Date of Award

5-10-2026

Date Published

June 2026

Degree Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Professional Studies

Department

Information Management

Advisor(s)

Steven Sawyer

Keywords

Agile;Agile Manifesto;Conceptual Metaphor Theory;corpus-based analysis;Organizational Discourse;Scrum

Abstract

The focus of this thesis is examining how the Agile method of software development, and the Scrum-based approach in particular, are conceptually framed through metaphor. The basis of the analysis are the core texts for this method and approach: Beck et al.’s (2001) Manifesto for Agile Software Development, commonly called the Agile Manifesto; and the Scrum Alliance’s (2010) Scrum Guide and Schwaber and Sutherland’s (2020) The Scrum Guide: The Definitive Guide to Scrum: The Rules of the Game, two editions of a document commonly called the Scrum Guide. Foundational Agile texts play a key role in shaping how Agile and Scrum are understood and enacted, yet the role of metaphorical language in structuring this understanding has received limited attention. Here, metaphor is theorized as a cognitive mechanism that structures understanding rather than as stylistic expression. Using a corpus-based discourse analysis grounded in Conceptual Metaphor Theory (Lakoff & Johnson, 1980), the texts were analyzed using semantic domain tagging in Wmatrix7 (Rayson, 2008, 2025) to identify recurring patterns of metaphorical language. Structural, orientational, and ontological metaphors were identified and compared across the documents, with attention to changes in frequency, lexical choice, and explanatory density between the two Scrum Guide editions. Findings make clear that Agile and Scrum are consistently framed through metaphors related to sports, movement, construction, coordination, and control, which organize how work, progress, and responsibility are understood. While core metaphorical patterns remain stable, the 2020 Scrum Guide demonstrates reduced explanation and elaboration of key concepts, indicating an increased reliance on shared knowledge within the discourse. These findings illustrate how metaphor functions as an implicit structuring mechanism in authoritative Agile documentation, influencing interpretation and shaping professional understanding of Scrum practice.

Access

Open Access

Download

Share

COinS