Sivil Havacılık Sektöründe Örgütsel Çevikliğin İnşası/ Building Organizational Agility in the Civil Aviation Sector

Abstract

In an era characterized by heightening global uncertainty, organizational agility has emerged as a critical capability for survival and competitiveness. This necessity is particularly acute in the aviation industry, which operates under strict safety regulations, intense competition, and rapid technological shifts. The Turkish civil aviation sector, having undergone profound transformations driven by market dynamics and digitalization, represents a unique context for examining these adaptive capabilities. Organizational agility is defined not merely as a reaction to change but as the ability to anticipate market trends, capitalize on opportunities, and execute strategic transformations. In this context, this study aims to identify the factors influencing organizational agility within the Turkish civil aviation sector through a qualitative lens. Specifically, it seeks to explore how the core dimensions of agility—speed, flexibility, competence, and responsiveness—are perceived by industry practitioners and to uncover the structural and cultural determinants that either facilitate or hinder these dimensions. By examining multidimensional variables such as bureaucratic structures, digital infrastructure, and human resources, this research addresses a gap in the sectoral literature and offers practical insights for industry stakeholders. To achieve this, the research adopts a qualitative methodological framework to gain a deep understanding of participants' experiences. The study group consists of 15 senior managers and experts with at least five years of experience in various entities within the Turkish civil aviation sector, including airlines, ground handling services, and technical maintenance firms. Participants were selected using purposive sampling to ensure diversity in terms of age, tenure, and professional roles. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews conducted both face-to-face and via online platforms over a six-week period. The collected data were analyzed using content analysis techniques, ensuring validity and reliability through rigorous coding and context-dependent evaluation (Lincoln & Guba, 1985). The analysis revealed that organizational agility in the aviation sector is constructed around four main themes. First, speed is conceptualized beyond mere physical velocity; it encompasses "mental speed," characterized by rapid decision-making mechanisms, immediate access to information, and the ability to learn quickly. Participants emphasized that in safety-critical situations, the authority to make instant decisions is as vital as operational speed. Second, the flexibility dimension is shaped by workforce planning and digital infrastructure. Rotational arrangements and the adaptability of employees to changing roles were found to be essential for operational continuity. However, the study highlights that flexibility is heavily dependent on the effectiveness of digital systems; system outages or lack of integration were identified as significant bottlenecks. Third, agility requires a dual layer of competence. On the individual level, skills such as digital literacy, stress management, and communication are paramount, while on the organizational level, competence is supported by state-of-the-art equipment, R&D investments, and effective human resource management. Finally, responsiveness proved critical during crises, where the ability to provide rapid responses to flight cancellations or technical failures is directly linked to stakeholder sensitivity and problem-solving capabilities. A significant contribution of this study is the identification of structural barriers alongside these dimensions. The findings suggest that bureaucratic layers, excessive centralization, and resistance to change significantly impede agility. Participants noted that hierarchical decision-making processes often delay necessary actions in the field. Furthermore, while regulatory compliance is mandatory for safety, rigid adherence to static procedures can conflict with the dynamic nature of agility. Consequently, organizational agility in the Turkish civil aviation sector is considered a multi-layered process that transcends structural transformation. It requires a holistic approach that integrates individual competencies with organizational learning and digital adaptation. To enhance agility, the study recommends decentralizing decision-making processes, investing in continuous employee training, and fostering a corporate culture that embraces flexibility and innovation while maintaining rigorous safety standards.

Keywords

• Organizational Agility
• Civil Aviation
• Speed
• Flexibility
• Competence
• Qualitative Research

Sivil Havacılık Sektöründe Örgütsel Çevikliğin İnşası/ Building Organizational Agility in the Civil Aviation Sector

Öz

Bu çalışmanın amacı, Türk sivil havacılık sektöründe örgütsel çevikliği etkileyen faktörleri belirlemek ve bu faktörlerin çalışan deneyimlerine yansımasını ortaya koymaktır. Nitel araştırma yöntemi kullanılarak gerçekleştirilen çalışmada, sektörde faaliyet gösteren firmaların üst düzey yöneticileri ile yarı yapılandırılmış görüşmeler yapılmıştır. İçerik analizi ile çözümlenen veriler, örgütsel çevikliğin dört temel boyutu olan hız, esneklik, yetkinlik ve cevap verebilirlik çerçevesinde incelenmiş; ayrıca yapısal engeller ve düzenleyici faktörler değerlendirilmiştir. Bulgulara göre hız yalnızca fiziksel unsurlardan ibaret olmayıp bilgiye erişim, karar alma süreci, deneyim ve kolay öğrenme gibi unsurları da içermektedir. Esneklik boyutu rotasyonel düzenlemeler, dijital sistemlerin etkinliği ve uyum yeteneği üzerinden şekillenmiştir. Yetkinlik boyutunda bireysel becerilerle birlikte örgütsel donanım ve teknoloji desteği ön plana çıkmıştır. Cevap verebilirlik boyutu ise özellikle kriz anlarında hızlı tepki, çözüm üretme ve dış paydaşlara duyarlılık açısından belirleyici olmuştur. Araştırma, bürokratik yapı, merkeziyetçilik ve teknolojik yetersizlik gibi faktörlerin çevikliği engellediğini ortaya koymuştur. Sonuç olarak örgütsel çeviklik, yalnızca yapısal bir dönüşüm değil; aynı zamanda bireysel yetkinlikler, dijital uyum, yetki devri ve örgütsel öğrenme ile desteklenmesi gereken çok katmanlı bir süreç olarak değerlendirilmektedir.

Anahtar Kelimeler

• Örgütsel Çeviklik
• Sivil Havacılık
• Hız
• Esneklik
• Yetkinlik
• Nitel Araştırma

References

1. Akkaya, B., & Qaisar, I. (2021). Linking dynamic capabilities and market performance of SMEs: The moderating role of organizational agility. Istanbul Business Research, 50(2), 197–214.
2. Al-Qaralleh, R., & Atan, T. (2021). Impact of knowledge-based HRM, business analytics and agility on innovative performance: Linear and fsQCA findings from the hotel industry. Kybernetes, 51(1), 423–441.
3. Argyris, C. (1992). On organizational learning. Blackwell.
4. Arifin, R., & Purwanti, H. (2023). Examining the influence of leadership agility, organizational culture, and motivation on organizational agility: A comprehensive analysis. Golden Ratio of Human Resource Management, 3(1), 33–54. https://doi.org/10.52970/grhrm.v3i1.205
5. Burns, T., & Stalker, G. M. (1994). The management of innovation. Oxford University Press.
6. Chakravarty, A., Grewal, R., & Sambamurthy, V. (2013). Information technology competencies, organizational agility, and firm performance: Enabling and facilitating roles. Information Systems Research, 24(4), 976–997.
7. Cho, H., Jeong, I., Kim, E., & Cho, J. (2022). Achieving superior performance in international markets: The roles of organizational agility and absorptive capacity. Journal of Business & Industrial Marketing, 38(4), 736–750.
8. Devie, D., Kwistianus, H., Wellyani, C., & Goenadi, G. (2023). The importance of organizational agility to improve performance: Evidence from the hotel industry in the post-COVID-19 era. Binus Business Review, 14(3), 271–284.

9. Doz, Y. L., & Kosonen, M. (2010). Embedding strategic agility: A leadership agenda for accelerating business model renewal. Long Range Planning, 43(2–3), 370–382.
10. Dube, K., Nhamo, G., & Chikodzi, D. (2021). COVID-19 pandemic and prospects for recovery of the global aviation industry. Journal of Air Transport Management, 92, 102022.
11. Dyer, L., & Shafer, R. (2014). Dynamic organizations: Achieving marketplace and organizational agility with people. In Leading and managing people in the dynamic organization (pp. 7–38). Psychology Press.
12. Eryılmaz, İ., Öney, T., Kılıç, Y., & Erhan, T. (2024). Navigating work passion and safety behavior: Examining the role of safety locus of control in the aviation sector. International Journal of Aviation Science and Technology, 5(1), 34–46.
13. Fachridian, A., Ramli, A., & Araujo, L. (2024). Implementation of organizational agility strategies to meet the challenges of digital transformation in government organizations. Media Ekonomi Dan Manajemen, 39(2), 215–229.
14. Gao, P., Zhang, J., Gong, Y., & Li, H. (2020). Effects of technical IT capabilities on organizational agility. Industrial Management & Data Systems, 120(5), 941–961.
15. Ghasemi, G. (2015). Examining the relationship of organizational agility and organizational forgetting with organizational effectiveness. Journal of Service Science and Management, 8(3), 443–451.
16. Gonçalves, D., Bergquist, M., Bunk, R., & Alänge, S. (2020). Cultural aspects of organizational agility affecting digital innovation. Journal of Entrepreneurship, Management and Innovation, 16(4), 13–46.
17. Haksevenler, B., & Topal, Y. (2023). Civil aviation policies and practices in Turkey in a global context through sustainable aviation. Global Challenges, 7(12), 2300194.
18. Harraf, A., Wanasika, I., Tate, K., & Talbott, K. (2015). Organizational agility. Journal of Applied Business Research, 31(2), 675–686.
19. Holbeche, L. (2019). Shifts in organizational culture when implementing agility. Journal of Creating Value, 5(2), 124–138.
20. Ismail, I., Supanto, F., & Sanusi, A. (2024). The effects of knowledge management capabilities and information technology capabilities on organizational agility and their impact on organizational performance in technical implementation units and service branches of the East Java provincial government. Journal of Economics, Finance and Management Studies, 7(1).
21. Ivanov, D., & Dolgui, A. (2020). Viability of intertwined supply networks. International Journal of Production Research, 58(10), 2904–2915.
22. Khalid, Z., Madhakomala, R., & Purwana, D. (2020). How leadership and organizational culture shape organizational agility in Indonesian SMEs. International Journal of Human Capital Management, 4(2), 49–63.
23. Klein, G. (1998). Sources of power: How people make decisions. MIT Press.
24. Lincoln, Y. S., & Guba, E. G. (1985). Naturalistic inquiry. Sage Publications.
25. Liu, X., & Zhang, Y. (2023). What drives the decoupling progress of China’s civil aviation transportation growth from carbon emissions? A new decomposition analysis. PLOS ONE, 18(3), e0282025.
26. Mao, H., Liu, S., & Zhang, J. (2014). How the effects of IT and knowledge capability on organizational agility are contingent on environmental uncertainty and information intensity. Information Development, 31(4), 358–382.
27. Mızrak, F. (2023). Strategies for effective human resource management in the aviation industry: A case-based analysis. Beykoz Akademi Dergisi, 11(2), 82–109.
28. Namjoo, F., & Jafari, M. (2021). Examining the relationship between effective organizational factors and organizational agility. International Journal of Industrial Management and Organization Behavior, 45–57.
29. Pajouyhan, A., Rezaei, B., & Parno, M. (2019). The relationship of the components of emotional intelligence with organizational agility in the healthcare network. Journal of Kermanshah University of Medical Sciences. Advance online publication.
30. Pulakos, E. D., Arad, S., Donovan, M. A., & Plamondon, K. E. (2000). Adaptability in the workplace: Development of a taxonomy of adaptive performance. Journal of Applied Psychology, 85(4), 612–624.
31. Sambamurthy, V., & Zmud, R. W. (2004). The organizing logic for an enterprise’s IT activities in the digital era: A prognosis of practice and a call for research. Information Systems Research, 15(2), 105–118.
32. Sharifi, H., & Zhang, Z. (1999). A methodology for achieving agility in manufacturing organisations. International Journal of Production Economics, 62(1–2), 7–22.
33. Teece, D. J., Peteraf, M. A., & Leih, S. (2016). Dynamic capabilities and organizational agility: Risk, uncertainty, and strategy in the innovation economy. California Management Review, 58(4), 13–35.
34. Teece, D. J., Pisano, G., & Shuen, A. (1997). Dynamic capabilities and strategic management. Strategic Management Journal, 18(7), 509–533.
35. Ulrich, D., & Yeung, A. (2019). Agility: The new response to dynamic change. Strategic HR Review, 18(4), 161–167.
36. Weick, K. E., & Sutcliffe, K. M. (2007). Managing the unexpected: Resilient performance in an age of uncertainty (2nd ed.). Jossey-Bass.
37. Wendler, R. (2016). Dimensions of organizational agility in the software and IT service industry: Insights from an empirical investigation. Communications of the Association for Information Systems, 39, 439–482. https://doi.org/10.17705/1cais.03921
38. Yaşar, M., & Gerede, E. (2023). Periodic analysis of the competitive dynamics of Turkish civil aviation in the 100th anniversary of the Turkish Republic. Akademik Hassasiyetler, 10(23), 496–522.
39. https://doi.org/10.58884/akademik-hassasiyetler.1349811 Yıldırım, A., & Çetin, S. (2019). Crisis management and agility in the aviation industry. Journal of Aviation Studies, 6(1), 45–60.
40. Yıldırım, A., & Şimşek, H. (2018). Sosyal bilimlerde nitel araştırma yöntemleri (11. baskı). Seçkin Yayıncılık.
41. Zhang, H., Ding, H., & Xiao, J. (2023). How organizational agility promotes digital transformation: An empirical study. Sustainability, 15(14), 11304.