Development of a resilience compass to increase the resilience of small and medium-sized manufacturing companies to global crises

Growing international networks and climate and geopolitical developments are increasing the risk of complex, global crises. The manufacturing industry is particularly affected due to international supply chains and high dependence on raw materials, as the severe recession during the COVID-19 pandemic has shown.

The RESI-GLOBE research project aims to support small and medium-sized manufacturing enterprises (SMEs) in the systematic and targeted development of holistic organizational resilience. The aim is to enable SMEs to cushion the effects of global crises, remain capable of acting, and take advantage of new market opportunities.

The project will first examine the effects of different crises on companies and analyze best practice examples in order to identify key areas for action. Based on this, relevant resilience factors will be determined and validated using quantitative analyses. Organizational interfaces, roles, competencies, and suitable tools and measures will be taken into account.

A key result of the project is the development of a resilience assessment that helps companies evaluate their current resilience. The tool includes a user-friendly questionnaire and practical recommendations for action for SMEs.

The project results will ultimately culminate in a web-based resilience compass that serves as a guide for the strategic development of organizational resilience.