Organizational resilience: A critical review of a multi-theoretical perspective Grine American University, Turkey

Today businesses are operating in a highly dynamic envi ronment which is the new normal. Therefore, org anizational resilience (OR) has been gaining significant momentum among academics and practitioners to protect business from such adversity. H owever, the concept has been criti cized due its diffuse fragmentation nature questioning its validity and usefulness. This paper investigates causes and natu re of fragmentation and theories that shaped the under standing of the concept. In this view the study addresses this gap by proposing a multi-theoretical viewpoint to effec tively combined to lay a foundation to prevent such frag mentation by giving a more parsimonious explanation that pull s multiple elements into a more unified whole in two phases. This study utilizes a literature review as a research met hodology. Initially the conceptualization of the concept is expl ored based on its umbrella characteristics. Inspired by multiple theoretical studies, subsequently conducts a critical revi ew of theories in relation to conceptualization domains as an at tempt to oppose further fragmentation. Findings reveal past stud ies have been mainly conceptual; sound established theo retical foundations are limited. None of the foundation theo ries are capable to interpret the concept in isolation, but an integ rated perspective of theories captures the complexity of phenom ena, exploits the complementarity of theories, and tests conf licting explanations. Based on this outline findings reveal OR and its fundamentals domains mirrors multiple theoretical persp ectives which includes defensive capabilities, recon figuration of capabilities and creating new capabilities. Adopt ing a multi-theoretical approach on deciphering the com plexity of OR will pave the way for numerous implications for future research and practice by enhancing a more defr agmented conceptualization.