.The esul s equi edca e ulanalysisand e inemen 
andbene i ed om heuseo  henine-dimensionalmodelasa ool o s uc u ing
hes udy esul s.
Figu e4shows heschemao  hewo kshopsandin e iewsand he oleo  hemodel
be o e,du ing,anda e  hemee ings.

Figu e4.Wo kshopsandin e iewsschema,anduseo  henine-dimensionalmodel.
Thisnine-dimensionalmodelwasused o  he hi dand,mos no ably, hesecond
ques ionin hewo kshopsandin e iews.Themodelwassen  opa icipan salongwi h
in o ma ionabou o he al e na i emodelsiden i iedin heli e a u e.Thepu posewas
ohelpexplainconcep ssuchas“model”o “dimension”p io  o hewo kshopsandin-
e iews.Toa oidbiaso con amina ion,onlycon ex ualin o ma ionwasgi en,and he
nine-dimensionalmodelwashiddenon heboa dun ilspeci icallyaskedabou i .
Themodelhelpspa icipan s oiden i y hekey ocusa eas o businessagili y
wi hinano ganiza ionandhighligh po en ialgaps.I canalsop o ideinsigh sin o he
le elo effo in es edin ans o ma ion, he ela i eimpo anceo diffe en dimensions,
hema u i yle elachie edineachdimension,and hea easwhe e ans o ma ionis
Figu e 4. Wo kshops and in e iews schema, and use o he nine-dimensional model.
Adm. Sci. 2025,15, 128 22 o 44
This nine-dimensional model was used o he hi d and, mos no ably, he second
ques ion in he wo kshops and in e iews. The model was sen o pa icipan s along wi h
in o ma ion abou o he al e na i e models iden i ied in he li e a u e. The pu pose was
o help explain concep s such as “model” o “dimension” p io o he wo kshops and
in e iews. To a oid bias o con amina ion, only con ex ual in o ma ion was gi en, and
he nine-dimensional model was hidden on he boa d un il speci ically asked abou i .
The model helps pa icipan s o iden i y he key ocus a eas o business agili y wi hin
an o ganiza ion and highligh po en ial gaps. I can also p o ide insigh s in o he le el
o e o in es ed in ans o ma ion, he ela i e impo ance o di e en dimensions, he
ma u i y le el achie ed in each dimension, and he a eas whe e ans o ma ion is showing
esul s. As no single model was deemed en i ely sa is ac o y, i was necessa y o c ea e
a new one ha was su icien ly b oad o encompass all he po en ial esponses o he
pa icipan s. Figu e 5shows he answe s abou he ocus and ele ance o ans o ma ion
in he dimensions o he model om one o he wo kshops:
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showing esul s.Asnosinglemodelwasdeemeden i elysa is ac o y,i wasnecessa y o
c ea eanewone ha wassufficien lyb oad oencompassall hepo en ial esponseso 
hepa icipan s.Figu e5shows heanswe sabou  he ocusand ele anceo  ans o -
ma ionin hedimensionso  hemodel omoneo  hewo kshops:

Figu e5.Exampleo useo  henine-dimensionalmodelinawo kshop(all hein e iewsandwo k-
shopwe eheldinSpanish).
Du ing hewo kshopsandin e iews, he esponseswe ecollec edonase ieso 
i ualboa dsc ea edwi h heMi o ool.Themainaimwas oensu e ha  hepa icipan s
hemsel eswe edi ec lyc ea ing heen ies,wi hou  heneed o anin e media ywho
wouldha esloweddown hep ocessandin oducedbias.Insomecases, hesessions
we e ace- o- ace,usingphysicalboa dswi hs ickyno es ha we e hen ans e ed oa
Mi oboa d.Inaddi ion,no eswe e aken ocla i y hemeaningo  hepa icipan s’en-
ies.Theseno eswe ecollec edin a iouswaysbu  henuni iedinasp eadshee whe e
heywe elinked o hepa icipan s’en ies.F om hiscon en ,asuccessi e e inemen 
p ocessinspi edbyNPT(No maliza ionP ocessTheo y)wasini ia ed ogene a ea ini e
lis o goals, ac o s,anddimensions.
Thede elopedmodel, henine-dimensionalmodelp esen edin hispape ,se esas
aguideandmap o unde s anding he ans o ma ionp ocessesandimplemen ingbusi-
nessagili yinano ganiza ion.Thisisanal e na i e ochoosingonespeci icmodelo 
c ea inganew, ailo edmodel o  heo ganiza ion.In he i s case, hemodelmaybe
incomple eo  ocusedonsomeaspec sandlea eo he sunco e ed.A ailo ed,pe sonal-
izedmodelmayp esen ad an ageslikeahighe  i ,bu i mayalso esul in hea oidance
o  akingad an ageo  hewo k,in o ma ion,and oolsassocia edwi hp e iousmodels
ha a eal eadya ailablein heli e a u e.
A u he bene i o auni iedmodelis ha i  acili a escompa isono  esul sac oss
o ganiza ionsinaquan i a i eanalysis.
Figu e6showsanexampleo  heuseo  hep oposedmodelapplied o he esponses
o  hea o emen ioneds udy.In hiscase,pa icipan swe easked o a e hele elo in-
ensi yo  he ans o ma ionineachdimension,and he ela i e ele anceo  hesedimen-
sions.The igu eemployedaLike scale( anging om1 o5).I wasan icipa ed ha  he
wo esul swouldalign;howe e , hiswasno  hecase.Theuni iedmodelcomp ising
ninedimensionshasenabledus oassess hediffe en pe spec i eso  he a iouso gani-
za ions.
Figu e 5. Example o use o he nine-dimensional model in a wo kshop (all he in e iews and
wo kshop we e held in Spanish).
Du ing he wo kshops and in e iews, he esponses we e collec ed on a se ies o
i ual boa ds c ea ed wi h he Mi o ool. The main aim was o ensu e ha he pa icipan s
hemsel es we e di ec ly c ea ing he en ies, wi hou he need o an in e media y who
would ha e slowed down he p ocess and in oduced bias. In some cases, he sessions
we e ace- o- ace, using physical boa ds wi h s icky no es ha we e hen ans e ed o a
Mi o boa d. In addi ion, no es we e aken o cla i y he meaning o he pa icipan s’ en ies.
These no es we e collec ed in a ious ways bu hen uni ied in a sp eadshee whe e hey
we e linked o he pa icipan s’ en ies. F om his con en , a successi e e inemen p ocess
inspi ed by NPT (No maliza ion P ocess Theo y) was ini ia ed o gene a e a ini e lis o
goals, ac o s, and dimensions.
The de eloped model, he nine-dimensional model p esen ed in his pape , se es as a
guide and map o unde s anding he ans o ma ion p ocesses and implemen ing business
agili y in an o ganiza ion. This is an al e na i e o choosing one speci ic model o c ea ing
a new, ailo ed model o he o ganiza ion. In he i s case, he model may be incomple e
o ocused on some aspec s and lea e o he s unco e ed. A ailo ed, pe sonalized model
may p esen ad an ages like a highe i , bu i may also esul in he a oidance o aking
ad an age o he wo k, in o ma ion, and ools associa ed wi h p e ious models ha a e
al eady a ailable in he li e a u e.
A u he bene i o a uni ied model is ha i acili a es compa ison o esul s ac oss
o ganiza ions in a quan i a i e analysis.
Adm. Sci. 2025,15, 128 23 o 44
Figu e 6shows an example o he use o he p oposed model applied o he esponses o
he a o emen ioned s udy. In his case, pa icipan s we e asked o a e he le el o in ensi y
o he ans o ma ion in each dimension, and he ela i e ele ance o hese dimensions.
The igu e employed a Like scale ( anging om 1 o 5). I was an icipa ed ha he wo
esul s would align; howe e , his was no he case. The uni ied model comp ising nine
dimensions has enabled us o assess he di e en pe spec i es o he a ious o ganiza ions.
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Figu e6.Thediffe encebe ween he ele anceo dimensions o pa icipan sin hes udyand he
ocuso  he ans o ma ion.
In he hi dpa o  hemen ioneds udy,wesough  oiden i yenhance sandinhib-
i o so agile ans o ma ions.Ou  indingsindica e ha longlis so  ac o sa elesseffec-
i e hano ganizing hesamelis a ounddimensions.Pa icipan sin hes udy epo ed
g ea e o ien a ionandcon idenceiniden i ying ac o sa ound hedimensions hanin
openlis s.E enwhenweasked o  hei ownlis o  ac o swi hou condi ioning hem
wi hap ede inedlis , heyp e e ed oanswe using heninedimensionsasamodelo 
guide.
Thenine-dimensionalmodelp o ideso ganiza ionswi hacomp ehensi e iewo 
hescopeo a ans o ma ion,enabling hem oplanac ions ha add essallc i icala eas
o  heo ganiza ion.I alsoallows o  hede ini iono me icsassocia edwi h hep ocess
andi sou comes.
4.2.S udywi hUse s
I wasno possible ope o manempi ical alida iono  hemodelwi hacon olled
expe imen , o example,byha ing wo e ysimila o ganiza ionss a  hei agile ans-
o ma ionp ocesseswi h wodiffe en modelsandcompa ing he esul sin hemedium
andlong e m.Bu weha eused hewo kshopsandin e iews ope o mcon i ma ion
ha allowsus oanswe  he esea chques ionsposedin hein oduc iono  hispape .
To hisend,be o eeachwo kshopo in e iew,pa icipan s ecei edadocumen 
desc ibing henine-dimensionalmodel, oge he wi hadesc ip iono  he15modelsiden-
i iedandanalyzedin heli e a u e.Then, o  hesecond opico  hesession(“Which
aspec sa emos c ucial o change,andwhe eis hep ima y ocuso  he ans o ma ion
beingplaced?”), hepa icipan scouldp esen  hei  e e encemodel,ei he  om hema -
ke o oneo  hei own(whichhappenedinse e alcases).Finally,oneo  heexe cises o
beca iedou wasbasedon heuseo  henine-dimensionalmodel: oindica e hedeg ee
o  ele anceandac i i y(“ ocus”)o eachdimensionin hei o ganiza ion.
4.2.1.Resea chQues ion#1
Thus,a e lea ningin o ma ionabou  henine-dimensionalmodelando he al e -
na i es,anda e ha ingexpe ienceo use ode e mine he alueand ecep iono  he
model,pa icipan swe e eques ed op o idebo hquali a i eandquan i a i e eedback.
Figu e 6. The di e ence be ween he ele ance o dimensions o pa icipan s in he s udy and he
ocus o he ans o ma ion.
In he hi d pa o he men ioned s udy, we sough o iden i y enhance s and inhibi o s
o agile ans o ma ions. Ou indings indica e ha long lis s o ac o s a e less e ec i e
han o ganizing he same lis a ound dimensions. Pa icipan s in he s udy epo ed g ea e
o ien a ion and con idence in iden i ying ac o s a ound he dimensions han in open
lis s. E en when we asked o hei own lis o ac o s wi hou condi ioning hem wi h a
p ede ined lis , hey p e e ed o answe using he nine dimensions as a model o guide.
The nine-dimensional model p o ides o ganiza ions wi h a comp ehensi e iew o
he scope o a ans o ma ion, enabling hem o plan ac ions ha add ess all c i ical a eas
o he o ganiza ion. I also allows o he de ini ion o me ics associa ed wi h he p ocess
and i s ou comes.
4.2. S udy wi h Use s
I was no possible o pe o m an empi ical alida ion o he model wi h a con olled
expe imen , o example, by ha ing wo e y simila o ganiza ions s a hei agile ans-
o ma ion p ocesses wi h wo di e en models and compa ing he esul s in he medium
and long e m. Bu we ha e used he wo kshops and in e iews o pe o m con i ma ion
ha allows us o answe he esea ch ques ions posed in he in oduc ion o his pape .
To his end, be o e each wo kshop o in e iew, pa icipan s ecei ed a documen
desc ibing he nine-dimensional model, oge he wi h a desc ip ion o he 15 models
iden i ied and analyzed in he li e a u e. Then, o he second opic o he session (“Which
aspec s a e mos c ucial o change, and whe e is he p ima y ocus o he ans o ma ion
being placed?”), he pa icipan s could p esen hei e e ence model, ei he om he ma ke
o one o hei own (which happened in se e al cases). Finally, one o he exe cises o be
ca ied ou was based on he use o he nine-dimensional model: o indica e he deg ee o
ele ance and ac i i y (“ ocus”) o each dimension in hei o ganiza ion.
Adm. Sci. 2025,15, 128 24 o 44
4.2.1. Resea ch Ques ion #1
Thus, a e lea ning in o ma ion abou he nine-dimensional model and o he al e -
na i es, and a e ha ing expe ience o use o de e mine he alue and ecep ion o he
model, pa icipan s we e eques ed o p o ide bo h quali a i e and quan i a i e eedback.
The o me was e y posi i e, bu he la e o e ed a measu e, wi h answe s om 34
pa icipan s o he 99 (pa icipa ion was op ional). Full esul s a e p esen ed in Table 3.
Table 3. Summa y o da a collec ed abou he nine-dimensional model compa ed o o he s om
he li e a u e.
Cha ac e is ics Highe Equal Lowe
Comple eness 21 13 0
Ease o
unde s anding 18 13 3
Use ulness 13 21 0
Abili y o e lec he eali y o
Business agili y 16 16 2
Abili y o apply i o my con ex
o o ganiza ion 17 14 3
•
Fi s , a e he s a emen , “I is be e o ha e a e e ence model o Business Agili y,
han o lack i and di ec ly lis i s dimensions” he pa icipan s said hey “To ally ag ee”
(47%), “Ag ee” (50%), and “Disag ee” (3%).
•
A e he s a emen , “When planning, execu ing and managing an agile ans o ma ion
p ocess, i is be e o ha e a e e ence model”, pa icipan s said hey “To ally ag ee”
(38%), “Ag ee” (56%), and “Disag ee” (6%)
These wo esul s alida e ou RQ1, “Do o ganiza ions demand Business Agili y
e e ence models o help hem plan and execu e hei agile ans o ma ion p ocesses” o a
signi ican deg ee.
4.2.2. Resea ch Ques ion #2
Rega ding he second esea ch ques ion, “Is he nine-dimensional syn hesis model
mo e sui able o Agile T ans o ma ions han o he cu en ly a ailable models?”, pa ici-
pan s had o answe wo ques ions:
•
In he case whe e hei o ganiza ion al eady had a model, o i hey used one, hey
said abou he nine-dimensional syn hesis model, ”I ’s mo e use ul” (9%), “I is com-
plemen a y” (74%) o “i ’s less use ul” (3%).
•
Rega ding he models analyzed in his wo k, and compa ing hem wi h he nine-
dimensional syn hesis model, he pa icipan s e alua ed he ollowing cha ac e is ics
(see Figu e 7):
•“Comple eness”: highe (62%), equal (38%);
•“Ease o unde s anding”: highe (53%), equal (38%), lowe (9%);
•“Use ulness”: highe (38%), equal (62%);
•
“Abili y o e lec he eali y o Business Agili y”: highe (47%), equal (47%),
lowe (6%);
•
“Abili y o apply i o my con ex o o ganiza ion”: highe (50%), equal (41%),
lowe (9%).
In ega d o he RQ2, i should be no ed ha his model is no in ended o supe sede
any o he o he models ha ha e been analyzed. Ra he , i is simply a ool ha has been
de eloped o acili a e compa ison and analysis.
The esul s indica e he pa icipan s’ p e e ence o e o he models, ei he hei own o
om he li e a u e. Thus, RQ2 is also alida ed.
Adm. Sci. 2025,15, 128 31 o 44
Un il la e 2022, he o iginal BAI model consis ed o ou dimensions and 12 domains.
The model was cons uc ed a ound he concep o cus ome cen ici y. The ou dimensions
o he o iginal ( e sion 3.1, 2020) BAI model a e as ollows:
•
Rela ionship dimension: This dimension encompasses elemen s pe aining o go e -
nance, o ganiza ional s uc u e, people managemen , p ocesses, and deli e y;
•
Leade ship: As a dimension, i encompasses mo e han leade ship o managemen
s yles. The dimension encompasses aspec s ela ed o s a egy, p ocesses, s uc u e,
and go e nance;
•
Indi iduals dimension: This dimension has essen ially cul u al implica ions, wi h
aspec s ela ed o people managemen and p ocesses;
•
Ope a ion dimension: This is an ex ensi e dimension ha encompasses se e al aspec s
(while he p e ious one, o example, is ocused mainly on cul u e).
Appendix A.6. Business Agili y Ins i u e (A e 2022)
As men ioned abo e, he BAI model was e o mula ed in la e 2022). This e sion 4.0
in oduces se e al changes ha make i possible o see he model as a new one, dis inc
om he p e ious e sion. The new model comp ises i e domains and 18 capabili ies.
Capabili ies a e associa ed wi h a se o beha io s o ien ed owa ds he h ee main oles
conside ed in he model: execu i es, leade s, and e e yone. One o he main changes is ha
cus ome cen ici y has become an addi ional domain, ins ead o i s o iginal cen al ole.
This model is dis ibu ed as ollows:
•
Responsi e cus ome cen ici y: This is a new dimension ha in eg a es cus ome -
cen ici y in o he model as an in insic elemen , a he han as an ex e nal componen
ha de ines he emaining dimensions;
•
Engaged cul u e: Engagemen is one o he agile bene i s mo e equen ly men ioned
in su eys. Bu his kind o cul u e needs special condi ions o lou ish;
•
Value-based deli e y: This domain is ela ed o he emo al o cons ain s and bo le-
necks in he deli e y low in o de o op imize alue o he cus ome ;
•
Flexible ope a ions: Mode n o ganiza ions a e complex adap i e sys ems ha equi e
lexible business ope a ions, including s a egy, go e nance, unding, and he s uc u e
o he o ganiza ion i sel ;
•
People- i s leade ship: The ans o ma ion and eo ganiza ion necessa y o adop
business agili y necessi a es signi ican changes, pa icula ly in ega d o cul u e and
mindse . Howe e , hese changes a e only possible wi h he suppo o leade ship,
which mus , he e o e, be he ca alys o he ans o ma ion. This new s yle o
leade ship mus be ounded on espec , us , pu ing people i s , and c ea ing an
en i onmen ha empowe s o he s.
Appendix A.7. Agile Business Conso ium
The Agile Business Conso ium (ABC) (Agile Business Conso ium,2024), p e iously
known as he DSDM Conso ium, has he objec i e o de ining and p omo ing business
agili y. ABC has de eloped i s own business agili y amewo k (“Business Agili y Wo ks”).
Business agili y is he capaci y o adap o change, which is essen ial o o ganiza ions
ope a ing in unce ain, complex, and ambiguous en i onmen s. An agile o ganiza ion can
espond apidly and e ec i ely o bo h in e nal and ex e nal oppo uni ies, making i mo e
adap able and sus ainable.
The model is p esen ed on he websi e h ough a pic u e ha illus a es he i e
dimensions, which a e si ua ed a ound wo cen al elemen s: ope a ional agili y, which
ep esen s he capaci y o p o ide an agile esponse o challenges; and business change

Adm. Sci. 2025,15, 128 32 o 44
agili y, which ep esen s a change managemen app oach ha is suppo ed by an agile
managemen o p ojec s and p og ams.
•
Agile cul u e: I is de ined as he alues, beha io s, and p ac ices ha make i possible
o ace he challenges o he o ganiza ion;
•Agile people: I is de ined as he p o ile and mindse o people in he o ganiza ion;
•
Agile leade ship: I is a gene a i e leade ship wi h a g ow h mindse ha delega es
esponsibili y and leade ship capabili ies o e e y pe son in he o ganiza ion;
•
Agile go e nance: I is he way in which objec i es a e de ined and achie ed, how o
manage isks, and how o op imize pe o mance;
•
Agile s a egy: I is pe o med h ough an i e a i e p ocess ha e alua es con inuously
he di ec ion, and is open o changes and adap a ions.
Appendix A.8. E an Leybou n Model
The model (Leybou n,2016) was ini ially p esen ed in he au ho ’s 2013 book (Ley-
bou n,2013) and subsequen ly elabo a ed upon in his websi e, ul ima ely leading o he
BAI model (Sidky e al.,2024). The h ee dimensions o he model can be eadily disce ned
om he a icle and associa ed cha on he au ho ’s websi e:
•
Technical agili y: P ac ices and echniques, ypically de i ed om he so wa e engi-
nee ing ealm, ha acili a e he de elopmen o agili y;
•
P ocess agili y: I is ela ed o ways o o ganize wo k a ound eams. I encompasses
he applica ion o agile amewo ks and me hods. Technical agili y may be employed
o suppo his p ocess;
•
Business agili y: This dimension co e s ways o unde s anding leade ship o scal-
ing agile concep s and p ac ices o he whole o ganiza ion (like human esou ces,
o inance);
The dimensions o his model can be ega ded as a p og ession in he scope o agili y
wi hin an o ganiza ion, s a ing wi h “Technical agili y” as he ini ial s age.
Appendix A.9. Disciplined Agile
The Disciplined Agile En e p ise (DAE) (PMI,2022) ini ia i e was launched by he
P ojec Managemen Ins i u e. A DAE is capable o sensing and eac ing p omp ly o
changes in i s en i onmen . To achie e his, i equi es mechanisms ha acili a e he
ans o ma ion o he o ganiza ion in o a mo e adap i e en i y. This is de ined by he
Disciplined Agile oolki , which is depic ed on he o ganiza ion’s websi e and is s uc u ed
a ound ou laye s: Founda ions, De Ops, Value S eam, and he DAE i sel . The la e laye
has eigh “blades”, o p ocess blades, ha a e ela ed o speci ic o ganiza ional capabili ies.
These blades can be assimila ed o dimensions in he o m used in his pape .
The eigh blades o dimensions o he Disciplined Agile En e p ise a e as ollows:
•
En e p ise a chi ec u e: This de ines he way o wo king o agile eams, and he
necessa y s uc u es o make his possible. I de ines he s uc u e and i s p ocesses;
•People managemen : This includes alen managemen and de elopmen ;
•
In o ma ion echnology: This is a sepa a e dimension due o he s a egic and c i ical
ele ance o echnology and so wa e enginee ing in mode n o ganiza ions;
•
Asse managemen : I includes he managemen , suppo , and go e nance o di e en
aluable asse s wi hin an o ganiza ion;
•
T ans o ma ion: This dimension is implici in he majo i y o he models. An agile o ga-
niza ion is, by i s e y na u e, in a con inuous p ocess o change and adap a ion. Con-
sequen ly, he ans o ma ion may ha e a s a ing poin , bu i mus be con inuously
sus ained and imp o ed in o de o main ain and inc ease he
adap a ion capabili ies;
Adm. Sci. 2025,15, 128 33 o 44
•
Finance: In his model, i plays a ole in he eam and ini ia i es unding, and also in
educa ion o people;
•
Vendo managemen : This dimension is men ioned only in his model. I has a wide
scope, gene ally ela ed o go e nance and p ocesses inside he o ganiza ion;
•
Legal: This dimension has he pu pose o ensu ing compliance wi h legal egula ions.
Appendix A.10. McKinsey
This consul ing i m has c ea ed a websi e and a se ies o a icles ha e lec hei
ision o en e p ise agili y (which is hei way o e e ing o business agili y, a mo e
common e m in he indus y). The dimensions a e clea ly de ined in se e al a icles, o
example, in (Aghina e al.,2018):
•S a egy: I is he way o de ine a sha ed pu pose and ision o he o ganiza ion;
•
S uc u e: The o ganiza ional s uc u e encompasses aspec s ela ed o decision-
making p ocesses (go e nance) and he physical space o wo k. McKinsey’s p e e ed
o ganiza ional s uc u e is a ne wo k o eams;
•P ocess: Ways o wo king, how he wo k is o ien a ed, o ganized, and pe o med;
•
People: The people ha wo k in he company, hei oles, p o iles, and ela ionships,
and leade ship s yles mo e app op ia ed o an agile en e p ise;
•
Technology: I is ega ded as a key enable o ans o ma ion, acili a ing a shi om
iewing echnology as a me e commodi y o in eg a ing i as a co e componen ac oss
all aspec s o he o ganiza ion. I is wo h no ing how a consul ing i m, gene ally
associa ed wi h business and managemen issues, gi es eal impo ance o echnology,
which also includes so wa e enginee ing.
Fo McKinsey, he dimensions se e as ma ke s o p og ess o companies unde going
ans o ma ion in o agile en e p ises. This way, he dimensions a e places o examine
p og ess and channel he ocus o he ans o ma ion.
Appendix A.11. “Doing Agile Righ ” Model
This book, by Rigby, Elk, and Be ez (D. Rigby e al.,2020), o e s a comp ehensi e
o e iew o ans o ma ions and he ac o s wi h he g ea es impac on hem. I is based
on he au ho s’ expe ience and is suppo ed by a li e a u e e iew. The book p esen s a
ou -dimensional model.
•
Agile o ganiza ion, s uc u es, and people managemen : In “Doing Agile Righ ,” he
impo ance o ha ing s uc u es ha suppo agili y is highligh ed. These s uc u es
enable new ways o wo king, acili a ed by a new app oach o people managemen .
This dimension also has implica ions o cul u e;
•
Agile leade ship: Like o he models, i emphasizes he signi icance o leade ship in
acili a ing he adop ion and success o agile me hodologies. This ex ends beyond
leade ship o encompass cul u e and mindse s. Fo ins ance, i sugges s ha a cul u e
o us is a mo e e ec i e app oach o leading an agile ans o ma ion han a cul u e
o con ol:
•
Agile planning, budge ing, and e iewing: These componen s enable he c ea ion
o i e a i e eedback loops, which in u n acili a e he implemen a ion o a plan-do-
s udy-adjus sys em. This has implica ions o s a egy, go e nance, and p ocesses;
•
Agile p ocesses and echnology: Fo Rigby e al., he alignmen o h ee componen s is
essen ial o en e p ises o seize oppo uni ies: cus ome solu ions, business p ocesses,
and echnology. The i s componen is based on cus ome cen ici y (cus ome s’ needs,
us a ions, and desi ed bene i s). The o he wo elemen s ha e a s ong in luence
on agile adop ion and success. A e all, agile adop ion ypically s a s in echnology
Adm. Sci. 2025,15, 128 34 o 44
a eas associa ed wi h so wa e enginee ing echniques and hen sp eads o o he a eas
o he o ganiza ion.
Appendix A.12. Bosch Model
I is men ioned as a use case by D. Rigby e al. (2020). The dimensions in his model
a e de ined as acks o wo k o he ans o ma ion eam. I has i e a en ion poin s:
•S a egy.
•O ganiza ion;
•Leade ship;
•P ocess and me hods;
•Cul u e.
The meaning o hese dimensions is aligned wi h he a ionale in he a o emen ioned
book (D. Rigby e al.,2020). Fo ins ance, “Leade ship” o Bosch has he same meaning
as “Agile Leade ship” o Rigby e al. A simila obse a ion can be made abou Bosch’s
“P ocess and Me hods”, “Agile p ocesses and echnology”, “O ganiza ion”, and “Agile
o ganiza ion, s uc u es, and people managemen ”. “S a egy” o Bosch can be mapped o
“Agile Planning, Budge ing, and Re iewing” o Rigby e al., as he la e desc ibes h ee
key aspec s o o ganiza ional s a egy. Only “Cul u e” o Bosch can be mapped di ec ly o
he emaining dimension o “Agile o ganiza ion, s uc u es and people managemen ”, bu
“Cul u e” is clea ly de ined in o he models, and “Agile o ganiza ion, s uc u es and people
managemen ” includes also he o ganiza ional mindse ha is pa o cul u e de ini ions in
an agile con ex .
Appendix A.13. Agili y Heal h
Agili y Heal h (Agili y Heal h,2024) is a company ha o e s lea ning and assessmen
se ices and ha has i s own model wi h se en pilla s, equi alen o dimensions, ha
include he ollowing:
•
Cus ome sea a he able: This exp esses he idea o “Cus ome cen ici y” o
“Cus ome - ocusing o ganiza ion”;
•
Lean po olio managemen : This is de ined as he applica ion o lean hinking o
manage he di e en po olios o he o ganiza ion;
•
O ganiza ional s uc u e and design: This dimension is essen ially abou eams, espe-
cially s able, c oss- unc ional eams;
•
Agile amewo k and mindse : This dimension co e s he mindse and cul u al aspec s,
and also ways o wo king and p ocesses;
•
Leade ship and cul u e: As de ined by Agili y Heal h, his dimension is ela ed o
leade ship s yles, bu i also co e s cul u al and go e nance aspec s;
•
Make i s ick/sus ain: This is a special dimension ela ed o ans o ma ion and
making he ans o ma ion a con inuous, sus ainable p ocess;
•
Technology agili y: This is a ans e sal, ounda ional dimension ha makes i possible
and suppo s he o he pilla s.
Appendix A.14. SAFe
The Scaled Agile F amewo k (SAFe (Scaled Agile F amewo k,2023)) is a amewo k o
scale agili y beyond small eams (Le ingwell,2007) and, o e all, owa ds a comple e body
o knowledge abou agili y. Business agili y is de ined by SAFe as he “ope a ing sys em
o o ganiza ions in he 21s cen u y” ha make hem mo e adap i e and sus ainable. SAFe
de ines se en co e compe encies o business agili y ha ac as dimensions in o he models:
Adm. Sci. 2025,15, 128 35 o 44
•
Lean-Agile Leade ship: The leade ship s yle mo e app op ia e o business agili y is
one ha sus ains change and excellence by empowe ing eams and indi iduals:
•Team and Technical Agili y: Ways o wo king a a eam le el:
•
Agile P oduc Deli e y: Fo SAFe, he p e e ed kind o deli e y is one cus ome -
cen ic app oach suppo ed by a con inuous low o alue;
•
En e p ise Solu ion Deli e y: This applies o he whole chain, om idea ion, h ough
o de ini ion and cons uc ion, o deploymen and ope a ion;
•
Lean Po olio Managemen : I is de ined as he way o align s a egy and execu ion.
I has an impac on s a egy and go e nance;
•
O ganiza ional Agili y: I is ela ed o he o ganiza ional s uc u e, bu also o he
s a egy, which needs a s uc u e ailo ed o i hei objec i es;
•
Con inuous Lea ning Cul u e: This is a ans e sal dimension ela ed, no only o he
o ganiza ion cul u e, bu also o he s uc u e o he o ganiza ion.
These compe encies a e depic ed a ound cus ome cen ici y which is de ined as a
mindse ha makes i possible o ob ain bene i s o he o ganiza ion.
SAFe con ains also 21 so-called “dimensions”, 3 o each co e compe ency, bu he e
“dimension” has a di e en meaning: SAFe “dimensions” a e p ac ices and ways o achie e
he pu pose o en e p ise solu ion deli e y.
SAFe gi es g ea ele ance o echnological aspec s, especially hose ela ed o so wa e
enginee ing (De Ops, o example). I s ini ial pu pose was o help scale echnological solu-
ions, al hough o e ime i has e ol ed owa ds a mo e gene al ision ha encompasses
he en i e o ganiza ion.
Appendix A.15. In eg al Agile T ans o ma ion F amewo k
The model depic ed in he book “Agile T ans o ma ion: Using he In eg al Agile T ans-
o ma ion F amewo k o Think and Lead Di e en ly” by M. K. Spayd and M. Michelle
(Spayd & Mado e,2020) uses he Wilbe quad an (Wilbe ,2001) o de ine a gene al ame-
wo k o agile ans o ma ions. The quad an desc ibes he ou main a eas o ocus he
ans o ma ion p ocess. Each quad an is s uc u ed in “holons”, which de ine he s uc-
u al le el o he o ganiza ion: o ganiza ional, p og am, and eam-le el. The a ionale
behind his is ha he condi ions and needs o each holon a e dis inc , necessi a ing di e en
solu ions and p ac ices.
The quad ans o dimensions a e as ollows:
•
Leade ship and Mindse : The “I” (indi idual and in e nal) quad an co e s leade ship
s yles, bu also agile p ac ices a eam le el;
•
P ac ices and Beha io : The “IT” quad an , o indi idual and ex e nal aspec s o he
o ganiza ion co e s p ocesses and pe sons;
•
O ganiza ional A chi ec u e: The “ITS” quad an (ex e nal and collec i e). This is he
domain o s uc u e, bu also go e nance and p ocesses a e included he e;
•
O ganiza ional Cul u e and Rela ionships: The “WE” quad an . This is he in e nal and
collec i e aspec s, no mally exp essing he cul u e and o he collec i e mechanisms.
Appendix B. De ailed De ini ions o he Dimensions o he Model
This is he lis o elemen s o he nine-dimensional syn hesis model. The i s abb e i-
a ed e sion can be ound in Sec ion 3.1 o he pape . The de ails and a ionale o de ining
hese dimensions can be ound he e:
Adm. Sci. 2025,15, 128 36 o 44
Appendix B.1. People
People e e o indi iduals wi hin he o ganiza ion, encompassing aspec s such as he
selec ion, de elopmen o hei p o essional ca ee , how hey ela e o each o he , how hey
a e ewa ded, how hey a e conside ed, o how hei pe o mance is e alua ed.
A company’s le el o agili y is di ec ly co ela ed wi h how he business iden i ies and
de elops he po en ial o i s people. The unde lying capabili ies o agili y ( esponsi eness,
e sa ili y, lexibili y, esilience, inno a i eness, and adap abili y) a e e ec i e and sus ain-
able only when all people, and no jus leade s, a e able o unlock and u ilize hei po en ial
o c ea e and deli e aluable ou comes o sa is y cus ome s (Mund a,2018).
This dimension is equen ly men ioned explici ly in se e al o he models analyzed
(see Table 3) al hough some imes i appea s embedded in o he s, such as leade ship o
cul u e. The ac ha agile ans o ma ion a ec s he en i e o ganiza ion in o de o apply
agili y a scale (D. K. Rigby e al.,2018) has a signi ican impac on all employees.
The “People” dimension is based on eamwo k, bu wi h dis inc i e cha ac e is ics.
The p ocess o de eloping new p oduc s, as desc ibed in (Takeuchi & Nonaka,1986), is
an i e a i e one. I is a holis ic app oach wi h six cha ac e is ics, one o which is “sel -
o ganizing p ojec eams”.
The Law o he Small Team (Denning,2018) is a good summa y o his. Acco ding o
his law, common p ac ices o agile small eams a e he ollowing: wo king in small ba ches;
small c oss- unc ional eams; limi ed wo k in p ocess; au onomous eams; achie ing he
“done” pa ; wo king wi hou in e up ion; daily s andups; adical anspa ency; cus ome
eedback in each cycle; and e ospec i e e iews.
In an agile eam, he composi ion o he eam had much less o do wi h eam pe o -
mance han wi h i e key dynamics ha a e suppo ed by agile managemen p ac ices:
psychological sa e y, dependabili y, s uc u e and cla i y, meaning o wo k, and impac
o wo k.
Rela ed o people, he a e se e al inhibi o s and enable s (Mund a,2018) o agili y.
Inhibi o s would be a mechanis ic iew o people, a lack o us , blaming people, he
eeling o “being used”, a lack o app ecia ion, he “ ha ’s no my job” a i ude and he
“yes boss” mindse , compe i ion among indi iduals, di e en ial ea men o con ac ual
employees, and “ o cing” people o become manage s.
On he o he hand, he lis o enable s include psychological sa e y, compe ency-
d i en people de elopmen , in insic mo i a ion (Pink,2009) engagemen , abili y o ha e
un a wo k, hi ing o di e si y, holis ic and equen eedback o pe o mance, and
lea ning cul u e.
I should be no ed ha ce ain aspec s o he “People” dimension a e closely in e -
ela ed wi h o he dimensions. Fo ins ance, wo k suppo ed in small eams has poin s
o con ac wi h he “O ganiza ion”, “P ocesses”, o “Leade ship” dimensions. This is a
common occu ence wi h se e al o he echniques, p ac ices, me hods, and amewo ks
in ol ed, as hey o en a ec mul iple dimensions. The adap i e na u e o business agili y
will esul in new echniques and p ac ices pe mea ing he “pe meable bo de s” o he di -
e en dimensions in he u u e. Ano he ela ed dimension is cul u e, which can be os e ed
by cul i a ing an en e p ise g ow h mindse , and emb acing di e si y (Hesselbe g,2018).
Appendix B.2. Cul u e
The idea o cul u al change as a basic elemen o business agili y is qui e widesp ead
(see Table 3).
An agile cul u e is buil on he p inciple o pu ing people a he cen e o he o gani-
za ion. I empowe s and engages hem o wo k collabo a i ely and e ec i ely, enabling

Adm. Sci. 2025,15, 128 37 o 44
hem o c ea e alue swi ly and os e ing a p oduc i e and inno a i e wo k en i onmen
(Aghina e al.,2018).
An agile cul u e is a con inuous lea ning cul u e (Scaled Agile F amewo k,2023) ha
p io i izes ongoing imp o emen o knowledge, compe ence, pe o mance, and inno a ion.
The ans o ma ion in o a lea ning o ganiza ion equi es i e co e disciplines (Senge,
1990): pe sonal mas e y; sha ed ision; eam lea ning; men al models and sys ems hinking.
This app oach in ol es modi ying he leade ship s yle o p o ide employees wi h he
au onomy and mo i a ion o d i e he o ganiza ion owa ds i s s a ed pu pose and ision.
This os e s a cul u e o inno a ion and collabo a ion, which ul ima ely con ibu es o he
o ganiza ion’s success (Aghina e al.,2018).
Some au ho s associa e cul u e wi h he scale o consciousness as de ined by F. Laloux
(Laloux,2014). The cul u e has di e en cha ac e is ics acco ding o he le el (Leopold,
2020) o he holon (Spayd & Mado e,2020).
An agile cul u e has many poin s o con ac wi h he beha io s exhibi ed in eme ging
o ganiza ions such as s a ups. These include an en ep eneu ial d i e, aking owne ship
o eam goals, decisions, and pe o mance, and people p oac i ely iden i ying and pu -
suing oppo uni ies o de elop new ini ia i es, knowledge, and skills in hei daily wo k
(Aghina e al.,2018).
Appendix B.3. Leade ship
Leade ship is a key elemen , wi h a g ea in luence on he ans o ma ion p ocesses,
pa icula ly in he con ex o an “Agile leade ship” app oach (Haywa d,2021). Leade ship
is men ioned as a key elemen in se e al models (see Table 3).
This is a c i ical ac o o se e al au ho s in success ul agile ans o ma ions (Spayd &
Mado e,2020), e en when he ocus is ypically on o ganiza ions o p ocesses.
An agile leade is ega ded as bo h an enable and a dis up o (Haywa d,2021). In
hei ole as an enable , he o she p o ides a clea sense o pu pose and di ec ion, os e s a
secu e wo k en i onmen , cul i a es us , se es as a coach o imp o emen , and emb aces
a collabo a i e app oach. As a dis up o , he agile leade is closely connec ed o cus ome s,
p io i izes u hlessly, challenges he s a us quo, and is bold and de e mined.
As o ganiza ions la en and delega e g ea e accoun abili y, au ho i y, and au onomy
o he wo k o ce, he ole o people manage s (as dis inc om p ocess manage s) becomes
inc easingly impo an . They se e as coaches and men o s o hei wo k o ce, ene gizing
people, emo ing impedimen s, esol ing con lic s, and communica ing he co po a e
ision. The cul u e o he o ganiza ion li es h ough hem (Sidky e al.,2024).
The agile leade de ines a con ex ha makes i possible o employees o lea n by
pe o ming asks by hemsel es, by ea ing hem as adul s ha do no equi e con inuous
supe ision. This is no a spon aneous p ocess; i equi es building us on bo h sides o e
ime (D. Rigby e al.,2020).
Agile leade s can acili a e ans o ma ion, encou age new beha io s, de ine ision,
and c ea e a sa e en i onmen o expe imen a ion and lea ning by e ec i ely delega ing
and empowe ing people (D. Rigby e al.,2020). The ac ions o he leade a e c i ical o he
success o agile ans o ma ions. They a e ins umen al in de eloping an agile o ganiza ion
by p o iding (Haywa d,2021) he ollowing:
•Cul u al o psychological sa e y ha gi es people he con idence o ac ;
•Cla i y o ision, oles, and expec a ions ha ees people o ocus and deli e ;
•Closeness o he cus ome ha accele a es ele an inno a ion;
•Collabo a ion and eamwo k ha d i e ou pu and pe o mance imp o emen .
Adm. Sci. 2025,15, 128 38 o 44
Appendix B.4. S a egy
The s a egy de ines se e al key aspec s o an o ganiza ion. I is de i ed om he
o ganiza ion’s mission and ision and de ines he means o aligning he o ganiza ion wi h
he objec i e o achie ing hem.
An agile o ganiza ion, wi h a dis ibu ed alue c ea ion model, mus es ablish a sha ed
pu pose and ision o he o ganiza ion ha helps people eel pe sonally and emo ionally
in es ed (Aghina e al.,2018). This sha ed pu pose and ision se e as he e e ence o all
pa ies in ol ed in he o ganiza ion’s ope a ions.
This is he eason why o ganiza ions need o in oduce mechanisms ha help c ea e
ocus and alignmen (Doe ,2018), coc ea ing alue wi h and o all hei s akeholde s
(Aghina e al.,2018). This equi es clea communica ion o an adap i e and sus ainable
s a egy. Such a s a egy empowe s eams o iden i y oppo uni ies o execu e asks in
po en ially inno a i e and p e iously un o eseen ways (Sidky e al.,2024).
Agile s a egy implies an agile way o planning, budge ing, and e iewing ha elays
equen e iews and empi ical da a o de e mine whe he o e iew o adjus he plans.
Planning, budge ing, and e iewing wo k oge he in i e a i e eedback loops, mi o ing he
collabo a i e na u e o an agile eam (D. Rigby e al.,2020). Agile leade s’ esponsibili ies
ega ding s a egy include clea ly communica ing i in a anspa en way o help alignmen
(Sidky e al.,2024).
The igh cadence o he planning, budge ing, and e iewing cycle depends on he
o ganiza ion, and pa icula ly on whe e he balance lies be ween s abili y and inno a ion.
A cycle ha is oo slow can esul in s agna ion o he misalloca ion o esou ces. A cycle
ha is oo as can esul in he c ea ion o unnecessa y wo k and con usion wi hin he
ope a ional amewo k (D. Rigby e al.,2020).
Appendix B.5. Go e nance
Go e nance is men ioned in se e al models (see Table 3). I e e s o he p ocess o
aligning he o ganiza ion’s esou ces and capabili ies wi h i s highes -p io i y objec i es
and ini ia i es, wi h he aim o deli e ing maximum alue ou comes o s akeholde s
(Mund a,2018).
This is ypically es ablished by a boa d o di ec o s o an equi alen go e ning body.
As an agile go e nance s uc u e, i holds he o ganiza ion accoun able o business ou -
comes, a he han solely ocusing on ou pu s. I os e s an en i onmen o conduc ing
and lea ning om expe imen s and ma ke esea ch. Addi ionally, i suppo s he CEO in
making decisions ha bene i he cus ome , e en i hey ha e a sho - e m impac on sha e-
holde s (Sidky e al.,2024). One key aspec is he se ing o me ics, pa icula ly ou comes
me ics, which p o ide ocus and alignmen (Doe ,2018;Hellesoe & Mewes,2020).
The agile go e nance app oach in ol es os e ing hands-on go e nance by decen aliz-
ing c oss- eam pe o mance managemen and decision-making igh s ac oss o ganiza ional
bounda ies (Spayd & Mado e,2020). This app oach encou ages he delega ion and dis i-
bu ion o decision-making, eeing senio leade ship o concen a e on he o e all sys em
design and p o ide guidance and suppo o esponsible, empowe ed eams engaged in
day- o-day ac i i ies (Aghina e al.,2018).
A shi in mindse is aking place (Aghina e al.,2018). The adi ional app oach, which
in ol es di ec ing and managing people o p e en chaos, is being eplaced by a mo e
nuanced unde s anding. This new pe spec i e acknowledges ha when indi iduals a e
gi en clea esponsibili y and au ho i y, hey a e highly engaged and ake ca e o each
o he . This leads o ingenious solu ions and excep ional esul s.
The e a e a se ies o inhibi o s and enhance s o agile go e nance (Mund a,2018).
Adm. Sci. 2025,15, 128 39 o 44
The inhibi o s include he ollowing: op imiza ion o silos; elying on misleading
and non-ac ionable me ics; wa e melon me ics (me ics ha supe icially mask he g im
eali ies); ani y me ics; lagging indica o s; me ics ha d i e w ong beha io s; sunk
cos allacy; speed a he cos o quali y; go e ning o compliance and documen a ion;
p ojec s/ini ia i es delinked om s a egy; and he “F ozen middle” laye o managemen .
On he o he hand, enable s include he ollowing: alue-d i en p io i iza ion; con in-
uous alida ion o alue; inc emen al unding; balancing o leading and lagging indica o s;
a ending showcases/demos; and end- o-end links be ween pu pose and ini ia i es.
Appendix B.6. O ganiza ion
Wi h leade ship, o ganiza ion is he dimension wi h mo e e e ences among models
(see Table 3).
O ganiza ional design e e s o he s uc u es, hie a chies, o in e nal mechanisms an
o ganiza ion uses o deli e alue. An agile o ganiza ional design is dynamic, lexible, and
p io i izes cus ome alue o e esou ces o leade ship con ol, bo h in he p esen and
u u e (Hesselbe g,2018).
An agile o ganiza ion is a ne wo k o empowe ed eams, ep esen ing a shi away
om hie a chical and igid machine-like s uc u es owa ds mo e luid s uc u es, esem-
bling biological o ganisms. Simila ly o cells in an o ganism, he basic building blocks o
agile o ganiza ions a e small, i - o -pu pose pe o mance cells (Aghina e al.,2018).
Denning’s Law o he Ne wo k (Denning,2018) de ines he o ganiza ion as a ne wo k.
In agile o ganiza ions, b eaking silos is a key ocus. Agile eams, unlike specialized and
isola ed depa men s, ha e g ea e au onomy, accoun abili y, and mul idisciplina y capabil-
i ies. They a e quickly o med and dissol ed, wi h a clea ocus on speci ic alue-c ea ing
ac i i ies and pe o mance ou comes (Aghina e al.,2018). These eams a e op imized o
alue deli e y and low e iciency (Vacan i,2020).
As o ganiza ion is one o he mos common dimensions in he models analyzed, i
is also co e ed om a a ie y o di e en pe spec i es. Fo ins ance, a dis inc i e agile
physical wo kplace design (Hesselbe g,2018) is one such example. This design p o ides
e ec i e ocus space and oppo uni ies o communica ion and collabo a ion.
I is impo an o no e ha he majo i y o agile amewo ks, p ac ices, and me hods
(Sc um, Kanban, DSDM, SAFe, LeSS, e c.) a e de ined in e ms o how hey s uc u e
o ganiza ions wi h he aim o inc easing alue deli e y. Fo his eason, o ganiza ional
design is a opic ex ensi ely co e ed in he li e a u e and ep esen s a e ile a ea o
expe imen a ion, including he explo a ion o al e na i e s uc u es such as Socioc acy
(Endenbu g,1998), Holac acy (Robe son,2015), and Teal o ganiza ions, which ep esen
he pinnacle o o ganiza ional “consciousness” (acco ding o (Laloux,2014)).
Appendix B.7. P ocesses
These e e o he kind o p ocesses needed o implemen agili y in he o ganiza ion.
A p ocess is a se ies o coo dina ed ac i i ies wi h he objec i e o achie ing a speci ic
ou come (Mund a,2018). This implies ha e e y ac i i y wi hin an o ganiza ion can be
de ined as a p ocess, wi h inpu s, ac ions, and ou pu s.
Mos o he agile amewo ks, me hods, and p ac ices a e in ended o ede ine o gani-
za ion and p ocesses, no mally o eams bu , as men ioned ea lie , also a scale (se e al
eams and he whole o ganiza ion). Agili y was bo n as a way o o e “ligh ” me hods in
con as wi h he hea y-weigh me hodologies o hei ime (Doe ,2018).
One o he hallma ks o agili y is i s abili y o s uc u e wo k in apid cycles o hinking
and doing (Spayd & Mado e,2020), enabling expe imen a ion and cus ome eedback
in eg a ion. This way o wo king can be implemen ed a any le el o he o ganiza ion,
Adm. Sci. 2025,15, 128 40 o 44
om sho - e m p ojec s o qua e ly cycles ha de ine objec i es and ou comes (Hellesoe
& Mewes,2020), o e en olling budge ing (Bogsnes,2016) o he en i e o ganiza ion.
O he common cha ac e is ics o agile p ocesses include Scaled Agile F amewo k (2023):
•Wo k in sho i e a ions, o no i e a ions a all (as in Kanban);
•B eak wo k in o small ba ches managed in o de ed backlogs;
•Collec i e planning exe cises;
•F equen poin s o synch oniza ion among he people in ol ed in he wo k;
•Use o mechanisms ha os e anspa ency and communica ion;
•E en s and mechanisms o collec eedback om use s, clien s, and s akeholde s;
•Pa icipa i e ways o pe iodically (and equen ly) imp o e he p ocess.
Agili y can be inhibi ed om he p ocesses dimension by (Mund a,2018) applying
and no imp o ing b oken p ocesses; using p ocesses no being aligned wi h he company’s
pu pose/ou comes, o no being i o pu pose; applying igid p ocesses wi hou p o iding
means o imp o e hem; s i ing o 100% esou ce u iliza ion, ins ead o imp o ing low;
and ca ying ou es ima ion and capaci y planning pe o med by manage s and no by he
people di ec ly in ol ed in he wo k.
Appendix B.8. Deli e y
Deli e y, especially o p oduc s o se ices wi h echnological componen s, is usu-
ally he s a ing poin o agili y adop ion. I is a dimension ela ed o p ocesses
and o ganiza ion.
Agile p oduc deli e y is a cus ome -cen ic app oach o de ining, building, and
con inuously eleasing aluable p oduc s and se ices o cus ome s and use s, as de ined
by he Scaled Agile F amewo k (2023). Deli e y is how o ganiza ions concei e and pu
hei p oduc s and se ices in o he hands o hei use s and clien s. Agile deli e y me hods
a y, pa icula ly in he ealm o echnological p oduc s and se ices.
Deli e y encompasses he o ali y o he p oduc o se ice li ecycle, om incep ion o
hando e and ongoing ope a ion. This encompasses he speci ica ion, de elopmen , deploy-
men , ope a ion, and e olu ion o p oduc s and se ices (Scaled Agile F amewo k,2023).
To do his, a con inuous p ocess o de ini ion (and e inemen o his de ini ion),
cons uc ion, and deploymen o he solu ion (p oduc o se ice) mus be designed and
implemen ed. Deli e y wo ks in wo di ec ions: i ans o ms needs and ideas in o ac ual
solu ions, and i collec s eedback—quali a i e and quan i a i e— o in o m u u e ac i i ies.
When alking abou echnological p oduc s and se ices, agile deli e y has a s ong
ela ionship wi h De Ops echniques. De Ops was bo n ou o he need o educe ic ion
be ween de elopmen and ope a ions eams in o ganiza ions. O e ime, i has e ol ed
in o a philosophy and se o echniques ha op imize he low o alue and eedback wi hin
o ganiza ions, inc easing adap abili y and sus ainabili y.
O ganiza ions ha adop agili y encoun e challenges when collabo a ing wi h ex e -
nal pa ne s. This unde sco es he need o new app oaches o de ining and managing
ela ionships wi h hi d pa ies. Business agili y demands pa ne ships ha p io i ize
lexibili y and cus ome alue, enabling bo h he o ganiza ion and i s pa ne s o adap in a
coo dina ed and complemen a y manne , mo ing away om igid con ac ual ansac ions
(Sidky e al.,2024). This necessi a es he adop ion o agile p ocu emen , he de elopmen
o agile con ac s, and he de ini ion o pa ne onboa ding p ocesses.
Appendix B.9. Technology
Technology plays a cen al ole in mos o ganiza ions ha need i o each hei
cus ome s. The iew ha echnology is a c i ical dimension o business agili y is gaining
accep ance (And eessen,2011). This ep esen s a shi in pe spec i e, mo ing echnology