Role of adaptive marketing capability and organisational agility in the resilience of B2B manufacturing companies during crises

Purpose The study aims to examine how adaptive marketing capabilities directly contribute to enhancing the resilience of manufacturing firms in the context of a crisis, as well as considering the mediating role of organisational agility. Design/methodology/approach Data were collected from 271 manufacturing firms’ executives and senior and middle management globally using a cross-sectional, non-probability purposive sampling approach. They were analysed using descriptive and inferential statistics, including structural equation modelling (SEM). Findings The findings show that vigilant market learning and adaptive marketing experimentation are positively related to organisational resilience in manufacturing firms during crises and that these relationships are partially mediated by operational adjustment and market capitalising agility. Furthermore, open marketing enhances organisational resilience only when fully mediated by operational adjustment and market capitalising agility. Practical implications The study underscores how, during crises, manufacturing firms should implement a combination of adaptive marketing and organisational agility strategies to strengthen organisational resilience. Adaptive marketing strategies include establishing efficient internal processes for the timely sharing and distribution of market information, leveraging emerging technologies to track market changes and conduct experiments, and forming strategic partnerships with complementary companies to pool resources and innovate collaboratively. To mediate the effectiveness of these strategies and reinforce resilience, firms should adopt strategies focused on organisational agility. These strategies include developing market capitalising agility by responding quickly to customer requests, scaling production or services to meet demand fluctuations, and making alternative arrangements during supply disruptions. Additionally, firms should enhance operational adjustment capacity by making swift decisions in response to changes, re-engineering the organisation for better market service and treating market disruptions as opportunities for capitalisation. Together, these strategies constitute a balanced approach to navigating crises and building organisational resilience. These recommendations remain, however, conditioned by the use of a convenient sampling design, as well as the cross-sectional nature of the data. Originality/value This study makes a novel contribution by addressing the underexplored link between adaptive marketing capabilities and organisational resilience in B2B manufacturing firms. It introduces a validated model showing how marketing capabilities and agility types drive resilience, with organisational agility acting as a key mediator. Additionally, the study provides actionable strategies for firms to navigate crises, emphasising the importance of adaptive marketing and agility. Methodologically, it presents a new, comprehensive measurement of organisational resilience across multiple dimensions, offering valuable insights for future research.