Strategic assessment of adopting agile project management in Lebanese it companies

Abstract

Purpose- This research aims at investigating the effect of agile project management on cost, time, and productivity. Deductive in nature, this study scrutinizes the effect of adopting agile processes in the Lebanese IT sector. Design/methodology/approach - The study follows a deductive analytical approach to test three hypotheses formulated in accordance to the existing body of knowledge. The proposed relationships focus on the potential causal effect of a short-cycled work breakdown structure, the adaptability to change, receiving feedback from customers and employees, and collaboration on cost savings, wasted time, and employee productivity. Quantitative data was collected through the use of a questionnaire. The random sample for the study consists of 353 respondents who are familiar with agile processes. The data was analyzed via multiple linear regression modelling and statistical results were featured and analyzed leading to testing the proposed hypotheses. Findings - The results show that agile processes have a significant effect on the three variables of wasted time, cost, and productivity. The adoption of shortcycled work-breakdown structures and ability to exert changes were found to significantly impact all three dependent variables of cost savings, wasted time, and productivity. Moreover, productivity was affected by two additional independent variables, feedback from customers and collaboration. Research limitations/implications - The speed of response acquisition was impeded by the COVID-19 pandemic, which also resulted in the inability of conducting in-person interviews. Furthermore, it was hard to reach a larger number of participants, as the number of individuals who are familiarized with agile processes is somewhat limited. There were no cost-induced limitations, however, the needed time to complete the research was relatively tight, and further temporal delays were incurred due to personal circumstances. However, this study builds upon the findings of previous studies that have explored agile processes. It provides insights into the benefits of applying agile practices specifically in the Lebanese IT sector. Practical implications - The study offers insights to managers looking forward to enhancing their work through achieving cost savings, reducing wasted time and improving their team productivity showing that the application of agile practices to their daily project management helps them reach the aforementioned goals. Originality/value – This study could be one of the first studies tackling the adoption of agile practices and their benefits in the Lebanese IT sector. Knowing that the agile methodology is still considered a new approach in project management, it offers a solid evidence or example of the benefits of using agile practices for people wishing to achieve cost-savings, wasted-time reductions and team productivity enhancement in project management.