IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/spr/futbus/v11y2025i1d10.1186_s43093-025-00450-9.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

The bridge to business evolvability: strategic agility’s mediating role for innovation and collaboration

Author

Listed:
  • Emmanuel P. Paulino

    (Ateneo de Manila University)

  • Menandro T. Manalo

    (Meycauayan College)

  • Ronald P. Romero

    (Pamantasan ng Lungsod ng Maynila (University of the City of Manila))

Abstract

This study investigates the mediating role of Strategic Agility (SA) in the relationship between Innovation Performance (IP), Collaborative Capabilities (CC), and Business Evolvability (BE) within the hotel industry. By leveraging a survey-based design, data from 250 hotel managers in Metro Manila were analyzed using Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM). The findings confirm that both IP and CC significantly enhance SA, which, in turn, positively influences BE. SA partially mediates the effects of IP and CC on BE, underscoring its dual role as both an enabler of adaptability and a strategic mechanism for translating innovation and collaboration into long-term competitiveness. Beyond theoretical contributions to the Dynamic Capabilities Theory, this study offers actionable insights for hotel managers. To foster SA and enhance BE, hotel executives should prioritize investments in adaptive technologies, promote cross-functional collaboration, and cultivate an organizational culture that embraces continuous innovation and strategic responsiveness. Moreover, the results provide guidance for industries beyond hospitality—such as retail, healthcare, and financial services—where agility is crucial for sustaining business evolvability in dynamic market conditions. By highlighting the interplay of innovation, collaboration, and agility, this study provides a framework for organizations seeking to transform uncertainty into a competitive advantage.

Suggested Citation

  • Emmanuel P. Paulino & Menandro T. Manalo & Ronald P. Romero, 2025. "The bridge to business evolvability: strategic agility’s mediating role for innovation and collaboration," Future Business Journal, Springer, vol. 11(1), pages 1-15, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:spr:futbus:v:11:y:2025:i:1:d:10.1186_s43093-025-00450-9
    DOI: 10.1186/s43093-025-00450-9
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://link.springer.com/10.1186/s43093-025-00450-9
    File Function: Abstract
    Download Restriction: Access to the full text of the articles in this series is restricted.
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1186/s43093-025-00450-9?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to search for a different version of it.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Mehwish Rafiq & Aimen Hasan & Zahid Latif & Ambreen Kamil & Ali Raza Zaidi & Sudhair Abbas Bangash, 2024. "HRM Strategies and Sustainable Competitive Advantage: Assessing Strategic Agility Mediating Impact," Bulletin of Business and Economics (BBE), Research Foundation for Humanity (RFH), vol. 13(3), pages 379-384.
    2. Jeou-Shyan Horng & Chih-Hsing Liu & Sheng-Fang Chou & Tai-Yi Yu & Da-Chian Hu, 2022. "Marketing Management in the Hotel Industry: A Systematic Literature Review by Using Text Mining," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(4), pages 1-16, February.
    3. Ahammad, Mohammad Faisal & Basu, Shubhabrata & Munjal, Surender & Clegg, Jeremy & Shoham, Ofra Bazel, 2021. "Strategic agility, environmental uncertainties and international performance: The perspective of Indian firms," Journal of World Business, Elsevier, vol. 56(4).
    4. Ghasemaghaei, Maryam & Calic, Goran, 2020. "Assessing the impact of big data on firm innovation performance: Big data is not always better data," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 108(C), pages 147-162.
    5. Muhammad Irfan & Mingzheng Wang & Naeem Akhtar, 2019. "Impact of IT capabilities on supply chain capabilities and organizational agility: a dynamic capability view," Operations Management Research, Springer, vol. 12(3), pages 113-128, December.
    6. Al-Omoush, Khaled Saleh & Palacios-Marqués, Daniel & Ulrich, Klaus, 2022. "The impact of intellectual capital on supply chain agility and collaborative knowledge creation in responding to unprecedented pandemic crises," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 178(C).
    7. Demetris Vrontis & Jaroslav Belas & Alkis Thrassou & Gabriele Santoro & Michael Christofi, 2023. "Strategic agility, openness and performance: a mixed method comparative analysis of firms operating in developed and emerging markets," Review of Managerial Science, Springer, vol. 17(4), pages 1365-1398, May.
    8. Kohtamäki, Marko & Heimonen, Jesse & Sjödin, David & Heikkilä, Vili, 2020. "Strategic agility in innovation: Unpacking the interaction between entrepreneurial orientation and absorptive capacity by using practice theory," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 118(C), pages 12-25.
    9. Shams, Riad & Vrontis, Demetris & Belyaeva, Zhanna & Ferraris, Alberto & Czinkota, Michael R., 2021. "Strategic agility in international business: A conceptual framework for “agile” multinationals," Journal of International Management, Elsevier, vol. 27(1).
    10. Ibrahim Rashed AlTaweel & Sulieman Ibraheem Al-Hawary, 2021. "The Mediating Role of Innovation Capability on the Relationship between Strategic Agility and Organizational Performance," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(14), pages 1-14, July.
    11. Nyamrunda, Frank Charles & Freeman, Susan, 2021. "Strategic agility, dynamic relational capability and trust among SMEs in transitional economies," Journal of World Business, Elsevier, vol. 56(3).
    12. Pinho, Celso R.A. & Pinho, Maria Luiza C.A. & Deligonul, Seyda Z. & Tamer Cavusgil, S., 2022. "The agility construct in the literature: Conceptualization and bibliometric assessment," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 153(C), pages 517-532.
    13. Hans Baumgartner & Bert Weijters & Rik Pieters, 2021. "The biasing effect of common method variance: some clarifications," Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science, Springer, vol. 49(2), pages 221-235, March.
    14. Teece, David J, 2018. "Dynamic capabilities as (workable) management systems theory," Journal of Management & Organization, Cambridge University Press, vol. 24(3), pages 359-368, May.
    15. Mohamed Battour & Maged Barahma & Mohammed Al-Awlaqi, 2021. "The Relationship between HRM Strategies and Sustainable Competitive Advantage: Testing the Mediating Role of Strategic Agility," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(9), pages 1-15, May.
    16. Zorica Duric & Jasna Potočnik Topler, 2021. "The Role of Performance and Environmental Sustainability Indicators in Hotel Competitiveness," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(12), pages 1-26, June.
    17. Li, Yu & Wang, Ran & Wang, Tiexun & Wang, Junhe, 2022. "Exploring the relationship between network routines and innovation ecosystem performance in China: The moderating effect of transaction dependence," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 178(C).
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Nadia Zahoor & Francis Donbesuur & Arinze Christian Nwoba & Huda Khan, 2023. "Regional expansion of emerging market SMEs: the roles of domestic market environmental uncertainty and international alliance partner diversity," Asia Pacific Journal of Management, Springer, vol. 40(2), pages 613-643, June.
    2. Sultan Alaswad Alenazi & Tawfeeq Mohammed Alanazi, 2023. "The Mediating Role of Sustainable Dynamic Capabilities in the Effect of Social Customer Relationship Management on Sustainable Competitive Advantage: A Study on SMEs in Saudi Arabia," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(3), pages 1-12, January.
    3. Yoshikuni, Adilson Carlos & Dwivedi, Rajeev & Filho, Arnaldo Rabello de Aguiar Vallim & Wamba, Samuel Fosso, 2025. "Big data analytics-enabled dynamic capabilities for corporate performance mediated through innovation ambidexterity: Findings from machine learning with cross-country analysis," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 210(C).
    4. Maref M. F. Alokshe & Muri Wole Adedokun & Kolawole Iyiola, 2025. "Advanced manufacturing technologies, strategic agility, business network and sustained competitive performance: an empirical evidence from an emerging economy," Palgrave Communications, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 12(1), pages 1-16, December.
    5. Jafari-Sadeghi, Vahid & Amoozad Mahdiraji, Hannan & Busso, Donatella & Yahiaoui, Dorra, 2022. "Towards agility in international high-tech SMEs: Exploring key drivers and main outcomes of dynamic capabilities," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 174(C).
    6. Ibrahim Rashed AlTaweel & Sulieman Ibraheem Al-Hawary, 2021. "The Mediating Role of Innovation Capability on the Relationship between Strategic Agility and Organizational Performance," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(14), pages 1-14, July.
    7. Malik, Ashish & Sharma, Piyush & Kingshott, Russel & Laker, Benjamin, 2022. "Leveraging cultural and relational capabilities for business model innovation: The case of a digital media EMMNE," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 149(C), pages 270-282.
    8. Ferraris, Alberto & Degbey, William Y. & Singh, Sanjay Kumar & Bresciani, Stefano & Castellano, Sylvaine & Fiano, Fabio & Couturier, Jerome, 2022. "Microfoundations of Strategic Agility in Emerging Markets: Empirical Evidence of Italian MNEs in India," Journal of World Business, Elsevier, vol. 57(2).
    9. Aboobucker Ilmudeen, 2022. "Leveraging IT-enabled dynamic capabilities to shape business process agility and firm innovative capability: moderating role of turbulent environment," Review of Managerial Science, Springer, vol. 16(8), pages 2341-2379, November.
    10. Agag, Gomaa & Shehawy, Yasser Moustafa & Almoraish, Ahmed & Eid, Riyad & Chaib Lababdi, Houyem & Gherissi Labben, Thouraya & Abdo, Said Shabban, 2024. "Understanding the relationship between marketing analytics, customer agility, and customer satisfaction: A longitudinal perspective," Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, Elsevier, vol. 77(C).
    11. Troise, Ciro & Corvello, Vincenzo & Ghobadian, Abby & O'Regan, Nicholas, 2022. "How can SMEs successfully navigate VUCA environment: The role of agility in the digital transformation era," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 174(C).
    12. AlNuaimi, Bader K. & Kumar Singh, Sanjay & Ren, Shuang & Budhwar, Pawan & Vorobyev, Dmitriy, 2022. "Mastering digital transformation: The nexus between leadership, agility, and digital strategy," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 145(C), pages 636-648.
    13. Michaela Pöhlmann & Carlos de las Heras-Pedrosa & Jürgen Seitz & Carmen Jambrino-Maldonado, 2025. "Evaluating the potential of agile branding: opportunities and challenges in the start-up context," Palgrave Communications, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 12(1), pages 1-15, December.
    14. Thakur-Wernz, Pooja & Bruyaka, Olga & Contractor, Farok, 2022. "Sourcing portfolio diversity in new product development: Antecedents and performance implications," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 150(C), pages 179-193.
    15. Hongyi Mao & Zongjun Wang & Lin Yi, 2021. "Does Entrepreneurial Orientation Lead to Successful Sustainable Innovation? The Evidence from Chinese Environmentally Friendly Companies," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(18), pages 1-19, September.
    16. Henri Harapan Saragih & Muhammad Saifi & Nila Firdausi Nuzula & Saparila Worokinasih, 2024. "The Role of Corporate Agility in Advancing Sustainable Strategy: Examining the Influence of Shareholder Activism and Board Commitment," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 16(24), pages 1-18, December.
    17. Geoffrey Rogito Nyamotal & Dionysious Kihika Kiambi & Kirema Nkanata Mburugu, 2024. "Influence of Democratic Leadership Style on the Performance of Agricultural Enterprises in Kenya," International Journal of Research and Innovation in Social Science, International Journal of Research and Innovation in Social Science (IJRISS), vol. 8(6), pages 2441-2453, June.
    18. Xin Xie & Shaokang Wu & Ghulam Subhani & Sakina, 2025. "Analyzing how digital orientation contributes to organizational innovation and environmental, social and governance performance through digital inclusion and capabilities," International Entrepreneurship and Management Journal, Springer, vol. 21(1), pages 1-22, December.
    19. Dimple & Mamta Tripathi, 2024. "Bridging the Gap Between High-Performance Work System and Organizational Performance: Role of Organizational Agility, Transformational Leadership, and Human Resource Flexibility," Global Journal of Flexible Systems Management, Springer;Global Institute of Flexible Systems Management, vol. 25(2), pages 369-393, June.
    20. Sidney Anderson, 2024. "Expanding data literacy to include data preparation: building a sound marketing analytics foundation," Journal of Marketing Analytics, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 12(2), pages 227-234, June.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:spr:futbus:v:11:y:2025:i:1:d:10.1186_s43093-025-00450-9. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Sonal Shukla or Springer Nature Abstracting and Indexing (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.springer.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.