Entrepreneurship of Ordinary Places: SME Adaptation in Resource-Limited Contexts

Osei, Eric (2025) Entrepreneurship of Ordinary Places: SME Adaptation in Resource-Limited Contexts. Doctoral thesis, Birmingham City University.

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Abstract

This thesis examines the adaptive forms of small meat processing firms and their ability to thrive within resource-limited contexts. The primary aim of the research was to investigate how small meat processing firms in the West Midlands, UK, adapt to resource constraints by identifying various forms of adaptation and exploring the relationship between adaptive strategies and environmental limitations. The central research question addressed was: How do small firms adapt in a resource-limited context? The study was grounded in multiple theoretical frameworks, including the Resource-Based View (RBV), Dynamic Capabilities Theory (DCT), organisational adaptation frameworks, Strategic Contingency Theory, and Environmental/Institutional Theory. These perspectives collectively emphasised that adaptive behaviour is closely linked to a firm’s internal resource base and the conditions of its external operating environment. Given the heterogeneous nature of small firms, the thesis adopted a qualitative multiple case study approach, which involved twelve small meat processing firms in the West Midlands. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews and documentary evidence and analysed thematically using NVivo software. Cross-case analysis was conducted to identify both similarities and variations in adaptive forms across firms. The findings revealed that small firms adopted different adaptive forms, broadly categorised as conservative, reactive, and strategic adaptation. However, these forms were not sustained individually over time. Instead, firms exhibited a composite form of adaptation, integrating multiple adaptive strategies simultaneously or sequentially, as a response to persistent resource constraints and a dynamic business environment. This thesis makes a significant contribution to the fields of organisational adaptation, dynamic capabilities, and resource-based theories by providing new insights into how small firms in resource-limited contexts develop composite adaptive strategies. A key limitation of the study is its geographic and sectoral focus, which may affect the generalisability of the findings beyond the small meat processing sector in the West Midlands.

Item Type:	Thesis (Doctoral)
Dates:	Date Event 25 June 2025 Accepted
Uncontrolled Keywords:	SMEs, Resource-Limited Context, Adaptation, Adaptive Form, Composite Adaptor, Dynamic Capability.
Subjects:	CAH17 - business and management > CAH17-01 - business and management > CAH17-01-02 - business studies CAH17 - business and management > CAH17-01 - business and management > CAH17-01-04 - management studies
Divisions:	Doctoral Research College > Doctoral Theses Collection Faculty of Business, Law and Social Sciences > Graduate School of Management
Depositing User:	Louise Muldowney
Date Deposited:	30 Jun 2025 08:56
Last Modified:	30 Jun 2025 08:56
URI:	https://www.open-access.bcu.ac.uk/id/eprint/16452

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