Cultural Barriers and Strategic Agility in European Enterprises

ABSTRACT This study examines how interpersonal cultural barriers shape strategic agility in European enterprises and what this means for business excellence during agile transformation. Evidence comes from an electronic questionnaire administered in 2023 and 2024 across enterprises in the European Union. After screening, the final sample includes 456 firms. A 24‐item instrument captures six agility dimensions, along with two cultural barriers: uncertainty avoidance and power distance. The results indicate agility levels that sit slightly above the midpoint across the measured dimensions. Higher cultural barriers align with weaker agile decision‐making. Power distance is associated with lower collaboration and has a meaningful influence on structural agility. Uncertainty avoidance most strongly limits the agility of technology and innovation. All three hypotheses receive support, with effects ranging from moderate to strong across the agility dimensions. The study links Hofstede‐rooted cultural barriers to a multidimensional strategic agility model and connects these insights to business excellence enablers, guiding excellence‐oriented transformation. The cross‐sectional correlational design limits causal inference, and sector coverage may constrain generalization, which invites longitudinal work and mediation‐focused follow‐ups. Managers can target technologies, values, and structures. Reducing uncertainty avoidance can deliver visible gains in agility. Change also benefits from staging that respects hierarchy while expanding autonomy. Better calibrated transformation can strengthen empowerment, psychological safety, and cross‐functional cooperation while reducing interpersonal friction during change.