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Survivability capital is a unique resource resulting from the “familiness” constituting an inherent feature of family firms. Familiness represents the ability of family members to reinforce the financial and non-financial resources of businesses facing threats to their economic existence. This work proposes and examines various dimensions of the survivability capital construct, verifying whether family firms expecting deterioration of their economic situation or problems with survival due to the COVID-19 crisis can mobilise sufficient capital to survive.

This article provides empirical evidence based on a cross-sectional online survey of 167 Polish family firms, conducted at the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic. The method (scale) of survivability capital measurement was elaborated and validated using principal component analysis (PCA) and confirmatory factor analyses (CFA). Next, the mobilisation of the different dimensions of survivability capital was examined using PLS-SEM modelling.

The survivability capital of family firms is composed of two dimensions: internal (based on directly involved family members) and external (based on not directly involved family members). Family firms facing crisis-induced deterioration of the economic situation engage its internal component. Subsequently, family firms forecasting decreasing probability of survival during a crisis try to engage both the internal and the external components of survivability capital. Such behaviour is in line with the resource-based view as well as with the sustainable family business theory.

To the best of the authors' knowledge, this is one of the first studies to examine analytically the survivability capital construct. While previous studies mentioned the existence of survivability capital, this study attempts to introduce its various dimensions and test the mobilisation of survivability capital during the COVID-19 crisis.

Drawing on the resource-based view, this study aims to examine how family involvement in migrant-founded small businesses gives rise to distinctive resources that help these businesses survive.

Using microdata from the 2007 US survey of business owners (SBO), this study uses logit regression modeling to test the hypothesized relationships.

Results show that small businesses founded by migrant entrepreneurs are less likely to survive and that family involvement weakens the negative relationship between founder migrant status and business survivability. In addition, the positive moderating effect associated with family involvement is further strengthened by the use of external/borrowing startup capital, thus migrant families founded small businesses with access to external capital have the highest probability of survival.

This study contributes to the literature on both migrant entrepreneurship and family business. This paper finds family involvement in the business, interacting with the founder’s migrant status, tends to create distinctive resource endowments that help to compensate for the resource constraints associated with migrant entrepreneurs. Such resource endowments may take the form of high levels of solidarity among migrant family members and the spanning role of the migrant kinship networks extended from the country of origin to the country of residence.

This article proposes that survival can be a legitimate organizational goal, challenging a common view that dismisses it as unambitious or contrary to innovation. Drawing parallels from nature and survival strategies across various systems, it advocates that organizations, much like living organisms, should prioritize survivability (i.e. ability to survive) to ensure long-term success. Contrary to being seen as limiting, survival, when understood in its broad sense, can encompass and enhance performance goals such as growth. The article outlines the ERP factors —efficiency, resilience and prominence—as key to achieving survivability, offering a framework for organizations to manage resources, adapt to external forces and balance visibility to thrive amidst challenges.

Conceptual framework.

This model introduces the significance of survivability as an organizational goal.

This article argues for the consideration of survival as an overarching organizational goal, challenging the prevalent view that dismisses it as unambitious or contrary to innovation.

Nowadays, many firms are finding ways to enhance the survivability of sustainable supply chains (SUSSCs). The present study aims to develop a model for the SUSSCs of small and medium enterprises (SMEs) during the COVID-19 pandemic.

With the help of exhaustive literature review, constructs and items are identified to collect the responses from different SMEs. A total of 278 complete responses are received and 6 hypotheses are developed. Hypotheses testing have been done using structural equation modeling (SEM).

Major constructs identified for the study are supply chain (SC) performance measurement under uncertainty (SPMU), supply chain cooperation (SCCO), supply chain positioning (SCP), supply chain administration (SCA), supply chain feasibility (SCF) and the SUSSCs. From statistical analysis of the data collected, it can be concluded that the considered latent variables contribute significantly towardsthe model fit.

The present study contributes to the existing literature on disruptions and survivability. The study can be further carried out in context to different countries and sectors to generalize the findings.

The research findings will be fruitful for SMEs and other organizations in developing strategies to improve survivability during uncertain business environments.

The study has developed a model that shows that the identified latent variables and their indicators contribute significantly toward the dependent variable, i.e. survivability. It contributes significantly in bridging the research gaps existing in context to the survivability of SMEs.

Open innovation has attracted the attention of experts and business entities for the sustainable survivability of firms, especially in the post-COVID-19 era. The food and beverage industry has been facing sustainable survivability problems. It is important to identify and evaluate the factors of open innovation from the perspectives of the food and beverage industry. This study serves that purpose by identifying and evaluating the factors of open innovation in the post-COVID-19 era with a special reference to Pakistan's economy.

The present study integrates the Fuzzy Delphi Method (FDM), Interpretive Structural Modelling (ISM) and Matrice d’ Impacts Croises Multiplication Applique a Classement (MICMAC) methods to analyze the factors involved in the adoption of open innovation in the food and beverage industry in Pakistan. Firstly, based on an extensive literature review of the most relevant studies, the factors affecting open innovation have been identified and finalized using FDM and experts' opinions. Secondly, the hierarchical framework has also been prepared by implementing the ISM approach. Thirdly, the MICMAC approach was employed to evaluate the factors to examine the driving and dependence powers of the factors of open innovation adoption.

The study identified 17 factors of open innovation adoption in Pakistan's food and beverage industry and 16 factors were finalized using FDM. The ISM-MICMAC matrix unveiled that awareness seminars and training, along with a lack of executive commitments, were strong factors with high driving power, but these factors proved to be weakly dependent powers regarding the other factors. Moreover, a lack of innovation strategy, R&D and non-supportive organizational culture exhibited low driving power but strong dependent power.

The findings of the study could help firms and business entities understand the driving and dependent factors involved in open innovation for the sustainable survivability of the food and beverage industry. The study provides strong reasons to believe that an open innovation strategy, along with stakeholder collaboration, the adoption of rules and regulations and managerial commitment, could stimulate open innovation. Moreover, governments should promote the business sector, especially the food and beverage industry, to facilitate the sector while also providing awareness seminars and training, creating environments conducive to reducing innovation costs.

Some previous studies have analyzed the factors involved in green innovation from the perspective of the manufacturing industry and environmental protection. The present study is a pioneer study to examine the factors involved in the adoption of open innovation in the food and beverage industry in Pakistan from the perspective of the post-COVID-19 era. For this purpose, the present study uses an integrated Fuzzy Delphi-ISM-MICMAC approach for the analysis.

The dynamic of the business environment has escalated the competition and uncertainty, which is challenging business survivability, particularly for small and medium enterprises (SMEs). SMEs attract researchers due to their unique characteristics that have limited resources but great flexibility and adaptability. Furthermore, Collaborative Networks (CNs) have been proposed by business scholars as a critical strategy to gain resilience and antifragility. However, the concept of antifragility and its relation with CNs is still vague in the SME sector. Therefore, this study aims to develop a complete understanding regarding: (1) the emerging knowledge that is critical in explaining antifragility in the business sector based on co-citation and thematic analysis; (2) the relation between resilience and antifragility in emerging business research; (3) the relation between CNs and antifragility in emerging business research and (4) a framework of antifragility in the SME context.

Bibliographic Analysis and Systematic Literature Review are performed to reach the research objectives. We use co-citation and thematic analysis to identify the map of emerging knowledge and the related concepts, which are the fundamentals of antifragility. Furthermore, we use a systematic literature review to determine the relation of antifragility, resilience and CNs in the SME context.

Antifragility is a higher level of survivability compared to resilience. Antifragile SMEs could gain an advantage from the uncertain business environment. However, both in resilience and antifragility, SMEs should become active learners. Furthermore, CNs are proposed as the gateway for SMEs to manage their resource limitations. The conceptual framework of Antifragile SMEs is presented as the theoretical contribution of this manuscript.

This article explains the knowledge structure of antifragility in the business sector, particularly among SMEs. Based on bibliometric data, we describe critical characteristics or mental states entrepreneurs should have when facing uncertainty. Furthermore, we propose a conceptual framework for antifragile SMEs where active learning and positive psychology are the pillars, and CNs are critical ingredients of antifragility in SMEs.

This teaching case is specially designed for students who are in their advanced stage of their undergraduate business degree program. It can also be used in a Master of Business program.

This teaching case documents that roller coaster ride of failures and success of OneLogix (a niche logistic service providers) from its birth in 2000 till present day. It seeks to present a rich contextual information about how difficult it is for businesses to survive and become profitable in South Africa.

On completion of the case, students will be able to analyze the external environment of an organization, determine what factors will impact the organization’s profitability and survivability, analyze the evolution of an industry, apply and discuss how the evolution of an industry can affect an organization’s profitability and survivability, explain the difference between entrepreneurial versus efficiency management approach, discuss how each approach will conflict the other and identify ways that can harmonize the two approaches, explain strategies for organization to develop capabilities to be responsive to changes in its business environment and compose and apply strategies according to the contextual information provided within the teaching case.

Teaching notes are available for educators only. Please contact your library to gain login details or email support@emeraldinsight.com to request teaching notes.

CSS 11: Strategy

Micro, small and medium-sized enterprises are the live wire of construction industry in developing countries. These classes of establishments are most affected by economic contraction and turmoil, thus affecting their performance and survivability. Hence, the purpose of this study is to investigate and prioritize the survival determinants of construction consulting organization during economic contraction in Nigeria using quantity surveying firms as a focal point.

The study adopted the descriptive-survey design and quantitative data were collected through questionnaire purposely administered to quantity surveying firms in the Southwestern part of Nigeria. The data obtained from 99 quantity surveying firms on survival determinants were analysed using various statistical analysis such as mean score, standard deviation, Mann–Whitney U test, Kruskal–Wallis H test, and so on. Principal component analysis was used to identify the principal components of survival determinants, while the factors were prioritized using fuzzy synthetic evaluation (FSE).

The result of the analysis reveals eight factors that significantly determines the survival of firms during the period of economic contraction. Furthermore, the eight grouped factors were prioritized accordingly namely firm's innovation and diversification, ownership structure and networking, education level and management skills, and so on.

This study investigated the survival determinants of quantity surveying firms and prioritized it with the opinions of principal partners in quantity surveying establishments. As against obtaining large survey responses from all quantity surveyors in the study area that may not have practical experience of managing firms, the limited responses received provide valid basis to broaden the horizon of professionals and other stakeholders on the key determinants for firms to survive economic turmoil.

This study contributes to the body of knowledge by providing information on prioritized factors that must be considered in an appropriate order by quantity surveying firms to survive economic contraction.

The purpose of this paper is to assessthe probable influence of some of the emotional costs and returns expected by owners on their family business sale decision; and examine if the perceived economic environment during the economic and financial crisis of 2008 had an impact on the intention to sell their family business.

The research is based on a sample of 69 family businesses responding to a postal questionnaire survey. The empirical study is made up of a descriptive analysis of the factors influencing the intention of a family business sale and an explanatory analysis of the sale intention.

The desire for family business renewal through family generational succession is the main emotional factor lying behind the decision to continue/sell the business. Furthermore, the financial and economic crisis does not seem to be a factor that accentuates the intention to sell the family business even if firms’ financial performance has declined.

Future research could implement a direct measure of owners’ performance thresholds and explicitly integrate the moderating role of “Perceived economic environment.”

By showing that continuity is a key concern for family business owners, the research invites them to effectively prepare their succession instead of postponing this strategic process given its significance in guaranteeing the survivability of the family business.

Executives who perceived economic conditions as very poor are less likely to consider the sale of the business in the horizon of two years than executives perceiving them as “normal.” The study confirms that in family-owned businesses, for the owner-managers and the active and serene family shareholders, the sale price does not compensate for their emotional regret evaluated through the loss of the family business’ emotional value.

This study aims to provide a rich learning opportunity from COVID-19 crisis for making resilient supply chain by adopting new strategies for the procurement system.

The systematic literature review has been conducted from the year 2012 to 2022 with the objective of developing procurement system for resilient supply chain. Fifty-four research papers are selected for this study.

The study exhibits that procurement function makes a significant contribution in creating supply chain resilience in the time of COVID-19 pandemic. The COVID-19 emergency has enforced companies to operate in new ways to face supply chain disruptions. The new strategies and actions appropriate for resilient procurement system have been identified.

This study is limited to the papers that were indexed in the Scopus database. It has also been limited to the procurement function and supply chain resilience.

This research highlights strategies for supply chain resilience to improve the business performance in COVID-19 or similar types of crisis.

The originality of this paper is to identify the strategies and new practices followed in procurement function to improve the supply chain resilience. This study suggests directions for future research on the integration of procurement and manufacturing for making resilience in the supply chain.