Agile hybrids in manufacturing: Quantifying the impact of agile methods on teamwork quality.

While agile methodologies are well-established in IT, their application in manufacturing firms presents distinct challenges. In this context, companies frequently opt out of a purely agile approach and instead integrate agile methods into plan-driven environments, particularly through nested hybrid models. Despite various anticipated benefits on a team level, empirical evidence on their impact remains limited. This study investigates how agile hybrid models affect teamwork quality (TWQ) in manufacturing firms. Drawing on a mixed-methods design, we compare two functional settings - new product development (NPD) and production engineering. Quantitative results show significant improvements in TWQ in the NPD setting, particularly in communication and coordination, while changes in production engineering were minimal. Qualitative insights suggest that training, goal clarity, and team readiness are key factors influencing outcomes. The findings contribute to the growing literature on agile hybridization by highlighting how context shapes the effectiveness of agile practices in structured environments.