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Contextualizing small business resilience during the COVID-19 pandemic: evidence from small business owner-managers

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  • Elias Hadjielias

    (Cyprus University of Technology)

  • Michael Christofi

    (Cyprus University of Technology)

  • Shlomo Tarba

    (Birmingham Business School, University of Birmingham)

Abstract

In light of the unprecedented global crisis caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, resilient businesses are those more likely to make the transition to the post-COVID era. Our study draws on the concept of psychological resilience and focusses on individual owner-managers to the end of examining business resilience in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic. We conduct a longitudinal qualitative study, collecting data from 35 small business owner-managers between April and December 2020. Our findings—which provide insights into the micro-underpinnings of the resilience exhibited by small business in response to the COVID-19 pandemic—illustrate the responses and resilient qualities of owner-managers at both the personal and leadership levels, which facilitate resilient actions at the small business level. By drawing on a psychological perspective, our study provides a novel conceptualization of small business resilience at the person-role-organization nexus.

Suggested Citation

  • Elias Hadjielias & Michael Christofi & Shlomo Tarba, 2022. "Contextualizing small business resilience during the COVID-19 pandemic: evidence from small business owner-managers," Small Business Economics, Springer, vol. 59(4), pages 1351-1380, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:kap:sbusec:v:59:y:2022:i:4:d:10.1007_s11187-021-00588-0
    DOI: 10.1007/s11187-021-00588-0
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    • L26 - Industrial Organization - - Firm Objectives, Organization, and Behavior - - - Entrepreneurship

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