Effects of shared leadership and absorptive capacity on software development agility: a preliminary study

Abstract

In modern software development, teams face numerous challenges, particularly frequent and diverse changes in requirements. The ability to respond promptly and effectively to such changes depends not only on technical expertise but also on human and team factors—specifically, how members learn from one another and leverage their diverse backgrounds. To succeed, teams must cultivate software development agility (SDA) supported by effective leadership capable of guiding them through shifting requirements. Grounded in dynamic capability theory, this study investigates the relationship between shared leadership and absorptive capacity and their combined influence on software development agility. The proposed theoretical model illustrates how shared leadership enhances a team’s absorptive capacity, thereby fostering SDA. This work contributes to the human-centered software development literature by offering new insights into team dynamics within the context of requirement changes, viewed through the lens of dynamic capability theory.

Keywords: Human-side software development, Software development agility, Requirement change, Shared leadership, Absorptive capacity

DOI: 10.54941/ahfe1007055