Fostering strategic agility: How individual executives and human resource practices contribute

Abstract Strategic agility, as an observable organization performance outcome, results from the behaviors and skills of the organization's managers in taking and implementing strategic actions. So, the key to strategic agility is not just analytical strategy from superior minds or thoughtful and effective organizational design but the set of management practices, behaviors, skills, values and beliefs that animate the senior management of an organization in making and implementing strategic commitments. In particular, earlier research suggests that three vectors of forces enable strategic agility: strategic sensitivity, resource fluidity and collective commitment. Taking these as a basis, we identify specific individual behaviors, and analyze and review how skills, and practices driving these behaviors, and their supporting HR practices affect the strength of each vector, and of the forces that provide energy in fostering strategic agility. This provides a profile of skills and capabilities individuals need in order to best contribute to the strategic agility of their organization and of HR practices to put in place.