A content analysis of graduate theses on agility in business administration
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Abstract
Background: Agility is a widely discussed concept in national and international literature. Nevertheless, bibliometric and content-based analyses of how it is conceptualized and operationalized in graduate theses in Türkiye are limited.
Aim: The aim of this research is to determine how the concepts of Agility, Strategic Agility, and Organizational Agility are reflected in graduate theses in the Department of Business Administration between 2004 and 2025.
Method: To fulfill the aim of the study, content analysis, as a qualitative research method, was applied. A total of 43 graduate theses on agility, organizational agility, and strategic agility were identified in Department of Business Administration, Türkiye between 2004 and 2025.
Findings: Analyzed studies were conducted at 25 different universities, and a significant increase in academic interest in the concept of agility was observed, particularly after 2015. Quantitative methods and SPSS-based analyses were predominantly preferred in theses. The studies were conducted in various sectors, including manufacturing, services, healthcare, defense, and IT; the samples consisted primarily of employees and managers. Key concepts frequently included leadership, innovation, digitalization, and competitive advantage.
Conclusion: The findings demonstrate that the concept of agility has evolved from being solely an academic area of discussion into a management paradigm supported by applied research across various sectors. The results demonstrate that agility-themed graduate theses have become a focus of academic interest in Türkiye and that the concept of agility has been addressed across various sectors, particularly since 2015, providing a strategic perspective on organizational transformation processes.
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