The Evolution of Agile and Hybrid Project Management: Industry Adoption and Effectiveness

Agile and hybrid project management approaches have gained increasing prominence across industries seeking adaptability, innovation, and enhanced delivery outcomes. Despite their widespread adoption, comprehensive analyses of their evolution, sectoral distribution, reported benefits, and persistent barriers remain limited. To systematically review the development, adoption patterns, and reported effectiveness of Agile and hybrid project management approaches across different industries, and to identify thematic directions for future research. A systematic literature search was conducted in Google Scholar, SCOPUS, and Web of Science for studies published between 2015 and 2025. Inclusion criteria encompassed empirical studies, case studies, and literature reviews addressing Agile, hybrid, or evolving project management frameworks, with a focus on adoption, effectiveness, and implementation challenges. A total of 543 records were retrieved, of which 449 met eligibility criteria after screening. Data were synthesized thematically, with findings presented across temporal, geographical, industrial, methodological, and thematic dimensions. Publication trends indicate a marked increase in research output from 2019 to 2023, coinciding with the rise of hybrid work models and digital transformation initiatives. Europe and Asia emerged as leading contributors, with significant studies also from North America. The aerospace and defence, business services, and construction sectors accounted for the largest share of publications. Traditional Agile approaches dominated (34.58%), followed by micro/progressive transitions (21.05%) and enterprise-wide adoption (10.53%). The most frequently reported benefit was the combination of flexibility, faster time-to-market, improved collaboration, and risk reduction (47.37%). Key barriers included difficulty scaling Agile (60.53%) and combined cultural, training, and scalability challenges (11.84%). Improvement practices most often integrated Scrum training, Agile coaching, and continuous improvement cultures (55.26%). Case studies were concentrated in government digital initiatives (26.32%) and large enterprises (18.42%). Future research priorities include scalability and adaptation of hybrid models (23.68%), integration with emerging technologies (18.42%), and cross-industry/cross-cultural studies (15.79%). Agile and hybrid project management approaches are expanding across diverse industrial contexts, delivering notable benefits in adaptability, delivery speed, collaboration, and risk management. However, persistent barriers—particularly scalability—highlight the need for refined frameworks, capacity-building initiatives, and sector-specific adaptation strategies. Future research should focus on longitudinal validation, technological integration, and culturally responsive adoption models.