Despite a long-established crisis management literature that focuses on large enterprises,crisis
management planning in the context of small- and medium-sized enterprises
(SMEs) is less extensively researched. Using data collected from 215 SMEs in the United
Kingdom, this paper explores the perceptions and experiences of SMEs’ managing directors
in relation to crisis management planning. Furthermore, the paper examines differences
in perceptions between planning and non-planning SMEs. Analysis reveals six
factors that correspond to resilience through planning,financial impact,operational crisis
management, the perfect storm, the aftermath of survival and atrophy. Results indicate
how the experience of crisis and the type of crisis of type encountered affect managers’
assessment of whether planning can be used to address crisis prevention and lower
impact.