Fostering entrepreneurial resilience: the interplay of teamwork entrepreneurial self-efficacy and adaptive organisational culture

Purpose This study aims to examine how owner-managers’ use of teamwork influences entrepreneurial resilience, considering the mediating roles of adaptive organizational culture and entrepreneurial self-efficacy in this relationship. Design/methodology/approach Data were collected from 419 owner-managers of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in Ghana and analyzed using partial least squares structural equation modeling. Findings The findings show that owner-managers’ use of teamwork has a positive impact on entrepreneurial resilience. In addition, teamwork fosters both an adaptive organizational culture and entrepreneurial self-efficacy, which partially mediate the relationship between teamwork and entrepreneurial resilience. Practical implications SME owner-managers should promote teamwork through open communication, staff engagement and participatory decision-making, while fostering adaptive, learning-oriented cultures. Capacity-building via training, mentoring and coaching enhances employee skills and confidence. Policymakers should extend SME support beyond finance to include leadership, teamwork and management training through business development services and mentorship programs. Originality/value This study departs from the traditional view of entrepreneurial resilience as an explanatory factor by conceptualizing it as a dependent variable. It introduces two key mediators, adaptive organizational culture at the organizational level and entrepreneurial self-efficacy at the individual level, providing a more integrated understanding of how teamwork contributes to resilience. Additionally, its focus on SMEs in developing economies offers a context-sensitive explanation of how these firms build and sustain resilience under conditions of uncertainty.