Navigating paradox through strategic agility: A case study from the mobility sector

Abstract For organisations, change is becoming a necessity to adapt to the demands of an ever-shifting external environment. In such an environment, conflicting forces create frictions that organisations must address. This study explores the mechanisms through which organisations activate the path towards strategic agility. A single case study approach is used to develop a framework that traces the path to strategic agility in the context of paradoxical tensions. The work shows that strategic agility is the result of four action dimensions that involve values, decision-making processes, knowledge and data management, and of the interconnection of internal and external structures. Instead of eliminating tensions, strategic agility enables organisations to dynamically navigate them. Our work provides organisations with a useful framework for dealing with paradoxes in order to maintain performance in challenging contexts.