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Rivera Aguirre, Macarena Andrea (2025) In what ways do soft skills enhance entrepreneurial resilience and foster business growth in small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs)? Masters thesis, Dublin, National College of Ireland.
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Abstract
This paper evaluates the importance of soft skills in inspiring entrepreneurial tenacity and prosperity in socio-economic and cultural backgrounds. With small and mediumsized firms (SMEs) in mind, it discusses the development, interpretation and implementation of non-technical skills into actual practices of entrepreneurship. Two to three entrepeneurs in charge of activities in Ireland (n=2), Chile (n=3) and Brazil (n=1) were interviewed with semi-structured interviews lasting approximately 180 min each. A qualitative, interpretivist approach was used, and thematic analysis determined the patterns in the mix of uncertainty, adversity, and change the participants experienced.
Results have shown that soft skills especially resilience, emotional intelligence, adaptability, creativity, communication and leadership are dynamic, relational and developed mostly through life experience as opposed to training. Most of the times their formations were as a result of critical incidents like market changes, business reverses, and social cultural hitches. Contextual issues (such as gender norms, migration background, and the accessibility of resources) also played a significant role in the influence that participants have on these competencies and executed them. The concepts of social learning, mentorship and peer networks were identified as crucial to the development and maintenance of such skills.
By connecting the social aspect of entrepreneurship studies, the study contributes to a better comprehension of entrepreneurship as an identity-forming, socially embedded process, the emotional regulation and adaptive and interpersonal skills of which are as critical as strategic and financial skills. It has a contribution to the theory and practice by indicating why entrepreneurship education and policy should be reflective, experiential and inclusive to develop human-centred capabilities.
| Item Type: | Thesis (Masters) |
|---|---|
| Supervisors: | Name Email McCabe, Thomas UNSPECIFIED |
| Uncontrolled Keywords: | Soft skills; entrepreneurial resilience; qualitative research; experiential learning; cross-cultural entrepreneurship |
| Subjects: | H Social Sciences > Economics > Business H Social Sciences > HM Sociology > Leadership H Social Sciences > HD Industries. Land use. Labor > HD28 Management. Industrial Management > Human Resource Management > Leadership H Social Sciences > HD Industries. Land use. Labor > New Business Enterprises H Social Sciences > HD Industries. Land use. Labor > Small Business Sector H Social Sciences > HD Industries. Land use. Labor > HD28 Management. Industrial Management > Strategic Management |
| Divisions: | School of Business (- 2025) > Master of Science in Entrepreneurship |
| Depositing User: | Ciara O'Brien |
| Date Deposited: | 12 Feb 2026 09:53 |
| Last Modified: | 12 Feb 2026 09:53 |
| URI: | https://norma.ncirl.ie/id/eprint/9129 |
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