Beyond Survival: Responsiveness and Muslim Entrepreneurial Characteristics in Building Post-Pandemic Resilience among Book Publishing MSMEs

Samino Setiawan (Universitas Islam Negeri Sunan Kalijaga Yogyakarta)
Syafiq Mahmadah Hanafi (Sunan Kalijaga State Islamic University Yogyakarta)
Muhammad Ghafur Wibowo (Sunan Kalijaga State Islamic University Yogyakarta)

Iqtishoduna: Jurnal Ekonomi Islam
Vol. 15 No. 2 (2026): October (On Progress)

Background and research gap – Research on the determinants of business resilience has been widely discussed in the literature. However, the role of responsiveness and the characteristics of Muslim entrepreneurs are still rarely the primary focus and have not been widely used as an effective framework. Purpose – This study aims to empirically test the factors that influence the resilience of Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs), particularly in the publishing industry in the Special Region of Yogyakarta (DIY) after the Covid-19 pandemic. Design/methodology/approach – Using a sample of 142 businesses published, this study applies the Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) method to test the hypothesis. Key Findings – The results indicate that the business environment significantly affects business resilience, while technology adoption does not have a significant impact. On the other hand, responsiveness plays a complex role, both as a direct determinant and as a mediator that bridges the influence of the business environment and technology adoption on business resilience. Furthermore, the characteristics of Muslim entrepreneurs are shown to have a direct influence on business resilience, but they do not act as a moderator. Research limitations/implications – This study makes two main contributions. First, it recommends responsiveness as an attitude that publishing business actors should adopt to be more sensitive to the business environment and better utilize technology to help businesses survive. Second, this study introduces the characteristics of Muslim entrepreneurs such as spirituality, religiosity, entrepreneurial orientation, and social capital as a foundation that business actors need to adopt, as these characteristics have been shown to guide them through the crisis caused by the Covid-19 pandemic. Originality/value – Therefore, these results not only enrich the academic literature but also provide practical implications for business actors, policymakers, and other stakeholders in developing strategies to strengthen resilience based on contextual and applicable Islamic values.