Deconstructing dimensions of resilience in Small and Medium Enterprise in Eswatini: a literature analysis

Abstract

Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) in Eswatini play a crucial role in employment creation and economic development. However, research on their resilience is limited. The objective of this conceptual paper is to review extant literature to identify dimensions of resilience and propose a framework for SME resilience in Eswatini. In pursuit of this objective, extant models and frameworks of resilience were reviewed to identify key developments in the evolution of resilience and dimensions, revealing what constitutes resilience in different existing models in the scholarly work. First, the results reveal that while six dimensions of resilience are commonly identified in generic frameworks, seven others are less widely shared. The six dimensions are resilience capacity triangle, anticipation, coping or impact resistance, sense-making, planning, and learning and innovation. Seven constitutive dimensions not commonly shared in generic models of resilience are impact resistance, recovery, restoration, rapidity of recovery, cognitive resilience, and contextual resilience. Second, four constitutive dimensions identified in the SME context of resilience are strategic agility, culture of support, resource utilisation, and exploration of opportunities. Based on these findings, a framework of SME dynamic resilience is proposed, which owner-managers may adopt to foster organisational and entrepreneurial resilience and address the high SME mortality rate in Eswatini. The study shows that developing SME resilience requires building integrated resilience capabilities, improving processes, and adopting foresight with an entrepreneurial orientation. Future research is necessary to validate or refine this conceptual framework of SME resilience