Agile Project Management and Organisational Performance: A Study of Systemspec Holdings Limited

Abstract

This study examined the impact of agile project management on organisational performance at Systemspec Holdings Limited, a Nigerian information technology and software firm. Despite the growing adoption of agile methodologies across the technology sector, empirical evidence grounding their performance impact in specific African IT contexts remains limited. The study focused on three agile project management factors — lead time, team morale, and bugs and defects — and assessed their influence on corresponding organisational performance outcomes: customer satisfaction, employee turnover rate, and software quality respectively. A quantitative research design was adopted, and data were collected through structured questionnaires administered to 174 employees, of which 138 valid responses were returned, yielding a response rate of 79.3%. Data were analysed using Partial Least Square Structural Equation Modelling (PLS-SEM) via SmartPLS 3.3.3. The findings revealed that lead time had a significant positive effect on customer satisfaction (β = 0.488, p = 0.000); team morale had a significant positive influence on employee turnover rate (β = 0.646, p = 0.000); and bugs and defects had a significant negative effect on software quality (β = 0.763, p = 0.000). All three null hypotheses were rejected. The study concludes that agile project management, when practiced thoughtfully, supports better organisational performance across key dimensions. Recommendations are made for improved lead time management, investment in team morale, and stronger defect management practices.