The article addresses the challenge of adapting agile project management approaches to the specific features of the Russian business environment using the IT sector as a case. The purpose of the study is to develop the “RuAgile” model – a modification of the Scrum framework embedded in the Russian management model characterized by strong hierarchy, centralized decision-making and personalized responsibility. The theoretical framework combines contemporary research on Agile and Scrum with studies of national management culture and empirical data on the diffusion of agile practices in Russian companies. The research identifies key barriers to the adoption of Scrum: shortage of qualified agile roles, inertia of supporting functions, dominance of vertical control and persistent resistance from middle management. These factors are systematized by means of an Ishikawa cause-and-effect diagram and a comparative analysis of Scrum practices and traditional Russian management procedures. Based on this analysis, a three-layer “RuAgile” architecture (strategic, tactical and operational levels) is proposed. Within this architecture, the classical roles of Product Owner, Scrum Master and Development Team are reinterpreted, while core process artefacts (backlog, sprint, increment) are culturally adapted. The scientific novelty of the study lies in conceptualizing a hybrid model that does not dismantle the existing managerial hierarchy but turns it into a resource supporting iterative product development. The practical significance is that the proposed construct may serve as a tool for a “soft” agile transformation of Russian IT companies, mitigating cultural resistance and reducing the risk of merely formal Scrum implementation.
Fomina et al. (Mon,) studied this question.