Large Scaling Agile in an Organization: Theoretical Foundations and Research Directions

Abstract

The paper presents an analysis of scientific articles on scaling Agile in an organization. The purpose of the study is to identify and analyze the main research directions in the field of scaling Agile in management, as well as to determine the area of future research. The analysis conducted in the paper is based on publications in the leading academic journals from 2011 to 2022. Modern science defines Agile as a set of management approaches and as a philosophy and mindset. The study identifies the four main areas of research on managerial aspects of scaling Agile: (1) scaling Agile in the context of digital transformation, (2) features of scaling Agile process, (3) success factors of scaling Agile, (4) Agile culture and characteristics of project teams. In general, the experience of scaling Agile is positively evaluated. However, organizations frequently face implementation problems, mainly because of culture. For this reason, cultural aspect of Agile scaling is mentioned in each of the four highlighted research areas. The results of the study show that Agile values and Agile mindset adopted in organizations are vital for changing culture and, consequently, for scaling Agile. Additionally, the analysis confirms that there is no universal approach to Agile scaling, and sometimes organizations are limited to adopting Agile in several project teams. The findings lay the foundation for future research on scaling Agile in management.