Robustness and Renewal as key dynamic capabilities for corporate resilience

This study examines how robustness and renewal capabilities jointly determine firm resilience across the complete COVID-19 life-cycle crisis. Using survey data from 4100 firms worldwide and structural equation modelling, we analyse resilience dynamics across both the acute disruption phase and the subsequent recovery phase. The results confirm a sequential relationship: robustness capabilities significantly support short-term performance stability, while renewal capabilities drive post-crisis performance recovery. The interaction between both capabilities further amplifies sustainable performance outcomes, highlighting the importance of managing resilience as a dynamic capability process rather than a static attribute. Research rigour is ensured through multiple robustness checks, measurement validation and alternative model specifications. The findings contribute to the literature on resilience and stakeholder-driven strategies and offer managerial guidance on capability deployment before, during, and after major disruptions