Can a big organisation be agile too, can we scale agility? I say clearly yes, such organisations exist. Lots of them.
Big organisations do move slower but that’s not a criticism. That stability means they have longer timeframes to turn. A large manufacturer doesn’t need to pivot like a software startup.
In that context they can be engineered to turn quickly, they can be a 747 not an ocean tanker. If a 747 turned like a fighter jet they’d kill the passengers. Big organisations have different timescales within which to be agile.
Perhaps the optimum solution is to break into many small pieces, like Haier, but it’s not essential. Extreme agility could be achieved with a flock of small planes with a few passengers each, but the challenges of coordination and safety are immense.
Big organisations can be as agile as they need to be.
Many large organisations need to be agile.
Government departments need to respond to a change in party in power, or a dictatorial whim, or a COVID crisis.
Manufacturers need to respond to shifts in the market (cars from combustion to electrical).
Retailers need to flex with the economy.
Etc etc.