Bricolage as an effective tool for the survival of owner-managed SMEs during crises

Abstract

This study analyzes how the resources and capabilities of the owner-manager influence the firm’s capacity to survive during crises. We conceptualize that only the deliberate use of available resources (bricolage) can enhance this capacity, and that “making-do” behaviors mediate the influence of the owner’s social and human resources on the firm's capacity to survive crises. Based on a sample of 462 Chilean owner-managed small and medium enterprises (SME), we test our hypotheses using a complementary partial least squares-structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) and fuzzy set-qualitative comparative analysis (fsQCA) approach. The results indicate that when founders deliberatively use their social and cognitive resources, they enhance the firm’s capacity to survive in crisis environments. The fsQCA results complement these outcomes by showing that low levels of survival capacity are related to low levels of bricolage and founders’ ties.