This podcast identified four prominent cultural dimensions within the Competing Values Framework (CVF) and their specific impacts on agile projects:

1. Hierarchical Culture:

Negative Impact: This dimension, characterised by rigid structures, formal communication, and resistance to change, was consistently found to hinder both social and technical aspects of agile projects.

Key Challenges: Formal communication with management, Resistance to change acceptance, Rigid and traditional organizational structure (17.2%)

Mitigating Strategies◦, Promote transparency in work environments, Encourage open communication with management. (Misra et al., 2009)

2. Group Culture:

Positive Impact: This dimension, emphasising teamwork, empowerment, and collaboration, was beneficial, particularly for the social aspects of agile projects.

Key Enablers: Employee empowerment, Importance of teamwork

Challenges: The cultural backgrounds of individuals may clash with agile collaboration principles.

Mitigating Strategies: Consider the personal characteristics of employees in decision-making, Develop team rules based on team behaviour patterns., Implement regular team socialising., Foster diversity acceptance.

3. Rational Culture:

Mixed Impact: This dimension, focusing on market knowledge, financial development, and business opportunities, displayed a positive influence on the technical stream but a less clear impact on the social stream.

Key Aspects: Developing market knowledge, Importance of financial development, Being oriented towards business opportunities, Importance of incremental improvement

Recommendations: Foster continuous customer interaction and embrace iterative and incremental development to align with market expectations.

4. Developmental Culture:

Positive Impact: This dimension, supporting customer collaboration, knowledge sharing, and innovation, benefited both the social and technical aspects of agile projects.

Key Enablers:; Self-organising people, Knowledge sharing, constant training, and learning, Effective customer collaboration, Openness to communication and suggestion, Openness to team development of new skills and technologies, Development in terms of innovation, creativity, and risk-taking activities,

Recommendations: Organisations should cultivate a developmental culture to facilitate agile project success.

Conclusion: Organisational culture significantly influences the success of agile projects. While hierarchical cultures present challenges, group, rational, and developmental cultures offer substantial benefits. Organisations should actively cultivate a supportive culture for agile implementation, focusing on mitigating the negative aspects and reinforcing positive behaviours aligned with agile principles

Source: Rizi, M.S et al (2024), "How does organisational culture affect agile projects? A competing values framework perspective", https://figshare.swinburne.edu.au/articles/journal_contribution/How_does_organisational_culture_affect_agile_projects_A_competing_values_framework_perspective/26768458