Resilience in organization-related research: An integrative conceptual review across disciplines and levels of analysis.

Abstract

Resilience is a topic of growing interest in the literature focused on organizations. There is an extensive research on resilience but it is embedded in a variety of disconnected literatures that have developed in different research fields, involving varying levels of analysis and different subconstructs. This has resulted in a general confusion surrounding the concept of resilience and its relationship to similar constructs. In this paper, we synthesize this fragmented literature to better understand organization-related resilience and set the stage for future work in this area. First, based on a bibliographic coupling analysis of 1,667 articles, we identify 10 historical clusters that have shaped this domain and highlight how these clusters have developed over time. Second, drawing on recommendations for how research can develop high-quality concept definitions, we analyze subconstructs, conceptual definitions, and measures applied in this domain. Third, we distinguish resilience from related constructs. Overall, our synthesis revealed that resilience is an important and distinct concept in organization-related research. In spite of this, the field has suffered from the presence of a jinglejangle fallacy, which means that existing conceptualizations of resilience assign different meanings to this label, while at the same time various subconstructs exist. Thus, fourth, we develop a framework integrating the broad literature of organization-related resilience into three distinct themes of research that offer different insights into how entities across levels deal with adversity. In an attempt to provide guidance for research that builds upon this review, we conclude with an agenda for future investigations.

Resilience enhanced aFteR ACTiOn ReviewS (REFRACTORS) for teams: A pilot, nonrandomized investigation of feasibility within military settings.

“…Time scale decisions for studying resilience including when to assess and the number, frequency, and timing of assessments of key concepts should be matched to a well-specified theory of the temporal dynamics of emergent resilience, rather than based on methodological or practical considerations such as statistical power or feasibility (Hopwood et al, 2021). In the absence of a temporally rich theory of emergent resilience, we and others (Raetze et al, 2021) contend that events that pose meaningful threats to homeostasis or optimal functioning provide us with the best window into the temporal dynamics because the nature of these emergent processes depends primarily on the trigger itself. As a relatively broad example, exactly what a team does and the resources they utilize will likely differ between events that are acute or chronic in nature.…”

“…Conceptually, the property of team-level constructs is typically categorized as either inputs (i.e., characteristics of the context, team or individuals), processes (i.e., mechanisms that explain how inputs form outputs), or outputs (i.e., outcomes of team member interactions; Ilgen et al, 2005). Team resilience has been commonly defined as an input- (e.g., capacity, ability, belief) or process-based (e.g., psychosocial process) team property (e.g., Kossek & Perrigino, 2016; Raetze et al, 2021). However, the dynamic nature of resilience across time and context limits the utility of universal abilities or capacities as well as processes to reflect the essence of team resilience definitions.…”

“…The coupled nature of stressor and adverse events and the relative salience of resilience resources or processes dictates that resilience development requires explicit consideration and precise description (Raetze et al, 2021) of such events (i.e., resilience to what). At the individual level, a core function of the stress-response system is to encode and filter environmental information to regulate and direct openness to event dynamics (Del Giudice et al, 2011).…”

Resilience during Crisis and the Role of Age: Involuntary Telework during the COVID-19 Pandemic

“…The concept of resilience captures individual differences in the way people are able to manage adversity and respond to crises. Resilience has been conceptualized in various ways in the organizational literature, for example, as a resource, ability, trait, process, or outcome [21]. Given these diverse conceptualizations, there is no standard way to frame and assess resilience.…”

“…One limitation of the current study is the reliance on self-reports, which introduces potential bias, especially in combination with the cross-sectional design. The concept of resilience is inherently temporal by nature, as it assumes the maintenance of well-being from pre-to post-event [21]. Although we asked participants to report on their changes in mental health, ability to focus, and social integration relative to pre-pandemic times, we still measured perceived rather than actual changes.…”