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

Abstract

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.