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Agile Approaches to Organizational Governance: Towards a Resilient and Sustainable...
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Agile Approaches to Organizational Governance: Towards a Resilient and Sustainable System

A special issue of Systems (ISSN 2079-8954). This special issue belongs to the section "Systems Practice in Social Science".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 August 2026 | Viewed by 14771

Editors

Dr. Nadeem Khan

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Henley Business School, University of Reading, Henley on Thames, UK
Interests: corporate firm strategic behaviour; director, board and leadership dynamics; private, public and third sector governance innovation; global governance agendas; CSR, sustainability and ethics
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Prof. Dr. Nada Korac Kakabadse

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Henley Business School, University of Reading, Henley on Thames, UK
Interests: strategic leadership; corporate governance; organizational reputation and responsibility; sustainability management; cosmopolitanism; ethics; policy design; ICT effect on individuals; business and society
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

It is crucial that entrepreneurs and corporate leaders adopt agile strategies in order to steer organizational adaptability and ensure the robustness of systemic sustainability. The quality of their decision-making is influenced by the ability of individuals and boards to assess the current, known context. This includes being aware of strategic competitive positions, understanding personal motives and political agendas, critically evaluating evidence, gaining the trust of stakeholders, and effectively engaging with authorities and regulators. These decision outcomes, in turn, shape the organizational dynamics within the broader business system. As such, examining governance mechanisms that enable leaders to make high-quality decisions while ensuring accountability has become increasingly important.

Resilience refers to a system's ability to absorb shocks and its ability to manage and adapt to changing situations. Sustainability, which is sensitive to various factors, often requires leaders to make strategic adjustments to maintain continuous resilience. Organizational leaders must be adept at responding to internal factors, such as engagement with management teams, coordination between headquarters and subsidiaries, innovation, or the management of mergers. They must also address external challenges, including climate change, technological disruption, evolving market demands, and pressures from activist and investor stakeholders.

This Special Issue welcomes research that focuses on agile governance approaches that foster resilience. Contributions are especially welcome from those that examine the role of entrepreneurs, board members (including Chairs, CFOs, CEOs, and Non-Executive Directors), corporate leaders and senior managers in enhancing organizational agility and resilience.

Dr. Nadeem Khan
Prof. Dr. Nada Korac Kakabadse
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 250 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for assessment.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-anonymized peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Systems is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2400 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • governance
  • board
  • entrepreneurship
  • resilience dynamics
  • sustainability performance
  • system impact
  • leadership behaviors
  • high-quality decision making

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Published Papers (8 papers)

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Research

22 pages, 724 KB  
Article
Paradoxical Leadership Enhances Team Adaptability via Performance Approach Orientation: A Systems Perspective on Team Goal Orientation as Resource Allocation Rules
by Ying Zhao, Zhengyang Qin, Zhaoyu Wang and Wenbing Wu
Systems 2026, 14(5), 511; https://doi.org/10.3390/systems14050511 - 6 May 2026
Viewed by 406
Abstract
In volatile environments, teams must rapidly adapt to complex internal and external pressures. Although paradoxical leadership (PL) has been linked to enhanced team adaptability, the motivational pathways driving this systemic outcome remain underexplored. To address this gap, we examine how collective goal orientations—treated [...] Read more.
In volatile environments, teams must rapidly adapt to complex internal and external pressures. Although paradoxical leadership (PL) has been linked to enhanced team adaptability, the motivational pathways driving this systemic outcome remain underexplored. To address this gap, we examine how collective goal orientations—treated as resource-allocation rules—mediate the relationship between PL and team adaptability. Grounded in Conservation of Resources theory, we tested the model in a three-wave, multi-source study of 114 high-tech specialist teams, where team members rated PL at T1 and team goal orientations at T2, while supervisors rated team adaptability at T3. Our findings reveal that, within this dataset and context, PL’s indirect association with team adaptability operates largely through a performance approach orientation, an agentic strategy that mobilizes resources for visible competence in the short term. In contrast, while a team learning orientation predicts adaptability when assessed alone, its unique mediating effect becomes non-significant when performance approach orientation is taken into account, consistent with conceptual and empirical overlap between the two constructs. Moreover, although PL reduces performance avoidance orientation, this reduction does not significantly enhance team adaptability. In the present dataset and context, these findings indicate performance approach orientation as the more robust motivational pathway linking PL to team adaptability, thereby providing a foundation for further inquiry into how systemic levers might selectively shape distinct team motivational states. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Agile Approaches to Organizational Governance: Towards a Resilient and Sustainable System)
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39 pages, 1508 KB  
Article
Acceptability Scale for the Use of Large Language Models (LLMs) by Project Teams: Development and Preliminary Validation
by Murilo Zanini de Carvalho, Renato Penha, Leonardo Vils, Flávio Santino Bizarrias and Fernando Antonio Ribeiro Serra
Systems 2026, 14(4), 366; https://doi.org/10.3390/systems14040366 - 30 Mar 2026
Viewed by 1091
Abstract
The use of Large Language Models (LLMs) in organizational contexts has grown rapidly, particularly in project management activities. Despite this expansion, a relevant methodological gap can be observed in the literature: the absence of psychometrically validated instruments capable of measuring the acceptability of [...] Read more.
The use of Large Language Models (LLMs) in organizational contexts has grown rapidly, particularly in project management activities. Despite this expansion, a relevant methodological gap can be observed in the literature: the absence of psychometrically validated instruments capable of measuring the acceptability of these technologies prior to their effective adoption, especially in project-oriented governance contexts. Traditional technology adoption models predominantly focus on a posteriori assessment of individual use, providing limited support for prospective analyses that inform strategic decision-making and organizational coordination mechanisms. In response to this gap, this study aims to develop and validate a psychometric scale to indirectly measure the acceptability, through outcome beliefs and with behavioral predispositions serving as structural proxies of the latent construct of LLM use by project management teams, with a focus on a priori judgments that precede the effective adoption of the technology. The initial scale, composed of 17 items, underwent content validation and was administered to a sample of 154 project management professionals. The latent structure was examined through Exploratory and Confirmatory Factor Analyses, resulting in the refinement of the instrument to 13 items distributed across two correlated factors. The results indicate that LLM acceptability is adequately represented by a bidimensional structure comprising the dimensions Intention/Predisposition and Trust/Perceived Benefit, both demonstrating high internal consistency and good statistical fit, and nomological validity evidenced by significant associations with respondents’ self-reported LLM usage frequency. These findings reinforce the conceptualization of acceptability as a prospective and multidimensional construct, relevant for supporting governance decisions and the adoption of artificial intelligence-based technologies in project-oriented organizational systems. The indirect measurement approach adopted here is theoretically grounded in the premise that a priori acceptability is not directly observable but is constituted by cognitive and dispositional beliefs formed prior to use. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Agile Approaches to Organizational Governance: Towards a Resilient and Sustainable System)
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30 pages, 1183 KB  
Article
Burnout Risk Management Framework (BRMF) in Project-Based Organizations: Emotional Intelligence Systemic Lever
by Ana Todorova, Irina Kostadinova, Svilena Ruskova and Silvia Beloeva
Systems 2026, 14(2), 210; https://doi.org/10.3390/systems14020210 - 16 Feb 2026
Viewed by 1586
Abstract
This paper conceptualises burnout in Project-Based Organisations (PBOs) as a systemic emergent property arising from the non-linear interaction between structural demands and human capital. Utilising a System Dynamics (SD) methodology, the study constructs a Causal Loop Diagram (CLD) to visualise the feedback architecture [...] Read more.
This paper conceptualises burnout in Project-Based Organisations (PBOs) as a systemic emergent property arising from the non-linear interaction between structural demands and human capital. Utilising a System Dynamics (SD) methodology, the study constructs a Causal Loop Diagram (CLD) to visualise the feedback architecture governing the burnout cycle. The analysis identifies the dynamic tension between the Reinforcing Loop of exhaustion (R1) and the Balancing Loop of adaptation (B1). A key theoretical contribution is the positioning of the Project Manager’s Emotional Intelligence (EI) not merely as a soft skill but as a systemic control lever (B2) capable of reducing information delays and shifting the system from reactive to proactive homeostasis. Crucially, the study operationalises these conceptual findings into a Burnout Risk Management Framework (BRMF), accompanied by a practical diagnostic dashboard. This tool offers managers a set of leading and lagging indicators for early detection, bridging the gap between theoretical plausibility and applied risk management in high-entropy project environments. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Agile Approaches to Organizational Governance: Towards a Resilient and Sustainable System)
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20 pages, 326 KB  
Article
Communication Skills of Female Entrepreneurs and Their Perceptions of Individual Entrepreneurship
by Remziye Terkan
Systems 2026, 14(1), 114; https://doi.org/10.3390/systems14010114 - 22 Jan 2026
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1119
Abstract
Effective communication skills are widely recognized as essential for entrepreneurial success, yet limited empirical research has explored their direct relationship with individual entrepreneurship perceptions, particularly among women entrepreneurs. This study addresses this gap by investigating how communication competencies correlate with entrepreneurial self-perception, while [...] Read more.
Effective communication skills are widely recognized as essential for entrepreneurial success, yet limited empirical research has explored their direct relationship with individual entrepreneurship perceptions, particularly among women entrepreneurs. This study addresses this gap by investigating how communication competencies correlate with entrepreneurial self-perception, while also examining whether these variables vary according to demographic and professional characteristics such as age, occupational field, business ownership, and job position. Employing a quantitative research design with a descriptive survey model, data were collected from 145 women entrepreneurs. Statistical analyses, including ANOVA, multiple regression analysis and correlation tests, were applied to explore differences and relationships among variables. Findings indicate that certain demographic factors, notably age and job position, significantly influence both communication skills and entrepreneurship perceptions. Furthermore, a strong positive correlation emerged between the communication skills and individual entrepreneurship perceptions of women entrepreneurs. In addition, the fact that the communication skills and entrepreneurship perceptions of branch managers were higher than those of other work statuses showed that the “manager position” served as an important node affecting both variables within the system. These results underscore the importance of enhancing communication capabilities as a strategic component in fostering entrepreneurial identity and potential among women in diverse professional contexts. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Agile Approaches to Organizational Governance: Towards a Resilient and Sustainable System)
20 pages, 1603 KB  
Article
A Systems Science Approach to Sustainable Water Management in Rural Tourism Communities
by Zeltzin Pérez-Matamoros, Ricardo Tejeida-Padilla, Isaías Badillo-Piña and Edgar Manuel Berdeja-Rocha
Systems 2025, 13(12), 1088; https://doi.org/10.3390/systems13121088 - 2 Dec 2025
Viewed by 728
Abstract
In the face of the growing water crisis and current environmental pressures, rural communities with a tourism vocation face significant challenges in preserving their ecological and cultural integrity. These communities, whose livelihoods depend on their interaction with tourism dynamics and their territory, constitute [...] Read more.
In the face of the growing water crisis and current environmental pressures, rural communities with a tourism vocation face significant challenges in preserving their ecological and cultural integrity. These communities, whose livelihoods depend on their interaction with tourism dynamics and their territory, constitute a complex system in which sustainability challenges cannot be addressed in isolation. This study develops a systemic diagnosis of La Magdalena Atlitic, a rural community located in the south of Mexico City, through the application of the Viable System Model (VSM), complemented by the principles of agile governance. The objective is to understand how social enterprises contribute to sustainable water management through their tourism products and services. Drawing on field visits, semi structured interviews and participatory workshops, three operational units sustaining the system in focus were identified. The findings show that although these units are dynamic, weaknesses persist in coordination, control and auditing, which limits the feedback capacity of the system under study. The integration of agile governance reveals the community’s potential to transform reactive practices into efficient mechanisms, strengthening collaboration and participatory decision-making. This approach demonstrates that the synergy between the VSM and agile governance promotes water sustainability and the resilience of socio ecological systems. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Agile Approaches to Organizational Governance: Towards a Resilient and Sustainable System)
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78 pages, 7172 KB  
Article
From Fragmented Criteria to a Structured Decision Support Mode: Designing a DEX-Based DSS for Assessing Organizational Readiness for Co-Creation
by Rok Hržica
Systems 2025, 13(9), 806; https://doi.org/10.3390/systems13090806 - 15 Sep 2025
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 3036
Abstract
Co-creation emphasizes the active involvement of stakeholders in the design and delivery of public services. Despite its potential benefits, many public organizations struggle to implement co-creation because they are unclear about their readiness. To address this gap, this study develops a decision support [...] Read more.
Co-creation emphasizes the active involvement of stakeholders in the design and delivery of public services. Despite its potential benefits, many public organizations struggle to implement co-creation because they are unclear about their readiness. To address this gap, this study develops a decision support system (DSS) to assess an organization’s readiness for co-creation in public administration. This study applies a design science research methodology to develop a structured assessment model. Through an in-depth content analysis of academic papers, 81 criteria were identified that represent drivers and barriers to co-creation. These criteria were hierarchically organized into categories, subcategories and aggregated attributes to create a decision model using the Decision EXpert (DEX) multi-criteria decision method. The resulting DSS allows decision makers to assess readiness based on binary inputs (“No”/“Yes”) at the basic level, which are then aggregated by utility functions to obtain the final readiness score. By providing a transparent, evidence-based and replicable approach, this model contributes to both theory and practice: it consolidates the fragmented readiness factors into a structured framework and supports agile governance by guiding strategic planning and the allocation of organizational resources to co-creation initiatives. This model was validated against synthetic test cases to demonstrate its applicability and potential value for public organizations seeking to better understand and improve their readiness and resilience for effective co-creation. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Agile Approaches to Organizational Governance: Towards a Resilient and Sustainable System)
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26 pages, 547 KB  
Article
Exploring Resilience Through a Systems Lens: Agile Antecedents in Projectified Organizations
by Nuša Širovnik and Igor Vrečko
Systems 2025, 13(7), 559; https://doi.org/10.3390/systems13070559 - 9 Jul 2025
Viewed by 2259
Abstract
As organizations become increasingly projectified, safeguarding the resilience of project professionals and teams emerges as a critical organizational challenge. Adopting a systems lens, we investigate how agile mindsets and agile practices function as systemic antecedents of resilience at the individual and team levels. [...] Read more.
As organizations become increasingly projectified, safeguarding the resilience of project professionals and teams emerges as a critical organizational challenge. Adopting a systems lens, we investigate how agile mindsets and agile practices function as systemic antecedents of resilience at the individual and team levels. Eleven semi-structured interviews with experienced project managers, product owners, and team members from diverse industries were analyzed through inductive thematic coding and system mapping. The findings show that mindset supplies psychological resources—self-efficacy, openness and a learning orientation—while practices such as team autonomy, iterative delivery and transparent communication provide structural routines; together they trigger five interlocking mechanisms: empowerment, fast responsiveness, holistic team dynamics, stakeholder-ecosystem engagement and continuous learning. These mechanisms reinforce one another in feedback loops that boost a project system’s adaptive capacity under volatility. The synergy of mindset and practices is especially valuable in hybrid or traditionally governed projects, where cognitive agility offsets structural rigidity. This study offers the first multi-level, systems-based explanation of agile antecedents of resilience and delivers actionable levers for executives, transformation leaders, project professionals, and HR specialists aiming to sustain talent performance in turbulent contexts. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Agile Approaches to Organizational Governance: Towards a Resilient and Sustainable System)
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19 pages, 2521 KB  
Article
Leveraging a Systems Approach for Immigrant Integration: Fostering Agile, Resilient, and Sustainable Organizational Governance
by Pablo Farías
Systems 2025, 13(6), 467; https://doi.org/10.3390/systems13060467 - 13 Jun 2025
Viewed by 2836
Abstract
Effectively managing immigrant workforces presents a significant contemporary challenge for organizations operating in a globalized world. Current management practices often fall short, failing to adequately address the complex interplay of social issues, cultural and linguistic distances, and the valuable human capital immigrants possess. [...] Read more.
Effectively managing immigrant workforces presents a significant contemporary challenge for organizations operating in a globalized world. Current management practices often fall short, failing to adequately address the complex interplay of social issues, cultural and linguistic distances, and the valuable human capital immigrants possess. This paper proposes a theoretically developed conceptual model for immigrant management, synthesized from a comprehensive review of systems theory, migration studies, and organizational governance literature. The model advances systems theory by operationalizing its core tenets—interdependence, feedback loops, and holistic perspective—into a practical governance framework for the specific domain of immigrant workforce integration, demonstrating the theory’s applicability to complex socio-organizational challenges. It outlines six interdependent subsystems—from needs assessment to end-of-work transitions. While conceptual, this paper lays a robust foundation for future empirical research by providing testable propositions regarding the efficacy of its subsystems and their impact on integration outcomes. It calls for empirical validation of the proposed relationships and the model’s overall effectiveness in diverse organizational contexts. By adopting this structured yet adaptable framework, organizations can move towards more agile governance practices in human resource management, allowing for iterative adjustments and fostering more resilient and sustainable immigrant integration. This approach directly contributes to addressing immigrant integration issues by offering a holistic, actionable framework that moves beyond piecemeal solutions, thereby enhancing organizational capability and promoting positive societal impact. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Agile Approaches to Organizational Governance: Towards a Resilient and Sustainable System)
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