The influence of agility on creating a competitive advantage and on company performance

The changing conditions in which business enterprises operate have created new challenges for contemporary companies. These include the need for value creation in cooperation with customers, readiness to adapt to changes, as well as being able to rapidly respond to customers' needs. A company which is characterised by such features is referred to as agile and is treated as a new paradigm for a company [TrzcieliÅ " ski, 2011]. The life-cycle of products is becoming shorter whereas their popularity tends to be greater. New technological solutions are constantly appearing and they result both in product innovation and in enhancements of the manufacturing process. The nature of these changes creates a need for new competitive weapons as flexibility alone is no longer sufficient [Fliender , Vokurka, 1995]. The aim of this paper is to present the concept of agility, and particularly its influence on creating a competitive advantage and, in consequence, on a company's performance. In the concept under discussion a competitive advantage can be identified through the attributes of agility, being the distinguishing features of companies which enable them to more rapidly, more skilfully and more efficiently respond to the opportunities which appear in the environment. This article has the form of an overview study and concentrates on the influence of agility on creating a competitive advantage and on company performance. The first part is based around the literature on the subject and presents the nature of the concept of agility as well as the attributes of an agile company, paying particular attention to the competences which make it possible to implement agility. An overview of the empirical studies presented in this paper conducted by international researchers indicates the significant influence of the concept of agility (including organisational solutions which enable faster, more flexible and more competent responses to unexpected changes in the environment) on achieving a competitive advantage and on company performance. Many authors emphasise the key role of the concept of agility and of agile practices on improving company performance. An inadequate business approach may result in companies' feeling insecure in the market, particularly when faced with market changes, fluctuating demand or new forms of competition. For many companies, their competitive advantage or even their survival may depend on their ability to react to frequent unexpected changes, including meeting specific customers' requirements. Success in this respect can be achieved through adopting agile practices and competences. In turbulent times, …