Resilience in times of war: How Ukrainian exporting SMEs enhance relational factors with foreign partners

Research SummaryThis study explores how relational capital fosters Ukrainian exporters resilience through anticipation, coping, and pre‐adaptation during wartime. Motivated by the limited understanding of how SMEs face extreme crises, we conducted 19 in‐depth interviews with Ukrainian exporters and seven follow‐up interviews a year later. Our findings reveal a gap in risk assessment and contingency planning, underscoring the need for proactive crisis strategies. Communication, mutual commitment, and trust emerge as key relational mechanisms that enable exporters to manage cross‐border challenges effectively in high‐risk environments. Cooperation serves both as a coping mechanism and a driver of strategic adaptation, enabling firms to adjust business models, enter new markets, and sustain competitiveness despite ongoing conflict. This study highlights the critical role of international partnerships in resilience‐building for SMEs.Managerial SummaryThis study offers key insights for managing crises in war‐affected areas, providing practical guidance for researchers, policymakers, and practitioners. It emphasizes the importance of a structured approach, including anticipation, coping, and adaptation, to enhance resilience and strategic responses during conflicts. Critical to the anticipation stage is integrating risk management strategies with proactive planning and balancing trust with foreign partners, which prepares organizations to address potential challenges effectively. During the coping stage, prioritizing transparent communication and adopting flexible strategies while honoring commitments are crucial for maintaining operational continuity. The pre‐adaptation stage focuses on developing long‐term strategies and robust partnerships, essential for facilitating strategic transformation. Collectively, these stages form a comprehensive framework for dealing with the complexities of war‐induced crises.