Academic libraries increasingly face the challenge of staff inertia, where librarians often resist change and exhibit low motivation, collaboration and innovation. This study aims to examine whether the hybrid SECI+Agile model, integrating Nonaka and Takeuchi's (1995) knowledge creation framework with Agile methodology principles adapted from software project management, can effectively change librarians' defensive routine behavior by enhancing their behavioral agility.
A quasi-experimental research design was employed in the academic library of Dali University, Yunnan Province, China. A total of 32 librarians participated in the study, following a one-group pre-post test design. During the intervention period, the participants worked as an agile team and operated under the guidance of a hybrid SECI+Agile knowledge-creation model. The intervention lasted six months. Data were collected using a self- and peer-assessment survey that measured the librarians' behavioral agility.
Preliminary findings indicate that the participating librarians exhibited statistically significant improvements in behavioral agility.
This research bridges the gap between behavioral change theory and agile project management and knowledge management practices in the context of academic libraries. By integrating SECI with Agile principles, the study introduces a novel, theory-driven approach to workplace behavior transformation in traditionally stable and hierarchical environments. The findings contribute to the fields of library management, workplace behavior and collaborative learning by offering practical insights into the design and implementation of behavior-based interventions.
