Det självorganiserade hyckleriet: En fallstudie om en storskalig agil transformation

Sammanfattning: Adopting Agile on a large scale has recently gained popularity. Advocates argue that the flexibility that large-scale Agile brings is necessary to keep up with modern market dynamics. Research indicates that adopting Agile in the large is difficult. However, because of the relative novelty of large-scale Agile transformations, there is a lack of academic research on the subject. In an attempt to help fill this research gap, the authors conduct an iterative, qualitative single case study at a Company in the online-services industry, that has recently adopted a large-scale Agile operating model. Taking an exploratory approach, the study examines why and how the Company adopts this new operating model. The question of why the Company adopts the operating model is examined from a neo-institutional perspective. Furthermore, the study specifically focuses on the organizational structure, in terms of how the self-organizing teams organize and coordinate their work. The study finds that the Company adopts the large-scale Agile operating model as a means to conform to pressures from its institutional environment. There is uncertainty concerning the causality between different organizational structures and effectiveness. Thus, to garner legitimacy the Company imitates the organizational structure of a more legitimate firm within the industry. However, it is found that the Company lacks the necessary conditions to effectively implement this organizational structure. To manage the conflicting pressures from its institutional environments, the Company decouples the formal and informal structure. As such, the Company is able to gain both legitimacy and efficiency through organized hypocrisy.