Flexing the Leadership Muscle: An International Study of Entrepreneurial Resilience in Rural Communities During the COVID-19 Pandemic

The COVID-19 global crisis and the ensuing lockdown of large parts of society and economic life has been an exogenous shock to society (Kuckertz et al., 2020). It is predicted the impact on the small business sector is likely to be severe (Fairlie, 2020). The findings of this international qualitati...

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Bibliographic Details
Published inJournal of small business strategy Vol. 31; no. 4; pp. 100 - 112
Main Authors Hutchinson, Karise, Fergie, Rachael, Fleck, Emma, Jouflas, Georgann, Parry, Zen
Format Journal Article
LanguageEnglish
Published Peoria Small Business Institute 2021
Subjects
Business models
Coronaviruses
COVID-19
Decision making
Economic life
Entrepreneurs
Entrepreneurship
Leadership
Pandemics
Qualitative research
Rural areas
Small business
Startups
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Summary:The COVID-19 global crisis and the ensuing lockdown of large parts of society and economic life has been an exogenous shock to society (Kuckertz et al., 2020). It is predicted the impact on the small business sector is likely to be severe (Fairlie, 2020). The findings of this international qualitative study offer a first-hand and real-time account of the adversity encountered by small rural businesses during the first lockdown in the COVID-19 pandemic and insight into how their leaders exercised resilience. Drawing upon the evidence from 38 small business entrepreneurs and four business support organizations, the data pointed out three main challenges in terms of adversity relating to business model change, information flow and sense-making, and weak strategy. The study also brings new insight into five leadership practices and behaviors that help exercise entrepreneurial resiliency: personal and business experience of crises, positive mindset, personal faith, learning and leading, and relationships.
ISSN:1081-8510
2380-1751
DOI:10.53703/001c.29484