Organizational Agility and the Complementary Enabling Role of IT and Human Resources: Proposition of a New Framework

Abstract

Nowadays, companies’ environment is characterized by a rapid and continuous change. This includes economic, social, political and environmental aspects. Firms should then be able to sense risks and opportunities in their environments, and to act adequately in a rapid and efficient manner. Changes become thus a main source of sustainable competitive advantage. Organizational agility is a key dynamic capability, which allows the firm to cope with new market orientations, to take advantage of risks and to seize opportunities. The agile characteristics are enabled by a set of facilitators including particularly information technology and human resources. In this work, we explore through our proposed Framework, how IT infrastructure and human resources practices can have a direct and complementary effect through IT acceptance and developed IT skills. We highlight also the role of using and mastering human resources information systems (HRIS) in enhancing organizational agility, which plays an intermediary role for firm’s sustainable performance.