Building Resilient SMEs in Qatar: The Strategic Role of Technology and Learning Culture in Driving Performance

This study investigates the impact of leading-edge technology and a proactive learning culture on business performance in Qatari SMEs, emphasising the mediating role of adaptive resilience. Grounded in Dynamic Capabilities Theory, data from 343 SMEs were analysed using Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modelling (PLS-SEM). The findings validated the model and demonstrated strong predictive power, explaining 59.5% of the variance in business performance and 46.9% of the variance in adaptive resilience. Both leading-edge technology and a proactive learning culture significantly enhance adaptive resilience, which in turn substantially influences business performance. Although these factors also have direct effects on performance, their indirect impact through adaptive resilience is more pronounced, positioning adaptive resilience as a critical mediator. The results advance theoretical understanding by identifying resilience as a strategic capability and provide practical guidance for SME leaders to integrate learning and technological adaptability into their core strategies. Future research should examine these dynamics longitudinally and across diverse economic settings.