The Resilience of Micro and Small Enterprises in Kenya from a Strategic Perspective: A Systematic Literature Review

This article noted the significant contribution of micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) to the economies of both developed and developing countries and the challenges they face that adversely impact their ability to build capacity to be resilient. Most of the micro and small enterprises (MSEs) die by their fifth anniversary. This study was motivated by the dichotomy between the MSEs’ short life cycle and their valuable contribution to the economies of many countries, and the finding that there are very few studies focusing on their longer-term survival and growth. The objective of this article was to delineate the strategies that build and sustain MSE resilience over the long term; specifically identifying entrepreneurial factors that enhance resilience, and analysing strategic initiatives and strategic resources that the enterprise can leverage to enhance resilience. This article is based on a systematic review of 161 theoretical and empirical studies, that met inclusion criteria, documented in books, official government and private institutional publications, peer-reviewed articles, and conference papers, accessed from library collections, and the internet. An ecological approach was used in the analysis of the findings. The review identified personal entrepreneurial characteristics and psychological traits of the business enterprise owners/managers as the basic behavioural disposition which embeds the development and implementation of resilience strategies. The study identified strategies that are internal and external to the firm, all of which constitute the enterprise’s capability to build resilience.