A Contemporary Analysis of Strategic Flexibility and Organizational Adaptability in Dynamic Environments

HRMARS - Strategic flexibility has emerged as an indispensable organizational capability for entities operating within contemporary, rapidly evolving, and inherently uncertain environments. This paper provides a systematic review of literature from 2022 onwards to analyze the conceptual and theoretical evolution of strategic flexibility. By synthesizing insights from 68 peer-reviewed sources, we develop an integrative framework that elucidates the dynamic interplay between Dynamic Capabilities Theory, the Resource-Based View, and Contingency Theory in shaping effective strategic flexibility. Our analysis reveals that digital transformation acts as both an enabler and disruptor, fundamentally reshaping how organizations sense, seize, and reconfigure resources. The findings underscore that strategic flexibility functions not merely as a defensive mechanism against uncertainty but also as a proactive strategic posture for capitalizing on emergent opportunities. We propose four testable research propositions and identify critical research gaps at the digital-strategic interface.