Agility.X
How Organizations Thrive in Unpredictable Times

World-class experts and seasoned practitioners give deep and holistic insights on agility, preparing executives for leading under uncertainty.

Christiane Prange (Edited by), Loizos Heracleous (Edited by)

9781108424202, Cambridge University Press

Hardback, published 15 March 2018

240 pages, 11 b/w illus. 4 tables
23.5 x 15.7 x 1.6 cm, 0.49 kg

'With Agility.X, this collection takes thinking on agility to the next level. Whereas in the past the focus was on making existing organizations more agile, Agility.X is about more fundamental change in organizational scope and competitive advantage. Illustrated with vivid examples from classical orchestral concerts for toddlers to NASA's Johnson Space Center, this collection is full of practical guidance on the implications of Agility X for leadership, strategy and organization design.' Richard Whittington, Saïd Business School and New College, University of Oxford

In recent years, the concept of agility has captured the executive imagination, and leaders in a variety of industries and companies of all sizes are now searching for ideas on how to effectively utilize agile thinking. This book provides insights on agility from world-class experts on leadership, strategy and organization, alongside seasoned practitioners who have successfully implemented agility programs for companies such as Daimler, Ford Motor Company, J. W. Thompson, Siemens, and NASA. By combining theoretical expertise with a variety of managerial experiences, it provides a wide-ranging yet succinct guide for companies seeking to engage in the transformative journey towards becoming more agile. As such, it will be of great use and interest to executives in all industries, executive education participants and consultants, M.B.A. students and researchers interested in agile. Agility.X prepares leaders for managing under uncertainty and organizations for thriving in turbulent environments.

Introduction
Part I. Agile Leadership: 1. Leadership agility for strategic agility Bill Joiner
2. Strategic agility requires leaders with an ambidextrous mindset Costas Andriopoulos
3. From agility to antifragility – coping with the unknowable Haridimos Tsoukas
4. Strategic agility: the critical role of language Mary Yoko Brannen and Terry Mughan
Part II. Agile Strategy and Design: 5. Examining agile development as a management fashion Alec Cram and Susan Newell
6. Using management control systems to support agility Constantinos Markides, Daniel Oyon and Mael Schnegg
7. Playfulness and agile strategizing David Oliver and Loizos Heracleous
8. Organizational design for agility Christina Wawarta andLoizos Heracleous
Part III. Agility in Practice: 9. Agility, innovation, technological disruption: how to better deal with uncertainty Edward Krubasik and Christiane Prange
10. Journey to agility at NASA's Johnson Space Center Douglas Terrier, Loizos Heracleous and Steven Gonzalez
11. Agility means pivoting and quickly reacting to changes David Schoch and Christiane Prange
12. Axel Springer ideas engineering: creating the digital future through agile innovation Ard Weiher and Christiane Prange
13. Agile thinking in China – experiences from a 30-year career in advertising Tom Doctoroff and Christiane Prange
14. Language and organizational agility in practice Robert Marshak and Loizos Heracleous
15. Agility at Daimler Oliver Fischer and Katrin Adt
Concluding comments: beyond Agility.X.

Subject Areas: Management: leadership & motivation [KJMB], Business strategy [KJC], Business & management [KJ]