This book provides a conceptual framework for systemic flexibility and business agility
drawing on a basis of research case applications in various types of flexibility and agility in
business. The selected papers address a variety of issues concerning the theme of systemic
flexibility and business agility and are organized into following five parts: (i) Systemic and
Strategic Flexibility (ii) Information and Business Agility (iii) Flexibility Innovation and
Business Excellence (iv) Flexibility in Value and Supply Chains and(v) Financial Flexibility
and Mergers & Acquisitions.Flexibility and agility in business are emerging as key dimensions
of business excellence that encompass the requirements of both choice and speed. The two
concepts flexibility and agility have been used in multiple ways and often interchangeably
both in literature and in practice. The growing need for flexibility agility in business can be
seen from reactive as well as proactive perspectives. A business enterprise is expected to
possess reactive flexibility agility (as adaptability and responsiveness) in order to cope
with the changing and uncertain business environment. It may also endeavor to intentionally
generate flexibility agility as a strategic change in a variety of ways such as leadership
change reengineering innovation in products and processes use of information and
communication technology and learning orientation.
