Building Resilience: The Impact of Managerial Training on Organizational Adaptation During Crisis

The COVID-19 pandemic, alongside ongoing geopolitical and economic uncertainties, has underscored the critical importance of organizational resilience. This study examines how managerial training conducted before the pandemic influenced firms’ ability to mitigate productivity losses, adapt during the crisis, and recover in the post-crisis period. Resilience is conceptualized as a dynamic process encompassing proactive, absorptive/adaptive, and reactive phases, aligning with the framework proposed by Conz and Magnani (2020). Using a longitudinal dataset of 839 Italian firms, this research empirically analyzes the impact of training on two key performance indicators: labor productivity and total factor productivity (TFP). The findings reveal that managerial training conducted in the three years prior to the pandemic significantly reduced productivity losses in 2020. Firms that invested in training were better prepared to implement strategies such as remote work, supply chain adjustments, and operational realignment, highlighting the role of training in building dynamic capabilities. However, the effects of pre-pandemic training on productivity recovery in 2021 and 2022 were less pronounced. This suggests that while pre-crisis training effectively enhanced short-term adaptability, it may not have fully addressed the long-term capabilities required for sustained recovery and growth. The study contributes to the literature by providing robust quantitative evidence of resilience as a dynamic, path-dependent process. It highlights the interplay between managerial training and organizational resilience, emphasizing the importance of resourcefulness, adaptability, and flexibility in navigating crises. Moreover, the research identifies contextual factors, such as firm size, vertical integration, and industry, as significant determinants of resilience outcomes. In practical terms, this study offers actionable insights for firms and policymakers. Firms should prioritize continuous investments in managerial training, focusing not only on operational efficiency but also on strategic foresight, leadership, and innovation. Policymakers are encouraged to support initiatives that expand access to training programs, particularly for small and medium enterprises (SMEs), to bolster resilience across diverse organizational contexts.