From quality to innovation in organizational culture: examining the role of artificial intelligence and agility - KAINOVA 

About the project

The KAINOVA research project examines how agile methodologies – with their emphasis on adaptability and experimentation – can serve as an effective bridge between traditional quality management approaches and innovation-driven organizational cultures. Although quality management and agile approaches share core values ​​such as customer focus, continuous improvement, and employee empowerment, they differ significantly in their approach to adaptability and experimentation. Quality management traditionally emphasizes planning and standardization as paths to improvement, while agile approaches prioritize rapid adaptation and empirical learning through experimentation. By integrating agile principles into quality management systems, organizations can develop cultures that maintain quality standards while creating the conditions necessary for innovation. Artificial intelligence is a powerful driver of this cultural transformation, offering unprecedented opportunities to automate routine quality management activities while improving the organizational capacity for experimentation and data-driven adaptation. By using AI tools, organizations can simultaneously strengthen quality processes and create space for more creative, exploratory activities that drive innovation. This dual capability positions AI as a key facilitator in the integration of quality-focused and innovation-focused organizational cultures.

Total project value: 63.705,60 EUR

Project duration: October 1, 2025 until September 30, 2029

Project holder: University of Zagreb, Faculty of Economics & Business

Contact

Project leader: Full Professor Tomislav Baković 

E-mail: tbakovic@net.efzg.hr

Address: Faculty of Economics & Business – Zagreb

     Trg J. F. Kennedyja 6

     10000 Zagreb, CROATIA