Modelling the resilience of start-ups during COVID-19 pandemic

Abstract

Purpose Resilience, the ability of start-ups to deal with anticipated instabilities and probable disruptions, is becoming an important success element during coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19). To survive in this pandemic situation, resilience is an important concept for start-ups. The present paper aims to “identify”, “analyse” and “categorize” the resilience factors for start-ups during the Covid-19 pandemic using total interpretive structural modelling (TISM). Design/methodology/approach The resilience elements of start-ups during Covid-19 were identified and shortlisted during the first phase, which included literature analysis and extensive interaction with experts. TISM was used in the second phase to investigate or to determine how the factors interplayed between the resilience factors of start-ups during Covid-19. The Matrice d'impacts Croises Multiplication Appliquee a un Classment (MICMAC) method is used to rank and categorize the factors. Closed-ended questionnaire with the scheduled interview was conducted to collect the data. Findings The first part of the study found ten resilience elements in total. The TISM digraph was constructed in the second step to show why one resilience component led to another. The MICMAC analysis divided these factors into four groups: autonomous, linkage, dependent and independent. These groups represented resilience variables based on their driving and dependent power, which assist executives and managers in proactively addressing them while using the TISM digraph as a guide. Research limitations/implications During the Covid-19 epidemic, this study focused primarily on resilience characteristics for Indian start-ups. Practical implications This study will help key stakeholders and scholars to better understand the elements that contribute to start-up's resilience. Originality/value The TISM method for start-up's resilience is suggested in this paper, which is a novel attempt in the field of resilience in this industry.