International Journal of Agile Systems and Management (10 papers in press)

Regular Issues

• Success and Barrier Factors in Agile Transformation  
  by Frederico Batista, Leandro Pereira, Renato Costa 
  Abstract: Agile Methods have become an appealing way of working for organizations focused on improving their performance and matching their customers needs. Agile Methods were originally created to be used by small and independent teams, which leads to complex challenges when implemented in Large-Scale. The purpose of this study is to fill the gap in the scientific literature on Large-Scale Agile Transformations. A feedback from 294 Agile Experts was collected through a survey strategy. Parametric techniques were used to rank and explain the most relevant factors as success and barriers for agile transformations in Large-Scale.
  Keywords: Agile Methods; Agile Transformation; Large-Scale Agile.
  
  
• COVID-19 and its impact on supply chain financing and the role of Islamic Fintech: Evidence from GCC countries  
  by Mustafa Raza Rabbani 
  Abstract: The present study analyses the COVID-19 situation in 5 GCC countries namely, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, UAE, Oman and Kuwait and its impact on supply chain financing. All these oil rich countries are already severely affected by this pandemic and have taken several measures to control the spread of the virus from lockdown to social distancing and consequently resulted into the massive disruption in the supply chain financing. The study uses discourse analysis to analyze the COVID-19 situation in these countries and concludes that there is a need to design a long-term strategy with the increased role of financial technology (Fintech) that includes every section of the society in post COVID-19 measures. The study also proposes a sharia compliant Islamic Fintech model for supply chain financing to help in recovery post COVID-19 pandemic.
  Keywords: COVID 19; Islamic Finance; Fintech; economic policy; stimulus package; Supply chain finance; GCC;.
  
  
• Organisational agility as competitive advantage: a systematic literature review  
  by Maria Franco, Leandro Pereira, Ana Simoes, Álvaro Dias, Rui Vinhas Da Silva 
  Abstract: Agility is the ability of an organisation to respond dynamically to changes in market demand, to a business climate characterised by a high degree of uncertainty, and to global scenarios that are constantly being updated. The organisation must adopt agile practices as a core value to respond to changing needs of customers, the environment, and stakeholders, to maintain a better market position against competitors (Butt et al., 2021). Although there are many studies on the definition of agility and how it can benefit organisations through competitive advantage, in the recurrent literature there are still some gaps regarding its conceptualisation, and a lack of commitment of systematic reviews to better understand the "state of the art" of the subject. The objective of this study is to address this gap, study the evolution of investigations on agility as a competitive advantage of organisations, and carry out a systematic review of the literature.
  Keywords: agile; agility; organisational agility; competitive advantage; VUCA; volatility; uncertainty; complexity and ambiguity.
  DOI: 10.1504/IJASM.2023.10056570
   
  
• A systematic literature review for the analysis of practices, measurement instruments and contextual factors inherent to supply chain agility  
  by Mohammad AlKurdi, Daniel Vázquez-Bustelo 
  Abstract: Globalisation, vulnerability, complexity, and evolving customer needs drive the growing importance of agility in supply chains. This necessitates effective management of disruptions through tools and practices supporting supply chain agility (SCA). The study of SCA continues to gain interest in the academic and practitioner communities. Thus, to comprehend how the academic community has been treating such concern a review and synthesis of the literature was undertaken in an identified sample of 986 articles covering the period 1999-2020 (last year included), ultimately down selecting the most relevant 373 peer reviewed articles exploiting a solid methodology in the preparation, collection, and analysis of the information obtained. This paper innovatively categorises SCA phases, practices, and concepts using a comprehensive concept mapping framework. It defines SCA constructs and measurement items, while also exploring contextual factors and the required alignment with firm and supply chain strategies.
  Keywords: SCA; supply chain agility; agility; measurement instrument; systematic literature review; measurement instrument; contextual factors; supply chain strategy fit; supply chain orientations.
  DOI: 10.1504/IJASM.2023.10058745
   
  
• Impact of agile business transformation dynamics on supply chain performance of manufacturing firms  
  by Joseph Akam Mpuon, Alfred Jalagbeyiwa MacLean Edama, Charles Effiong, Ekpenyong Bassey Obo, Samuel Etim Ndem, Eko Hodo Anna, Monica Peter Lebo, Happiness Sunday Akam 
  Abstract: The present research’s main goal is to ascertain the connection between supply chain efficacy and the aspects of agile business transformation by creating a research framework to comprehend how these dimensions - transformational knowledge management, technological transformation, and management transformation enhance manufacturing firms’ supply chains’ performance. It is argued empirically and theoretically that manufacturing companies can adopt agile business transformation dynamics like transformational knowledge management, technological transformation, and management transformation to optimise supply chain efficacy by addressing the demands of the modern corporate environment, which is typified by ongoing change, tumultuous marketplaces, shortened product life cycles, and heightened demand unpredictability. But there seems to be no research that has considered this dimension as a means of improving manufacturing firms’ supply chain performance. Therefore, this study sought to investigate this limitation, thereby bridging a knowledge gap. After developing the hypotheses and reviewing the anchored theory, the judgment sampling technique was utilised.
  Keywords: agile business transformation; management transformation; supply chain performance; systems dynamic; transformational knowledge management; technological transformation.
  DOI: 10.1504/IJASM.2023.10059291
   
  
• Measuring supply chain agility during the COVID-19 pandemic: empirical evidence from the firms in UAE  
  by Michael Wang, Ferry Jie, Guilherme F. Frederico 
  Abstract: The paper presented a validated measurement scale of supply chain agility post COVID-19. The pandemic has been recognised as a type of supply chain risks and uncertainties. In the supply chain management literature, supply chain agility was considered as a critical supply chain capability to address these supply chain risks and uncertainties. It is significant to revisit the critical capabilities of supply chains in the post COVID-19 business environment. Factor analysis was employed to validate the measurement model. Total 203 valid responses from the UAE's organisations were used for data analysis. The results show the scale has multiple items to measure supply chain agility, which may be employed as a strategic tool to help companies to make their supply chain more resilient to deal with the risks, uncertainties and challenges post COVID-19 pandemic.
  Keywords: supply chain agility; COVID-19; measurement model; supply chain management.
  DOI: 10.1504/IJASM.2023.10059435
   
  
• Project virtual teams: systematic literature review  
  by Leandro Pereira, Carlos Jerónimo, Francisco Simões, Álvaro Dias, Renato Lopes da Costa, Rui Gonçalves 
  Abstract: Virtual teams have been developing projects for decades, combining different expertise without the costs of relocation for organisations. Nowadays, due to the pandemic virtual teams are increasingly more common. These teams not only bring together different talent at reduced cost, but also promote sustainable practices. The goal of this paper is to provide an up-to-date systematic literature review (SLR) of virtual teams' research, focusing on papers published from 2015 to 2020. It was possible to identify nine topics that embrace all research: team dynamics, technology, leadership, communication, trust, performance, knowledge, project management and engagement. This work allowed to find solutions for issues raised in the past and achieve consensus in other aspects regarding best practices for virtual teams. Finally, areas still to be developed were identified, such as team mobility and its influence on workplace's perceptions, and sustainability and environmental benefits.
  Keywords: virtual teams; projects; SLR; systematic literature review; team dynamics; technology; leadership; communication; trust; performance; knowledge; project management; engagement.
  DOI: 10.1504/IJASM.2023.10059205
   
  
• Proposing an integrated supply chain model using multiple approaches  
  by Ramin Sadeghi Asl, Majid Bagherzadeh Khajeh, Mohammad Pasban, Reza Rostamzadeh 
  Abstract: The present study aimed to propose an integrated supply chain model using multiple approaches in the food industries of East Azarbaijan Province, Iran. The present study was an applied one conducted according to the descriptive-survey methodology. The questionnaire items arranged on a 5-point Likert scale. The interpretive structural modelling (ISM) was implemented to determine the factors, investigate the internal relationships between the variables and their impacts, and rank and determine the level of each element. Then, the analytical network process (ANP) was implemented using super decision to investigate the relationships between the variables and the influence of a variable on others and rank the options. The structural equation software and Smart PLS were implemented to determine the effects of the variables. Investigating the relationships between the constructs confirmed the significant relationship between the main variables of the supply chain and the integrated supply chain.
  Keywords: SC; supply chain; RSC; resilient supply chain; ASC; agile supply chain; GSC; green supply chain; CSC; cold supply chain; LSC; lean supply chain; ISC; integrated supply chain.
  DOI: 10.1504/IJASM.2023.10057247
   
  
• Peak power policies in job shop manufacturing systems  
  by Paolo Renna, Sergio Materi 
  Abstract: In recent years, the reduction of energy costs has become a highly relevant aspect, and limiting energy consumption peaks beyond contractual levels can significantly contribute to the reduction of energy costs. This paper proposes two peak power policies that coordinate the intervention of the battery in the grid supply during peak periods with the aim of reducing energy costs. Two battery charging modes have been proposed with the introduction of a photovoltaic system and the switch-off policy. The manufacturing system under study is a job shop manufacturing system, and discrete event simulations have been conducted to evaluate the performances of the peak power policies developed in terms of energy cost. The main production performance measures such as mean lead time, throughput and work in process are not influenced by the adoption of the proposed policies. The reduction of the energy costs does not reduce the performance of the production system.
  Keywords: job-shop; peak power; peak policies; switch-off; battery; energy costs; simulation.
  DOI: 10.1504/IJASM.2023.10059992
   
  
• Interplay between agile manufacturing and the Internet of Things  
  by Lalesca Lopes Bego, Claudia Aparecida de Mattos 
  Abstract: This study aims to examine the interaction between agile manufacturing and the Internet of Things (IoT) and explore the relationship between different categories of IoT and agility. Additionally, the study investigates the practices adopted by companies to reshape production paradigms within the context of IoT. To achieve these objectives, a multiple-case study was conducted involving five companies that employ IoT technology on their shop floors. The findings revealed that companies of various sizes leverage technology to transform their operations and maintain competitiveness. The cases demonstrated instances where IoT was applied at the process level, limited to specific stages of the shop floor, as well as examples of widespread implementation across entire plants. In both strategies, cases indicated notable benefits: improved market responsiveness, enhanced personalisation capabilities, reduced manufacturing costs, increased flexibility, and enhanced operational performance.
  Keywords: IoT; Internet of Things; agile manufacturing; agility; digital technologies; Industry 4.0; digital transformation.
  DOI: 10.1504/IJASM.2023.10060265