Julius Warren Kule and MacDonald Kanyangale

Abstract

Resilience is critical for small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in Eswatini to adapt and thrive in disruptions. However, the mechanisms through which resilience translates into performance optimisation in SMEs remain unknown. This quantitative study aimed to examine the interplay between resilience and performance optimisation in SMEs and understand how these enterprises leverage resilience for performance optimisation in Eswatini. Census sampling was used to identify a diverse sample of 206 SMEs in Manzini, Eswatini, while data from owner-managers were collected using a self-administered questionnaire.
The results show a significant positive relationship between detectability, coping,adaptation and performance optimisation in SMEs. These results are important as they provide insights to owners of SMEs in pursuit of resilience as a multi-dimensional and dynamic process that requires strategies not only before but also during and after adverse events. The study is pivotal as it reveals how to build resilient SMEs by integrating detectability, coping and adaptation strategies to optimise SME performance in disruptive conditions.