Resilience of small firms in the face of a poly-crisis

Purpose – This study aims to increase our understanding of resilience in small firms as they navigate a series of interconnected crises – that is, a poly-crisis context. It focuses on various types of resilience, such as entrepreneurial, operational, strategic, financial and relational, and how these are connected. Design/methodology/approach – The empirical part of this study is based on a qualitative case study of 13 microbreweries in the Nordic countries of Denmark, Finland, Norway and Sweden. Personal interviews were conducted, and the empirical material was analyzed from a dynamic perspective based on crisis, type of resilience, and the connection between resilience types. Findings – The study highlights the interconnected nature of crises and emphasizes the importance of adaptations and diverse types of resilience in coping within a poly-crisis context. The findings show the nature and importance of relational resilience in connection with other types of resilience. Originality/value – This study contributes to the authors’ understanding of resilience by emphasizing the importance of a multidimensional and adaptive framework. It adds new insights into resilience as a dynamic process in small firms by showing the flow of resilience types and their connectedness over time in a poly-crisis context.