Abstract To cope with ongoing change, an increasing number of companies view agile approaches as fundamental for remaining competitive in dynamic environments. However, realizing the outcomes associated with agility requires not only the implementation of agile practices but also employees who possess an agile mindset. Although scholarly understanding of the agile mindset has increased in recent years, a validated measurement instrument for individuals is still lacking. This paper addresses this research gap by following the validation procedure proposed by MacKenzie, Podsakoff, Podsakoff [1]. Based on a systematic review of existing conceptualizations of the agile mindset, we empirically developed a scale and specified a corresponding measurement model. To quantitatively evaluate and validate the model, we analyzed data from four independent samples (content validity: n = 184; pretest: n = 500; validation: n = 202; cross-validation: n = 218). As a result, we validate a four-dimensional conceptualization of the agile mindset comprising the attitude toward learning, collaborative exchange, empowered self-guidance, and customer co-creation. Furthermore, we demonstrate that the agile mindset is correlated with key individual outcomes: job satisfaction, goal orientation, and reduced resistance to change and thereby reinforcing its relevance. In addition to its theoretical contribution, this study provides practical value by offering an economically efficient instrument for measuring the agile mindset.

Abstract The success of agile work heavily depends on people and their approach to challenges, with the agile mindset emerging as a pivotal driver. Despite its importance, Information Systems (IS) research lacks a systematic overview of the contexts where the agile mindset is relevant and the research gaps that remain. This study addresses this gap by systematically examining the factors influencing and resulting from the agile mindset in IS contexts and, for the first time, demonstrating its broad relevance across diverse IS domains. We conducted a systematic literature review, analyzing 62 relevant papers from IS research. Our findings show that the agile mindset plays a central role in four key areas: (1) implementing agile methods or scaled agile frameworks during agile transformations, (2) applying digital tools and driving digital transformation, (3) supporting coaching, training, and education, and (4) leadership and management. This study’s originality lies in highlighting the agile mindset’s wide-ranging applicability, offering practitioners actionable insights for designing processes and mechanisms to enhance the success of agile work in IS. Additionally, researchers are provided with a roadmap of open questions and future research opportunities to deepen our understanding of this critical concept in IS contexts.

Starting from software development, Agile approaches are spreading across a broad range of industries and functions, with many great challenges.Mindset, as one of the crucial human factors of individuals in Agile, influences people's decision-making and affects every aspect of behavior and action.However, many organizations and teams face big challenges in achieving an Agile Mindset of their individuals.In addition to an often-unclear understanding of the Agile Mindset, various aspects of it such as success factors and indications are largely unknown, which makes it extremely difficult to establish an Agile Mindset.Motivated by this, our study aims to conduct a literature review by answering comprehensive research questions related to the Agile Mindset regarding publication demographics, importance, definitions, characteristics, elements, critical success factors, indicators, activities for development of Agile Mindset, and future directions of research.