Abstract

The purpose of this study was to examine the impact of leadership and change capability on organizational agility within Zimbabwe's major mobile network providers. Organizational agility, a relatively recent area of organizational research, is influenced by independent variables such as leadership and change capability. In the past, organizations enjoyed a competitive advantage due to low competition and high entry barriers in their markets, leading to industry dominance. However, in the era of globalization, individuals with Internet access and the right skills can establish organizations that compete globally, intensifying competition for established entities. Given the rapid pace of technological advancement, organizations must adapt and become agile to survive in the current environment. This study focused on three prominent mobile network providers in Zimbabwe: Econet Wireless, Net One Zimbabwe, and Telecel Zimbabwe, with a specific emphasis on leadership and organizational change capability as key variables. The proposed model aims to significantly aid organizations in cultivating agility to navigate the competitive landscape. Employing a mixed-methods research approach, the study findings indicate that a focus on change capability and shared leadership contributes to the development of agile organizations. Statistical analysis reveals a strong significance between leadership, change capability, and organizational agility, with hypothesis testing resulting in a 95% significant interval.

Key words: Leadership and change capability, organizational agility, agility effect.