Date of Conferral

6-18-2025

Degree

Ph.D.

School

Management

Advisor

Teresa Lao

Abstract

Volatility, uncertainty, complexity, and ambiguity (VUCA) events have always existed and demonstrated increases in regularity as well as damage. Management’s ability to mitigate and manage VUCA events has been challenged as they and nonmanagement employees are required to engage in rapid problem analysis and decision-making outside of standard procedures to identify and implement solutions. The purpose of this hermeneutic phenomenological study was to explore lived experiences of Agile practitioners in the information technology (IT) industry regarding their integration of improvisation techniques to mitigate and manage VUCA disruptions. Semi-structured interviews with open-ended questions were used to guide the study and address research questions. The complex adaptive systems theory was used to frame the study. Data collection occurred via purposeful and snowball sampling for recruitment of 12 participants who were Agile practitioners in the IT industry in the USA. As a result, five themes were generated using Braun and Clarke’s thematic reflexive analysis: 1) Improvisation and agility during VUCA events, 2) Emotional intelligence in terms of decision-making, 3) Experience versus training during VUCA events, 4) Experience and age in terms of problem-solving and decision-making, and 5) How other iterative decision-making methods introduce improvisation into processes. Study findings may contribute to positive social change by providing organizations strategies to enhance their training to include use of improvisation and promote further research regarding the role emotional intelligence plays in improvisation and decision-making.

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