Resilience of operating models: exploring the potential of agile project management as enabler

Abstract

Purpose: Agile project management methods are on the rise compared to linear approaches. The demand for the demonstrable resilience of enterprise processes is likewise strongly increasing in many domains. This paper explores the potential contribution of agility within the domain of agile project management to the resilience of the operating model of an organization. Design/methodology/approach: The article builds upon case studies and semi-structured interviews at selected larger Danish enterprises. Findings: Responding to disruptions favors adaptive and flexible approaches, which are more achievable with agile methods. By exploring the patterns of agility and resilience throughout case studies, the authors derive at a 7-step approach for considering the potentials of agility to ensure the resilience of the operating model from the top level of leadership to the foundational level of technology. Research limitations/implications: This article seeks to contribute to a more profound understanding of the impact, potential and actionability of agile project management in the light of operational resilience. Practical implications: It is demonstrated that agile methods are attractive for ensuring the constitutive elements of the resilience of the operating model in terms of conscious contingencies and choices involving (rapid) changes. Social implications: During the COVID-19 period, agility has been a key instrument in ensuring business survival, e.g. by switching markets, products or sales channels. Originality/value: Agility has the potential to build a strategic dimension of resilience, a synergistic relationship, which is linked to the responsiveness of an organization to change promptly, with a view toward renewal and transformation.