Fostering innovation through organizational agility in the technology-driven firm : an exploratory case study in the media industry

Abstract

This thesis examines how a technology-driven firm can drive innovation through the concept of organizational agility. This research is conducted as an exploratory, single case study investigating the phenomenon in the context of an incumbent media firm. The empirical findings are further related to the existing literature on organizational agility and selected theories within the innovation management discipline. The findings outline the change process and discuss the main drivers of shifting the company towards the organizational agility. The components of organizational agility are identified and presented as ‘Hallmarks’ concerning established procedures, performed actions and other characteristics related to the studied phenomenon within the research context. Each of the hallmarks is elaborated in detail to develop an overall understanding of how agility can be embraced at an organizational level. Besides, the outcomes in the form of experienced challenges and gained benefits related to adopting organizational agility are identified. The flexibility, speed and customer focus as the main achieved benefits are further discussed in relation to the concept of innovation capacity. The study finds that embracing organizational agility may facilitate sustaining innovation in the technology-driven firm. Additionally, identified hallmarks of organizational agility and gained benefits may support a technology-driven firm in executing a fast follower strategy. A general concern associated with excessive customer-centricity potentially hindering disruptive innovation is emphasized and respective managerial recommendations are proposed. The thesis suggests that both academia and industry would benefit from future research examining the relationship between agility and organizational economic performance and studying the phenomenon in the context of a non-tech organization.