SME vulnerability analysis: A tool for business continuity

Abstract

This chapter presents the concept of "vulnerability" and a vulnerability analysis for Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs) to assess the multiple risks firms might suffer from during economic and financial downturns depending on their management systems and financial health. SMEs can be more flexible and react faster than large firms but, unlike their larger counterparts, most of them do not have at their disposal effective management systems and tools to ensure their sustainability. In a context of economic and financial crisis, an emergency plan for vulnerable SMEs has been carried out in the Basque Country, Spain to address this issue using a vulnerability analysis model.