The mediating role of digital innovation capability on the relationship between organisational agility and performance: the case of the UK arts and culture sector

Abstract

Through ten case studies followed by a national survey of 129 UK arts and cultural organisations, the present research explored relationships between organisational agility and the organisational performances of these organisations, via the mediating role of digital innovation capability. Study 1 involved case studies of UK museums, art galleries, theatres and performing arts organisations of various sizes and in disparate locations, the outcomes to which informed study 2, i.e. a national survey. The outcomes indicated the presence of significant influences of organisational agility on digital innovation capability. Organisational agility did not significantly influence performance in the absence of digital innovation capability. Publicly funded organisations increased their engagement with digital activities during the pandemic to a greater extent than privately financed organisations. The research demonstrates the critical importance of digital innovation capability and collaborative innovation as determinants of organisational performance within the arts and cultural sector, and in particular how organisations responded via digital transformation to the highly volatile environment created by the Covid 19 pandemic. Agility is shown to affect performance indirectly and not in a straightforward manner.