The contribution of absorption capacity and strategic flexibility to the development of organizational resilience: Case of family SMEs in the city of Agadir

Abstract

This article aims to examine the direct effect of absorptive capacity via its two dimensions, in particular potential and realized absorptive capacity on organizational resilience. As well through the mediating role of strategic flexibility in family SMEs in the city of Agadir, by highlighting the key theoretical concepts, with the aim of identifying concrete answers to the problem raised. In order to detect the causal relationships between the different concepts, we opted for an abductive approach. Based on a range of previous scientific work (Miroshnychenko et al., 2021; Chaudhary, 2019; Kantur and Say, 2015) we have drawn up a research model likely to link our three research constructs. As part of a post-positivist epistemological posture and an abductive approach, this research is based on a mixed methodological approach. In this sense, we conducted an exploratory qualitative and confirmatory quantitative research, conducted respectively with 12 and 62 family SMEs operating in the city of Agadir. It has been found that the absorptive capacity through its dimensions has an impact on strategic flexibility as well as on organizational resilience via the mediating role of this flexibility.