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Complete Research Paper

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This research draws on team adaptation theory to study how agile information systems development (ISD) teams respond to non-routine events in their work environment. Based on our findings from a qualitative case study of three ISD teams, we identified non-routine events that could be distinguished according to the three categories task volatility, technological disruption, and team instability. In addition, we found three patterns of reacting to these events that differed regarding complexity and team learning. Our results show that the theoretical link between different types of events and adaption patterns depends on the type of event and the reach of the events´ impact as well as on the extent to which the teams followed an iterative development approach. While previous literature either examined ISD team agility as the extent to which agile techniqus and methods are applied, or as a capability to adapt to changes, this research is the first to study how more or less agile teams react to non-routine events. By taking a process view and examining the influnce of iterativeness on the link between events and adaptation patterns, this study helps reconcile the behavioral and capability perspectives on agility that have so far been disconnected.

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ADAPTATION PATTERNS IN AGILE INFORMATION SYSTEMS DEVELOPMENT TEAMS

This research draws on team adaptation theory to study how agile information systems development (ISD) teams respond to non-routine events in their work environment. Based on our findings from a qualitative case study of three ISD teams, we identified non-routine events that could be distinguished according to the three categories task volatility, technological disruption, and team instability. In addition, we found three patterns of reacting to these events that differed regarding complexity and team learning. Our results show that the theoretical link between different types of events and adaption patterns depends on the type of event and the reach of the events´ impact as well as on the extent to which the teams followed an iterative development approach. While previous literature either examined ISD team agility as the extent to which agile techniqus and methods are applied, or as a capability to adapt to changes, this research is the first to study how more or less agile teams react to non-routine events. By taking a process view and examining the influnce of iterativeness on the link between events and adaptation patterns, this study helps reconcile the behavioral and capability perspectives on agility that have so far been disconnected.