Economic Efficiency of Agile Methodologies in IT Project Management: A Comparative Structural Analysis

Article DOI: https://doi.org/10.57017/jaes.v21.4(92).12

Author(s):

Olena KINDRAT Department of IT Management, Stepan Gzhytskyi National University of Veterinary Medicine and Biotechnologies Lviv, Ukraine
Dmytro NIKOLAIENKO Faculty of Information Technologies, Computer Science, National University of Life and Environmental Sciences of Ukraine, Ukraine
Oleh VASYLENKO Department of Information Systems and Technologies, Finance and Management, Ukrainian Institute of Arts and Sciences, Ukraine
Iuliia KOTELNIKOVA Enterprise Economics and Business Organization Department, Simon Kuznets Kharkiv National University of Economics, Ukraine
Nadiia FESOKHA Department of Computer Information Technologies, Kruty Heroes Military Institute of Telecommunications and Information Technologies, Ukraine

Abstract:

This study is an attempt to compare the effectiveness of Agile (Scrum) and Waterfall methodologies in IT project management. The primary focus has been given to the Ukrainian software development framework. The investigation covers four weeks and two matched teams of 6-8 IT professionals. The selection is based on comparable skill levels and expertise. The task of identical software development was assigned under meticulous conditions. The Agile group tracked a Scrum framework, while the Waterfall group observed a linear phase model. Jira and Microsoft Project have been employed as tools of Project management, along with automated testing tools and standardized Likert-scale satisfaction surveys. The findings of the study reveal that the Agile team is more significant (mean = 20.14 days) compared to the Waterfall team (mean = 25.29 days; p < 0.05). Moreover, the satisfaction score of Agile is also reportedly higher alongside the production of software with fewer and less severe bugs (mean = 5.14 vs. 7.86; p < 0.05). Similarly, the outcomes of correlation analysis divulge strong associations between delivery time, team morale, and product quality. On the other side, qualitative ripostes further reinforced these outcomes. The findings offer worthwhile visions for Ukrainian information technology firms navigating a highly competitive and export-driven global market. Agile methodologies not only provide faster delivery and improve quality but also foster internal team cohesion. This study provides empirical evidence for organisational leaders to invest in Agile adoption and training as a strategic lever for performance enhancement and global competitiveness.

Copyright© 2026 The Author(s). This article is distributed under the terms of the license CC-BY 4.0., which permits any further distribution in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.

Article’s History: Received 15th of January, 2025; Revised 13th of February, 2026; Accepted 12th of March, 2026; Available online: 30th of March, 2026. Published as article in the Volume XXI, Spring, Issue 2(92), March, 2026.

How to cite:

Kindrat, O., Nikolaienko, D., Vasylenko, O., Kotelnikova, Iu., & Fesokha, N. (2026). Economic Efficiency of Agile Methodologies in IT Project Management: A Comparative Structural Analysis. Journal of Applied Economic Sciences, Volume XXI, Spring, 2(92), 595–611. https://doi.org/10.57017/jaes.v21.4(92).12

Acknowledgments/Funding: The authors received no financial or material support that could have influenced the results or their interpretation.

Conflict of Interest Statement: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest.

Data Availability Statement: The data supporting the findings of this study are available from the corresponding author upon reasonable request.

Ethical Approval Statement: This study involved human participants and was conducted in accordance with applicable national regulations and international ethical standards for research involving human subjects. All participants were informed about the purpose and procedures of the study and provided informed consent prior to participation. Participation was voluntary, and anonymity and confidentiality were strictly ensured throughout the data collection and analysis process. No sensitive personal data were collected.

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