Navigating organizational resilience in SMEs: integrating cognitive, technological, and value chain perspectives

Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs) are navigating the contemporary “Permacrisis”, a state of perpetual instability driven by geopolitical conflicts, economic uncertainty, and rapid technological shifts. Moving beyond fragmented research, the paper proposes a multilevel framework of organizational resilience, integrating individual, firm, and interfirm perspectives. At the individual level, resilience is grounded in cognitive and behavioral foundations. The research highlights that while entrepreneurial resilience is a vital starting point, it must be institutionalized through transformational leadership and effective stakeholder management to impact the broader organization. At the firm level, resilience is built through internal organizational practices and the strategic mobilization of human and structural capital. This level focuses on developing competitive intelligence as a dynamic capability, allowing firms to translate internal knowledge into anticipatory planning. At the interfirm level, resilience is driven by global value chain dynamics and technological integration. Here, Industry 4.0 and digital capabilities are positioned as essential tools for managing supply chain risks, enabling circular strategies, and fostering collaborative innovation across borders. Ultimately, the work conceptualizes organizational resilience as a systemic, metamorphic feedback loop rather than a static trait. We offer a strategic roadmap for SMEs to transform external shocks into opportunities for long-term survival, providing a foundation for future research on the multilevel nature of resilience.