Agile leadership as a driver of sustainable growth for SMMEs in the construction sector in Gauteng

Abstract

This study investigates the role of agile leadership in promoting sustainable growth within construction SMMEs in Gauteng Province, South Africa. Given the increasing volatility and complexity of the construction sector, Agile leadership and organisational agility have become essential capabilities for sustained competitiveness. Drawing upon systems theory and the dynamic capabilities framework as defined by Ellström et al. (2022), the study examined the relationships between Agile leadership, organisational agility, and sustainable growth. A quantitative research design was employed in this study, and data was collected using a convenience sampling. An online structured questionnaire was sent to 100 people who are business owners and senior managers of SMMEs in construction sector and a total of 31 responded to the survey. The results of the study revealed a strong positive correlation, and the significant relationship between agile leadership and organisational agility (r = 0.919, p < 0.001), and between organisational agility and sustainable growth (r = 0.977, p < 0.001). Although Agile leadership was also associated with sustainable growth (r = 0.880, p < 0.001), regression analysis confirmed that this relationship is slightly lower but still significant. These findings suggest that Agile leadership drives sustainable growth primarily through the development of organisational agility. The study concludes that for construction sector’s SMMEs to thrive in dynamic environments, they should invest in Agile leadership development while institutionalising systems for adaptive organisational practices. Limitations observed in the study include a small sample size. Future research should consider larger sample size and multi-industry studies to validate and extend these findings