TITLE:
SMEs Resilience, Adaptability and Nimbleness in Turbulent Business Environment: A Case of Mbare Business Owners in Zimbabwe
AUTHORS:
Tonderai Mathende
KEYWORDS:
SMEs, Turbulent Business Environment, Resilience, Adaptability, Nimbleness, Sensemaking, Organizational Learning
JOURNAL NAME:
Open Journal of Business and Management,
Vol.13 No.3,
May
8,
2025
ABSTRACT: The extant literature highlights the importance of a favourable environment for the resilience, growth, and continuity of Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs). However, SMEs have demonstrated the ability to thrive even under the most unprecedented environments, such as political, economic, and social instabilities. Notably, SMEs displayed resilience during the COVID-19 pandemic, which significantly disrupted the global business order. Recently, economic and political transformations have led to drastic changes in the business environment. This study investigates how SMEs in Mbare Township, Zimbabwe, leverage resilience and nimbleness, driven by organizational learning and sensemaking theories, to bounce back, grow, and thrive despite a perceived hostile business environment. This qualitative study employed in-depth interviews with 15 participants to gather data. The findings reveal that most businesses in Mbare have been significantly impacted by the turbulent business environment. However, the study also highlights that most SME owners are risk-takers and exhibit remarkable resilience, adaptability, and nimbleness.