Success factors of organizational resilience: a qualitative investigation of four types of sustainable digital entrepreneurs

Abstract

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to distinguish different types of sustainable digital entrepreneurs (SDEs) and explore their approaches toward enhancing organizational resilience.Design/methodology/approachInvestigation of entrepreneur characteristics using Grounded Theory methodology; 12 semi-structured telephone interviews with (owner-)managers of digital-resilient small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and start-ups in Germany; adaptation of a sustainability-digitalization-matrix for initial clustering; investigation of reoccurring patterns (within and between clusters) through variable-oriented content analysis; application of the capability-based conceptualization of organizational resilience for synthesis and extension.FindingsFirst, the authors present a new typology of SDEs, including descriptions of the four main types (Process-Oriented System Thinker, Unconventional Strategist, Dynamic Visionary and Success-Oriented Opportunist). Second, the authors propose a conceptual framework with six success factors of organizational resilience. The framework accentuates the influence of SDEs on organizational culture and the macro-environment.Practical implicationsDigital sustainability and resilience are emerging management principles. The insights gained will allow (future) entrepreneurs to perform a self-assessment and replicate approaches toward enhancing SME resilience; for example, governing the co-creation of an organizational culture with a strong integrative view on sustainability and digitalization.Originality/valueSMEs are characterized by high vulnerability and a reactive response to the disruptions caused by sustainability crises and digitalization. Blending sustainable and digital entrepreneurship at a micro-level, the authors identified the success factors underpinning organizational resilience that are associated with the characteristics of four types of SDEs.

Exploration and exploitation of multiple values: The dynamic evolution process of sustainable entrepreneurship in Chinese digital platform corporates

“…The existing literature primarily revolves investigations around the investigation of digital entrepreneurship, describing the process by which businesses embed digital technology into identifying, leveraging, and developing entrepreneurial opportunities. (Arvidsson & Mønsted, 2018;Isensee et al, 2023). Different from the traditional entrepreneurial process that earlier authors focused on, entrepreneurial opportunities are not solely driven by entrepreneurial motivation and situational mechanism or their interaction (Argade et al, 2021).…”

Corporate social responsibility: an enabler of organizational resilience

“…Organizational resilience describes the ability of an enterprise to prepare for a disruptive event before it occurs (Isensee et al, 2023), to resist damage and, thus, maintain its previous equilibrium during a disruptive event, to absorb shocks and to reorganize resources to promote internal development after a disruptive event (Mota et al, 2022). Consistent with Jia et al (2020), we focus on two essential aspects of organizational resilience: proactive and RR.…”

Sustainable entrepreneurship on digital platforms and the enactment of digital connectivity through business models

“…We contribute to the literature on the intersection of sustainable entrepreneurship and digital technologies (e.g., Fu et al, 2023;George et al, 2021;Holzmann & Gregori, 2023;Isensee et al, 2023) by analyzing how sustainable entrepreneurs enact digital connectivity on digital platforms. Studying business models provides novel insights on the practices that configure value propositions, value creation, and value capture.…”