Why Agile can be a game changer for managing continuous innovation in many industries

Abstract

PurposeVeteran managers trained to respect hierarchical systems are daunted by the fundamental changes in thinking and culture that are required to implement the Agile continuous innovation approach to manufacturing. Though widely hailed by software developers it has been slow to catch on in manufacturing. This paper aims to address this issue.Design/methodology/approachTo assuage managers concerns, ten prevalent myths about Agile are addressed along with a description of how the approach really works in practice.FindingsThe paper reveals that the Agile outside‐in orientation that maximizes customer value requires a reinvention of management roles, practices, values and communications to implement it.Research limitations/implicationsIf research is reported on in the paper this section must be completed and should include suggestions for future research and any identified limitations in the research process.Practical implicationsAgile is a way of forcing either high performance or change because results are apparent so quickly, not years later when the project runs out of money and the product flops in the marketplace.Originality/valueThe article dispels many myths about Agile and shows managers how to overcome resistance to adopting the Agile approach, which addresses the central problem at the very core of a hierarchical bureaucracy, namely, its limited ability to innovate.