Electronic Theses and Dissertations (Masters/MBA)
Permanent URI for this collectionhttps://hdl.handle.net/10539/37942
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Item The influence of Covid-19 and remote working on the agile methodology within a South African bank(2023) Sent, Erwin ChingThe advent of the Covid-19 pandemic accelerated the digital transformation of organisations via many initiatives inclusive of remote working. Many organisations that had adopted agile methodologies to execute project delivery were forced to transition from face-to-face interactions to virtual interactions. Given this required change, it was prudent to establish what the influence on the agile methodology would be in the absence of face-to-face interactions which enable adherence to the agile values and principles. This study explores the influence of Covid-19 and remote working on the agile methodology of a South African bank. Qualitative research using semi-structured interviews was conducted. The population of the study were employees of the retail division of the bank that worked on agile projects. The sample included management and execution roles within the agile teams. The study found that Covid-19 had accelerated digital transformation in the bank through remote working. The integration of remote working technology into the daily work activities of employees introduced new ways of work. There were adverse effects on employee wellbeing though. Remote working had improved the productivity of the agile teams in the bank through improved collaboration, team integration and adherence to the agile values and principles. The bank experienced an overall increase in its agile maturity. How Principle 6 of the Agile Manifesto was influenced by remote working was inconclusive because of the disparate views on the effectiveness of virtual interactions compared to face-to-face interactions. There were several challenges highlighted in the study with respect to the influence of Covid-19 and remote working on the agile methodology. A hybrid working model where employees work from home several days a week was recommended to address these challenges. The study also surfaced several avenues of future research into the continued relevance of the Agile Manifesto in the context of remote working and new delivery approaches