From Slow and Heavy to Agile and Lean : An empirically based theory of how managers ease the transition from traditional to lean-agile approaches to product development

Abstract: Background Lean and agile approaches to product development impose a paradigm shift in the way organizations are structured, lead, affect the core culture of the firms that use them. As more and more organizations attempt the move from traditional to lean-agile ways of working a large number of challenges and success factors from these transitions are reported in the scientific literature. Many of these challenges can be mitigated, and the success factors boosted, by the traditional line-manager. Objectives The objective of this study is to provide an empirically grounded theory of what managers can and should do in order to ease the transition to lean-agile ways of developing products and services. Methods This study uses constructivist grounded theory in order to obtain an empirically based theory for how managers ease the transition. This is achieved by combining the results from an online survey, a series of interviews, and field observations. The collected data is then analyzed, categorized and continuously tested against new data, resulting in an emergent theory that can be put into the context of the available scientific literature. Results This thesis presents the results from a yearlong study of a Swedish organization in the middle of transitioning from a traditional plan-driven to a scaled lean-agile approach to product development. The resulting theory states that managers can greatly ease the transition by being the manager teachers for their organizations and committedly leading the way in adopting the lean-agile values, principles and methods, in a value-based manner – making sure the new ways are adapted to fit the context of the company and its goals as an organization. Conclusions The conclusion of the study is that not only are managers needed in organizations adopting lean-agile values, principles and methods, they are central to a successful adoption. However, when not being knowledgeable of lean-agile, not staying committed, and not engaging with the teams and practitioners the managers may on the contrary end up costing the company the opportunities offered by the new approach to product development. The resulting theory is grounded both in empirical data and the scientific literature.