Understanding SME resilience: a bibliometric and thematic review of empirical research

Small and medium enterprises (SMEs) are a compelling unit of analysis to understanding the construct of resilience, given their heterogeneity, their importance in the global economy, and exposure to shocks. This systematic literature review (SLR) surfaces the need to reframe resilience as an equifinal measurement outcome emerging through the interplay of what firms have (resources), what they do (processes), and what they can become. The review highlights that the construct resilience remains congested with definitional ambiguity and methodological fragmentation. Following a bibliographic coupling technique, this review identifies 22 empirical articles that meet strict quality standards for inclusion. This review adopts a novel structured approach combining bibliographic coupling to identify shared knowledge foundations with reflexive, citation-led thematic analysis of those foundations. By examining how foundational citations are applied within clustered studies, the review identifies recurring conceptual frameworks, enabling traits, and theoretical anchors of SME resilience. The findings of this structured review reveal that resilience should be understood as a bridging construct situated between survival and success. Resilience is shaped by context, culture, the entrepreneur firm-nexus, and temporal phases of readiness, response, and recovery. The methodology and structured process applied in this review surfaces key conceptual patterns that may enable future researchers to build on shared knowledge foundations, offering a replicable approach for future structured literature reviews.

Grantor dc:publisher

University of Pretoria

Year dc:date.issued

2025

Advisor dc:contributor.advisor

• Lew, Charlene

• UCTD
• Resilience
• SME
• Entrepreneur
• Bibliometric analysis
• SLR

Statement dc:rights

• © 2025 University of Pretoria. All rights reserved. The copyright in this work vests in the University of Pretoria. No part of this work may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, without the prior written permission of the University of Pretoria.

Language dc:language.iso

en

Dc Identifier Other

A2025

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:repository.up.ac.za:2263/109650