Strategic agility and innovation for sustainable organizational performance in the public sector

Purpose This study examines the mediating role of strategic agility in the relationships between strategic management, organizational innovation, and organizational performance in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) public sector. The objective is to identify how strategic agility enhances performance outcomes by enabling responsiveness and adaptability within government organizations. Design/methodology/approach We collected the data from 368 mid-level managers across eight governmental entities in Dubai and Abu Dhabi. We measured the constructs: strategic agility, organizational innovation, strategic management, and performance by using validated multi-item scales, and hypotheses were tested through direct and indirect effects analysis. Findings The findings show that both organizational innovation and strategic management considerably boost organizational performance. Strategic agility plays an important mediating role between innovation and performance, as well as between strategic management and performance. The results prove that public sector organizations benefit from incorporating innovation and agility within their strategic frameworks to improve service delivery and adaptability. Originality/value Our study is one of the first empirical investigations into the relationship between agility, strategic management, innovation in the UAE public sector. By combining strategic agility as a dynamic capability within the Resource Based View (RBV) framework, the study advances theoretical understanding and provides practical guidance for public administrators. It offers contextualized insights for policymakers in the Gulf region on how to foster agile and innovative public institutions aligned with national visions such as UAE Centennial 2071.