Abstract
Purpose
The paper aims to explore the concept of resilience during the extraordinary challenges brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Design/methodology/approach The authors conducted semi-structured interviews with 26 expatriate entrepreneurs in Dubai, and explored the challenges faced by small and medium enterprises (SMEs).
Findings
The findings highlight the critical role of resilience in business survival during the pandemic. This study emphasizes action-oriented crisis management strategies—such as leadership roles, readiness for change, organizational culture and financial stability—that expatriate entrepreneurs implement to overcome the crisis.
Research limitations/implications
This study contributes to international business and international human resource management by introducing the Wheel of Change framework, highlighting how expatriate entrepreneurs in Dubai develop resilience through behavioral and operational strategies. It bridges strategic agility with human-centered adaptability, emphasizing the role of cultural intelligence and leadership during crises. The model addresses a key gap by linking personal resilience with institutional adaptation, offering a dynamic lens to understand entrepreneurial behavior in globalized, high-risk environments.
Practical implications
The insights derived from how expat-preneurs navigate and rebound from crises can inform the design of policies and support mechanisms for global businesses confronting unforeseen disruptions. The framework offers actionable strategies for cultivating organizational resilience and ensuring long-term sustainability, particularly for SMEs operating in volatile or multicultural contexts.
Originality/value
This study introduces the Wheel of Change framework, developed from the lived experiences of expat-preneurs during COVID-19. The model captures both reactive and forward-looking strategies across crisis phases, integrating behavioral and operational resilience. It offers a novel lens to understand adaptability, stakeholder engagement and strategic agility. The understanding of how expat entrepreneurs experience rebound from the crisis offers insights to inform policies and strategies for supporting global business during unexpected crises and offers practical strategies to cultivate resilience and long-term sustainability.
The paper aims to explore the concept of resilience during the extraordinary challenges brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Design/methodology/approach The authors conducted semi-structured interviews with 26 expatriate entrepreneurs in Dubai, and explored the challenges faced by small and medium enterprises (SMEs).
Findings
The findings highlight the critical role of resilience in business survival during the pandemic. This study emphasizes action-oriented crisis management strategies—such as leadership roles, readiness for change, organizational culture and financial stability—that expatriate entrepreneurs implement to overcome the crisis.
Research limitations/implications
This study contributes to international business and international human resource management by introducing the Wheel of Change framework, highlighting how expatriate entrepreneurs in Dubai develop resilience through behavioral and operational strategies. It bridges strategic agility with human-centered adaptability, emphasizing the role of cultural intelligence and leadership during crises. The model addresses a key gap by linking personal resilience with institutional adaptation, offering a dynamic lens to understand entrepreneurial behavior in globalized, high-risk environments.
Practical implications
The insights derived from how expat-preneurs navigate and rebound from crises can inform the design of policies and support mechanisms for global businesses confronting unforeseen disruptions. The framework offers actionable strategies for cultivating organizational resilience and ensuring long-term sustainability, particularly for SMEs operating in volatile or multicultural contexts.
Originality/value
This study introduces the Wheel of Change framework, developed from the lived experiences of expat-preneurs during COVID-19. The model captures both reactive and forward-looking strategies across crisis phases, integrating behavioral and operational resilience. It offers a novel lens to understand adaptability, stakeholder engagement and strategic agility. The understanding of how expat entrepreneurs experience rebound from the crisis offers insights to inform policies and strategies for supporting global business during unexpected crises and offers practical strategies to cultivate resilience and long-term sustainability.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 1-32 |
| Number of pages | 32 |
| Journal | Review of International Business and Strategy |
| Early online date | 7 Nov 2025 |
| DOIs | |
| Publication status | E-pub ahead of print - 7 Nov 2025 |
Keywords
- Change
- United Arab Emirates
- Crisis management
- Covid-19
- Business resilience
- Expat-entrepreneurship
