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Resilience Under Sanctions: A Comparison of Strategic Responses of Family and Non-family Firms in Russia

Author

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  • Ekaterina Kozachenko
  • Ilona Ryshtein
  • Virginia Bodolica
  • Galina Shirokova

Abstract

The 2022 sanctions against Russia created a profound exogenous shock, putting the resilience of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) to the test. While SME resilience is widely studied, the specific strategic responses of family firms remain unclear. Using a multiple-case-study design, we explore how family and non-family firms in Russia develop resilience under severe sanctions. Drawing on semi-structured interviews with CEOs, triangulated with archival data, we uncover a critical divergence in the strategic pathways of family and non-family SMEs, driven by the type of CEO commitment. Specifically, affective commitment in family firms fosters a resilient rebound through ‘wait-and-see’ tactics and revived supplier relationships. In contrast, calculative commitment in non-family firms leads to a fragile decline characterized by ‘immediate response’ and revived employee relationships. This study contributes to strategic leadership and organizational adaptation literatures by conceptualizing CEO commitment as a micro-foundational mechanism that explains divergent resilience outcomes in family and non-family firms facing institutional crises.

Suggested Citation

  • Ekaterina Kozachenko & Ilona Ryshtein & Virginia Bodolica & Galina Shirokova, 2026. "Resilience Under Sanctions: A Comparison of Strategic Responses of Family and Non-family Firms in Russia," FIIB Business Review, , vol. 15(2), pages 163-183, March.
    • Handle: RePEc:sae:fbbsrw:v:15:y:2026:i:2:p:163-183
    DOI: 10.1177/23197145251404250
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