Articles & Insights

What I Study, Why It Matters, and How It Connects to Real-World SME Challenges

Image: Author (2025) Introduction: SMEs in a Crisis-Prone Business Environment My research focuses on how small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in Nigeria manage to keep going when faced with frequent and severe disruptions. These crises take many forms: economic downturns, sudden policy changes, currency fluctuations, shortages of raw materials, power outages, supply chain breakdowns, and […]
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Innovation, Entrepreneurship, and AI: Building the Skills That Drive Success

Innovation, Entrepreneurship, and AI: Building the Skills That Drive Success In this session, I demonstrate to audiences why innovation alone is merely an idea and why entrepreneurship without innovation is ordinary. The real breakthroughs happen when these two forces meet and are supported by complementary skills. Drawing on research and the AI4Labour initiative, I explore […]
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Business & Entrepreneurship | July 15, 2025 Rethinking SME Resilience in a Post-COVID World: Analysis & Commentary

Image: Author (2025) The COVID-19 pandemic exposed deep fragilities in the small and medium-sized enterprise (SME) sector. Research from 2021 laid bare how UK SMEs struggled with plummeting revenues, collapsed supply chains, and evaporating cash reserves. Emergency responses, government subsidies, digital pivots, and business model adjustments, were essential. But the question remains: did these interventions […]
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A54 – Improving SME Resilience Through Sustainability and Digital Transformation Laura Jummai Peter-Azeez, Dr. Mohammad Mahdi, Professor Vadim Grinevich Faculty of Arts, Business and Social Sciences

Image: iStock Abstract This study investigates the resilience of Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs) during times of crisis, with a particular focus on structured value chain analysis. Using a case study approach, data were collected from secondary sources and 51 semi-structured interviews with Nigerian SME owners and managers. Findings highlight the critical role of digitalisation […]
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