Fostering social sustainability in large-scale agile projects: insights from Swedish software companies

Abstract

In the ever-evolving landscape of business, organizations continually embark on projects, necessitating adept and expeditious management to introduce new products to the market ahead of competitors. This pursuit mandates a remarkable amalgamation of agility and dexterity within multidisciplinary teams and social sustainability. The goal of this study is to investigate the nexus between social sustainability and large-scale agile project management. We studied three Swedish software companies using in-depth interviews. Our findings highlight the importance of trust, clear communication, and a culture of learning for project success. Additionally, psychological safety, strong leadership, and decentralized decision-making emerged as important factors influencing social sustainability. This research offers practical guidance for fostering social sustainability within large-scale agile projects.