Date

11-11-2026

Department

Graduate School of Business

Degree

Doctor of Philosophy in Organization and Management (PhD)

Chair

Bowman, Darrell Dee

Keywords

Agile Implementation, Ineffective Agile Implementation, Agile Methodology, Agile Transformation, Agile Adoption, Agile Software Development, Software Development Organizations, Agile Project Management, Scrum Framework, Scrum Teams, Agile Leadership, Transformational Leadership, Full Range Leadership Model, Lewin’s Change Theory, Organizational Change, Change Management, Organizational Culture, Organizational Readiness, Leadership Effectiveness, Leadership Behaviors, Employee Morale, Employee Engagement, Team Dynamics, Team Performance, Team Collaboration, Communication Barriers, Resistance to Change, Implementation Challenges, Agile Maturity, Agile Sustainability, Process Improvement, Project Delays, Project Performance, Project Costs, Software Project Management, Qualitative Research, Qualitative Case Study, Pragmatism, Thematic Analysis, Braun and Clarke, Organizational Effectiveness

Disciplines

Business | Human Resources Management

Abstract

The problem addressed was how to circumvent the ineffective implementation of the Agile framework, as failure to do so could lead to significant project delays, decreased team morale, and increased operational costs. Guided by a robust conceptual framework, including the theory of change and the full-range model of leadership, the purpose of this single case study was to discover the reasons behind the ineffective implementation of Agile in the software business, including structural and human-related causes that led to such shortcomings. This study was guided by three research questions, each focusing on the specific issues identified by the problem. RQ1 focused on the factors and solutions affecting project delays; RQ2 focused on factors and solutions affecting team morale; and RQ3 focused on factors and solutions affecting Agile implementation and operational costs. Semi-structured interviews continued until saturation, leading to a final sample of nine team contributors and four Scrum leaders. Data were analyzed using thematic analysis, and six themes emerged. The first two themes addressed RQ1 and showed that project delays mostly stemmed from communication, coordination, process, and team issues. Themes three and four addressed RQ2 and found that team readiness and support were part of team morale. The last two themes addressed RQ3 and identified strategies to implement Agile effectively and minimize operational inefficiencies. The study concludes that adopting an Agile approach requires ongoing reinforcement to be effective, and shows that success doesn't end with the initial adoption of a change framework. Organizations need to continuously reinforce the supporting behaviors, processes, expectations, tools, and work environment. Without sustained reinforcement, teams risk reverting to practices that cause confusion, impair coordination, and undermine Agile’s benefits.

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