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.