Archetypes of SME Resilience: A Systematic Literature Review of Antecedents, Types and Outcomes of Resilience in SMEs

ABSTRACT This systematic literature review makes three key contributions to resilience research in SMEs. First, it advances theory by synthesizing the Resource‐Based View and Dynamic Capabilities perspective to develop a novel two‐dimensional framework of SME resilience (Adaptability × Resource availability), identifying four distinct resilience archetypes: dynamic, complacent, vulnerable, and proactive. This framework addresses the theoretical fragmentation in existing resilience literature and provides a coherent classification system. Second, through rigorous analysis of 217 peer‐reviewed publications from 2019 to 2025 across multiple national contexts, the study systematically categorizes 11 primary antecedent groups, including innovation, dynamic capabilities, and organizational resources such as ambidexterity, adaptability, and absorptive capacity, offering the most comprehensive taxonomy of resilience determinants to date. Third, the research establishes empirically grounded linkages between resilience archetypes and performance outcomes, demonstrating that resilience drives creativity, operational efficiency, corporate performance, digital transformation, and reduces external dependency. The findings reveal a critical insight: effective resilience requires SMEs to balance adaptation speed against resource constraints, with prior crisis experiences enabling better institutionalization of learning and superior recovery outcomes. This framework provides scholars with a structured lens for future resilience research while offering practitioners actionable guidance on building context‐appropriate resilience capabilities. The study's multi‐national scope and crisis‐focused temporal frame enhance generalizability and practical relevance for SME managers navigating turbulent environments.