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EntREsilience, a five-country longitudinal qualitative study, was launched in 2020 in China, Malaysia, the Philippines, Thailand and the UK to understand how entrepreneurs manifested resilience in response to the COVID-19 pandemic crisis events from March 2020 to February 2022. EntREsilience proposed a resilience-manifestation process model describing how entrepreneurs responded to the COVID-19 disruption, aided by external and internal enablers, adjusting their businesses to stabilise and even hunting for opportunities to grow their businesses. The present research adds to the findings of EntREsilience by analysing the strategies applied by entrepreneurs in their response to the crisis. This exploratory study focused on the entrepreneurs' community interactions and studied the effects of these interactions on the response measures adopted by the entrepreneurs. The results describe how the awareness of their stakeholder challenges shaped the entrepreneurial response. Realising the importance of stakeholder well-being to the sustainability of their enterprise motivated the entrepreneurs to develop sustainability competencies towards their stakeholder challenges, innovating solutions for their mutual well-being. By extending the resilience-manifestation process model, this paper proposes a transformation model depicting the process of entrepreneurs transforming into sustainable leaders triggered by stakeholder challenge awareness and moderated by contextual factors.
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Purpose: Resilient firms are more likely to survive crisis. This paper aims to investigate the resilient behavior displayed by small and medium enterprise (SME) owners in the pandemic context and the sequence of antecedents leading to resilient behavior. Design/methodology/approach: Seven SME owners, from different business sectors, were interviewed twice in 8 months, to assess their actions and underlying entrepreneurial resilience. A model was developed depicting the sequence of activities leading to entrepreneurial resiliency behavior. The study was conducted in the capital city of Odisha, an eastern Indian state. Findings: The results indicate that entrepreneurial resiliency is manifested in various forms where the SME owners engage in bricolage. Resiliency has an inevitable time dimension, where SME owners estimate the period for which adversity is likely to persist. They focus on alternative action to demonstrate resiliency. It was also learnt that revenue management during a crisis requires entrepreneurial marketing with innovativeness, opportunity seeking and value creation to improve resiliency. Research limitations/implications: This research is important for policymakers who can strengthen resiliency through the support and provision of adequate information to SME owners. Educators can use the model for discussion and pedagogy. Finally, SME owners can evaluate their response behaviors to a crisis and draw insights. Originality/value: The approach of the study was longitudinal and qualitative. This study contributes to the literature gap on resiliency in the context of emerging markets and SMEs. © 2023, Emerald Publishing Limited.
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Purpose: The purpose of this study is to examine factors contributing to family firms' survival in the ongoing COVID-19 crisis;in this endeavour, the study espouses the underpinnings of social exchange theory and entrepreneurial resilience. Design/methodology/approach: The views of 128 Italian family micro and small-sized firm owners/managers operating in different industries were gathered through an online questionnaire. Findings: The analysis uncovers 12 fundamental factors contributing to firms' survival;these are encapsulated in three dimensions and presented in two theoretical frameworks. The "beneficiary” dimension stresses the support from various internal and external stakeholders, while the "benefactor” dimension illustrates the commitment to extend the family tradition and be responsive to stakeholders. Finally, the "immersion/embeddedness” dimension denotes firms' entrepreneurial behaviour, agility, decision-making and drive. Originality/value: Firstly, and from a practitioner perspective, this study addresses recognised knowledge and research gaps in contemporary family business research, including how family firms are confronting the current unprecedented crisis. This response to current extant gaps provides first-hand empirical findings that could be primarily considered by industry stakeholders. Secondly, and from a theoretical angle, the aforementioned dimensions revealed through the analysis, coupled with the development of a theoretical framework, contribute to conceptual rigour and, therefore, a deeper understanding of family firms' journey through an unprecedented event. © 2023, Emerald Publishing Limited.
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We suggest that one source of understanding entrepreneurial resilience and regional culture is through the denizens of Silicon Valley, and how they are handling crisis situations. We surveyed 119 entrepreneurs, investors, and large company executives based in Silicon Valley during the first COVID-19 lockdown period between April and May 2020. Our data show that the entrepreneurs perceived the situation as severe but were cautiously optimistic. They embraced creative destruction and took it as a way to change the status quo for the better. They predicted the new normal in the industry by acknowledging the critical role of science and technology. The ecosystem seems to enhance entrepreneurial resilience in the region through the social structures and entrepreneurial cultural values. © 2021 The Author(s). Published with license by Taylor & Francis Group, LLC.
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Purpose>This study aims to examine the role of eco-label hotel engagement as a pathway to sustainable practices via scouting entrepreneurial resilience and orientation at highly ranked hotels in Oman. The authors developed and tested a novel model built on resilience theory, the theory of entrepreneurial orientation and the theory of reasoned action (TRA).Design/methodology/approach>Data from 167 human resources directors, hotel managers and other employees were analyzed by partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) and fuzzy-set qualitative comparative analysis (fsQCA).Findings>Results indicate a strong positive relationship between entrepreneurial resilience and entrepreneurial orientation. Entrepreneurial orientation significantly increased all eco-label strategies, but not all strategies enhanced sustainable tourism practices. High adoption of sustainability practices depended on core strategies related to awareness, benefits, reputation and necessity, but the cost was also an issue. Managers adopted sustainability practices if they were not perceived as costly, or when perceived as costly if they believed they would help them reduce operating costs.Practical implications>Policymakers should assist hotel managers when the sector is hit by political events, natural disasters or health crises such as the current pandemic can bounce back and develop their resilience. Likewise, training and workshops can be organized to improve managers' entrepreneurial mindset, which was found to be a precursor to favorable attitudes toward sustainability.Originality/value>This study tests a novel model built on three theories: resilience theory, the theory of entrepreneurial orientation and the TRA by using PLS-SEM and fsQCA.
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Purpose>Entrepreneurship and entrepreneurs have become increasingly important around the globe considering its positive impact on productivity and employment by economic theoreticians, analysts and researchers. The purpose of this paper is to study the entrepreneurial resilience and self-efficacy of founders of small businesses in India during the global crisis.Design/methodology/approach>Qualitative research method is adopted for analyzing the data collected through a structured questionnaire. In total, 72 small entrepreneurs participated in the study. For analysis of the responses, thematic content analysis is carried out using a four steps method. Codes are generated from the data, which are used to formulate sub-categories. The sub-categories are arranged into a thematic framework by the researchers.Findings>The paper proposes a framework as an outcome of the study, which is discussed in detail in later sections. The framework comprises of four broad areas, namely, modifications (process/product/business model);impact on functional areas;technology adoption;and sources of business continuation. The linking of these is also presented in a pictorial representation.Originality/value>This paper provides meaningful insights on entrepreneurial resilience and self-efficacy of small businesses in turbulent times. The theoretical contribution is in form of a proposed framework and an addition in the literature of entrepreneurial resilience for the developing economies. The findings can be used for the practical and policy implications, which may lead toward offering better understanding and clarity to the stakeholders. It may also show trajectory to authorities for formulating long-term strategies for the survival of small businesses in the region.
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Organizational resilience is vital to the survival and thriving of enterprises, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic. Although there has been an increasing interest in organizational resilience, the effects from the entrepreneur perspective receive scant attention. Based on upper echelons theory (UET) and personality psychology, we propose a model in which entrepreneurial mindfulness and entrepreneurial resilience could influence organizational resilience of SMEs. We empirically analyzed a sample of 180 entrepreneurs managing small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in China during the COVID-19 pandemic, using SmartPLS software. The research findings indicated that entrepreneurial mindfulness is positively associated with organizational resilience and such relationship is partially mediated by entrepreneurial resilience. These findings convey important theoretical implications in this field of research as well as practical implications for SMEs in China or other countries with similar nature.
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Entrepreneurial resilience' acquires seminal significance especially during a crisis situation. With COVID-19 pandemic rendering unprecedented disruption over the worldwide socio-economic landscape, entrepreneurs and business managers necessitate resilience for mitigating various emerging challenges. Modem enterprises often face competing demands and contradictory expectations from its diverse stakeholder groups. Entrepreneur's ability to relentlessly acclimatise and thrive particularly during adversities, while balancing competing needs is a crucial characteristic that bolsters organisational performance. This investigation examines the potential relation between stakeholder engagement, paradoxical thinking/paradox mind-set and entrepreneurial resilience. The entrepreneurs' propensity to integrate conflicting organisational and normative obligations is likely to improve her/his resilience. Contemporary organisations innately embody many contradictory tensions. Paradoxical thinking embraces these tensions and may also help the entrepreneurs to respond with enhanced resilience. This quantitative study involving social entrepreneurs in India against the backdrop of COVID-19 pandemic indicates that stakeholder engagement is positively associated with resilience. This relation is mediated by the entrepreneur's paradoxical mind-set.
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Purpose>At its peak, the COVID-19 pandemic has created disruption to food supply chains in the UK and for the entire world. Although societal changes created some resilience within the supply chains, high volatility in demand creates supply, logistics and distribution issues. This is reflected in the economic instability of businesses and small and medium enterprises (SMEs). In this paper, the authors explore factors behind this initial disruption in the supply chains and offer suggestions to businesses based on the established practices and theories.Design/methodology/approach>The authors use mixed methods research. First, the authors conducted an exploratory study by collecting data from published online sources. Then, the authors analysed possible scenarios from the available information using regression. The authors then conducted two interviews with UK retail sector representatives. These scenarios have been compared and contrasted to provide decision-making points to businesses and supply chain players to tackle current and any future potential disruptions.Findings>The findings from the current exploratory study inform the volatility of supply chains. The authors suggested some possible responses from businesses, during and after the pandemic.Originality/value>The regression model provides a decision-making approach to help supply chain businesses during the pandemic outbreak. Once a complete data set of COVID-19 is available, the authors can create a resilience model that can help businesses and supply chains.
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Entrepreneurship researchers have studied resilience across various contexts, including at the micro (that is, owner/business) and macro (that is, cluster/ecosystem/region) levels, by drawing from a myriad of academic disciplines. This Special Issue (SI) provides an opportunity to link resilience at the micro- and macro-level since collective small business owner resilience is foundational to macro-level resilience within clusters, ecosystems and regions. This point has become evident as businesses worldwide face similar challenges and economic adversities due to the lockdowns during the global COVID-19 pandemic. The collection of papers on small business resilience in this SI indicates the psychological, organizational, and economic responses undertaken by small businesses to overcome challenges faced, where they promoted their human, social, and financial capital while finding other responses less helpful. We hope the research and questions uncovered as a result of this SI provide continued food for thought and grounds for future research in small business resilience.
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The resilience of small and medium enterprises (SMEs) can emerge from entrepreneurial and organizational factors. Yet, the joint role of psychological capital (PsyCap), social capital (SC), and organizational resilience (OR) in facilitating tourism SMEs recovery remains uncovered. Organizational resilience models are either conceptual and/or mainly derived from studies on large organizations focusing on their strategic and operational capabilities, with the resource and capabilities constraints faced by SMEs largely ignored. This study applies the Herringbone model of organizational resilience to evaluate the internal and external factors that enable SMEs to (re)build resilience during COVID-19. In-depth interviews with owner-managers of tourism organizations in Christchurch, New Zealand reveal several themes and sub-themes that reflect not only a close influence of the owner/manager PsyCap on organizational resilience, but also the role of internal (ISC) and external (ESC) social capital in facilitating and hindering organizational resilience. As such, the study highlights the interplay between psychological and social resources in facilitating organizational recovery during COVID-19 using resilience capacities and activities. Implications for both theory and practice are offered.
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The purpose of this article is to investigate the drivers of static and dynamic resilience as a response to the COVID-19-induced crisis among small business entrepreneurs in Brazil. This study explores the role of human, social, and financial capital in the building of resilience responses based on 38 longitudinal case studies. Our interviews indicate that small businesses with lower levels of human capital and social capital were associated with static resilience responses. However, those with higher levels of human capital and higher levels of family social capital had a higher likelihood of developing a richer resource repertoire associated with stronger social media and financial management capabilities, which were associated with dynamic resilience responses. Our study helps in the theoretical understanding of reasons entrepreneurs at times fail to develop novel responses to the crises.
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Purpose This study aims to explore the main drivers that family businesses possess to strengthen their resilience during the COVID-19 crisis. Design/methodology/approach This study followed a quantitative method analysis through a multiple regression analysis based on a sample of 570 Italian family firms. Findings The results showed that job quality and innovation significantly stimulate family firms' resilience during the COVID-19 crisis. Practical implications The study has several academic implications. Firstly, the study contributes to family firm research by extending the studies on factors that significantly influence the concept of resilience;secondly, the work contributes to crisis management, offering suggestions to help other firms exceed the COVID-19 crisis. Originality/value The present study clarifies the role of family firms' resilience, and it reveals how job quality and innovation play a meaningful role during the COVID-19 crisis.