Ο ρόλος του ανθρώπινου παράγοντα σε Agile οργανισμούς
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Keywords
Agile Methodology ; Agile Teams ; Agile enterprise ; Human FactorsAbstract
This thesis examines the role of the human factor in organizations that have adopted agile methodologies. The traditional model that dominated previous decades, primarily for reasons of stability, relied on a static, rigid, and hierarchical structure where goals and decisions were transferred from the top down. Organizations operating under this traditional model functioned through linear planning and control in order to create value for shareholders. While this structure is strong, it often lacks speed and flexibility.
In contrast, an agile organization is essentially a network of people sharing a common human-centered culture, operating in rapid cycles of learning and decision-making, supported by technology and driven by a strong purpose: the joint creation of value for stakeholders. This model allows for the rapid and effective reconfiguration of strategy, structure, processes, people, and technology in response to emerging opportunities. Thus, an agile organization achieves both speed and stability, qualities that constitute a crucial competitive advantage in today’s volatile, uncertain, complex, and ambiguous (VUCA) conditions (Bennett & Lemoine, 2014).
To identify the human factors under examination, an extensive review of international literature was conducted, resulting in the selection of nine key factors: autonomy, trust, collaboration, leadership style, resilience, motivation, team skills and competence, organizational culture, values and identity, and customer involvement.
Subsequently, an analysis was carried out using an open-ended questionnaire, including a ranking question to assess the perceived importance of these factors. The participants were executives from various levels and organizations, all specializing in agile methodologies. In addition to the qualitative analysis, the Best-Worst Method (BWM) was applied to identify the factors with the highest and lowest relative importance.
The study’s findings are consistent with the fundamental values and principles of the Agile Manifesto, the foundational document created in 2001 by seventeen software development experts that guides agile software development. In particular, the most significant factors identified through the BWM were collaboration and trust, which are considered crucial for effective team functioning. These were followed by team skills and competence, leadership, autonomy, and motivation—confirming the critical importance of leadership framework, technical capability, and self-organization for high performance. Lower importance was attributed to resilience and organizational culture and identity, while customer involvement was ranked as the least significant factor. Although most of the findings align with international literature, an interesting deviation was observed in the relatively lower importance assigned to customer involvement compared to other factors.
In conclusion, the study confirms that the human factor is essential to the success of agile organizations. Although agile methodology has its roots in software development, its application extends far beyond programmers and the technical domain. Today, agile principles and practices are widely implemented across industries and organizational levels where flexibility, collaboration, and continuous adaptation are critical (Highsmith, 2009). Management’s investment in cultivating a culture of trust and collaboration, creating an environment that provides employees with the necessary support and confidence in their ability to fulfill their mission, can optimize organizational performance. Furthermore, practical interventions are proposed, such as strengthening servant leadership, training in social skills, and establishing an organizational framework that encourages autonomy and innovation.
Given the limitations of this study, future research is recommended with a broader scope, focusing on the role of psychological safety and examining how cultural contexts influence the adoption of agile practices.
Postgraduate Studies Programme
Πρόγραμμα Μεταπτυχιακών Σπουδών στη Διοίκηση Επιχειρήσεων για Στελέχη (Executive MBA)Department
Σχολή Οικονομικών, Επιχειρηματικών και Διεθνών Σπουδών. Τμήμα Οργάνωσης και Διοίκησης ΕπιχειρήσεωνNumber of pages
83Language
GreekCollections
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Αναφορά Δημιουργού-Μη Εμπορική Χρήση-Όχι Παράγωγα Έργα 3.0 Ελλάδα
Αναφορά Δημιουργού-Μη Εμπορική Χρήση-Όχι Παράγωγα Έργα 3.0 Ελλάδα