From stability to agility: Integrating emergent design principles into corporate governance

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Abstract

In today’s complex and rapidly evolving corporate landscape, traditional stability-oriented governance frameworks often struggle to respond effectively to emergent challenges and disruptions. These models, while promoting accountability and risk control, frequently lack the agility required for dynamic environments. This study explores how emergent design principles — strategic emergence, self-disruption, systems thinking, and reflexivity — can be applied to corporate governance to enhance responsiveness, resilience, and adaptability. Drawing from the Archipelago of Design (AoD) principles, supported by a synthesis of contemporary literature and qualitative case studies, the paper proposes a hybrid governance model that balances accountability with strategic flexibility. Using a conceptual and thematic analysis approach, it maps the application of AoD principles onto core governance functions such as risk management and decision-making. The findings indicate that integrating these principles enhances boards’ ability to make timely, informed decisions and anticipate risks in volatile contexts. Practical recommendations for implementation and areas for future research are also discussed. This paper contributes to the ongoing shift in governance literature toward frameworks that accommodate complexity and change, offering insights relevant to both scholars and practitioners navigating governance innovation.

Keywords: Corporate Governance, Emergent Design, Strategic Emergence, Agility, Adaptive Governance, Systems Thinking, Risk Management

Authors’ individual contribution: Conceptualization — A.C.; Methodology — A.C.; Validation — A.C.; Investigation — A.C. and P.B.A.; Resources — P.B.A.; Writing — Original Draft — A.C.; Writing — Review & Editing — A.C. and P.B.A.; Supervision — P.B.A.; Project Administration — P.B.A.; Funding Acquisition — P.B.A.

Declaration of conflicting interests: The Authors declare that there is no conflict of interest.

JEL Classification: G34, L21, M14

Received: 20.02.2025
Revised: 02.07.2025; 16.10.2025
Accepted: 21.11.2025
Published online: 25.11.2025

How to cite this paper: Correia, A., & Agua, P. B. (2025). From stability to agility: Integrating emergent design principles into corporate governance [Special issue]. Journal of Governance and Regulation, 14(4), 308–316. https://doi.org/10.22495/jgrv14i4siart8