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International Journal of Production Research

This article identifies key antecedents of resilience in large enterprises and uses a case study of Demmer Corporation to examine whether these strategies are applicable for small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). Demmer Corporation is one of the few domestic automotive suppliers in Michigan that has succeeded in repeatedly ‘reinventing’ itself by developing new products, branching into new markets, and providing innovative technical solutions for its customers, thus making it an archetype of resilience in the region. Additional drivers of resilience for SMEs are also identified and metrics for engendering resilience and tracking related progress are developed.

Engendering resilience in small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs): a case study of Demmer Corporation