According to Wang and Ahmed (2007[44]) once the processes or activities of the dynamic capabilities are characterized, 3 components can be identified: a) Adaptation, (b) absorption and (c) innovation. First component is responsible for strategically linking resources and capabilities with competitive external market factors. Second, focus on the processes of organizational learning as the development of the necessary competitive intelligence for the achievement of adaptive advantage and the third one explain the necessary relationship that the resources and capabilities possessed by organization respond to the needs of the market by creating the goods, services, business, management, etc. to be able to compete and achieve sustainable development (Bueno and Morcillo, 2017[12]).

Finally, in order to make dynamic capabilities allow the characterization of ROCs, it is important to focus on the concept of adaptive capabilities, that is, as dynamic capability, but based on an innovative corporate culture and a perspective of “innovative entrepreneurship” To put the emphasis on the imperative of change, to create the required business dynamics (Bueno, 2015[9]). Especially SMEs and among them NTBFs, can adapt to it and compete to ensure their survival or sustainable development.

In summary, Adaptive advantage can be defined as follows:

“It is generated by the chosen corporate innovative culture model and that allows the company to appropriate, transmit and share the utility of the innovations, before and better than the competitors. That is, a concept that represents a more dynamic way to respond “on time” to the pretended business dynamics” (Bueno, Longo-Somoza y Salmador, 2016[13], p. 16).

A proposal that according to Teece and Pisano (1994[36]) and Teece, Pisano and Shuen (1997[41]) represent “the company’s ability to continuously modify its resources base and capabilities so that it always adapts to fast-changing environments”. Insisting on this proposal, for Eisenhardt and Martin (2000[17]) such capabilities are “the processes, activities and business functions that use the resources specifically to integrate, redesign, increase and release them in order to be able to compete and create the level of performance they demand the changes of the market”. (p.1107).

On the other hand, according to Winter (2003[48]), dynamic capabilities are “those that allow enriching, modifying or creating ordinary or basic capacities that guarantee short-term survival” (p. 991), in relation to the corresponding corporate strategy. Finally, Teece (2012[39]) indicates that the aforementioned capabilities must be understood as “ ‘strategic’ and distinct from ordinary capabilities. Firms can maintain and extend competitive advantage by layering dynamic capabilities on top of ordinary capabilities.” (p.1396).

Following Teece (2007[38]) characterization of the dynamic capabilities is defined by three processes: sensing; seizing, and reconfiguring. These make it easier for the organization to identify, absorb, create, distribute and protect knowledge-based intangible assets that support current performance, generate competitive advantages and ensure sustainable development.

According to Pavlou and El Sawy (2011[32]), dynamic abilities based on knowledge as a resource to compete in turbulent environments, as well as to develop in the same way in North and Varvakis (2016b[29]), its processes and explanatory activities are: to detect, to learn, to integrate and to coordinate. In such way these capabilities can be used to characterize ROCs in their dynamic capability nature:

In order to explore how the assessment and management of knowledge assets can support process performance improvements, we have carried out an empirical research based on multiple case studies (Eisenhardt, 1989; Yin, 1984).

The ability to overcome adversity under highly changing and even turbulent environments (North and Varvakis, 2016a[30]) highlights the need to work a number of factors internally within organizations. In the case of SMEs, and especially in the case of NTBFs, resilience is a key aspect to overcome the so-called “death valley” that is reflected in all studies of the Global Entrepreneurship Monitor Project GEM (2015[19]).

Obviously, the essence of NTBFs is that their real business is R & D & I itself, so resilience must be treated as organizational capability, as system, which allows the development of innovation both proactively and reactively in order to generate “adaptive advantages” (Bueno and Morcillo, 2016[11]).

In this way, resilience is the reaction in which the company solves the changes and turbulences, more or less predictable and even unforeseeable issues (North y Varvakis, 2016b[29]).

In order to establish a framework for its analysis, it is useful the intellectual capital approach (Bontis, 2001[6]) in which the intangible assets of organization are concentrated in 3 large dimensions, namely people, structures and relationships. Therefore, there are attitudes, knowledge, organizational elements and networks on the basis for creating the resilience potential. In this sense, from the analysis of highlighted elements for North and Varvakis (2016b[29]) and variables from Intellectus Model (Bueno, CIC-IADE, 2003[7]) related with Intellectual Capital of NTBFs, considered as a guideline for the development of R & D and creation of innovation in these firms (Bueno, Merino y Murcia, 2016[14]), the following key factors have been considered for the analysis of the resilient organizational capabilities of NTBFs. Proposal of key factors that summarize, in particular. the aspects and characters that have been analyzed in point 3 above on the concept of OR and that will allow to carry out their contrast or validation with the empirical analysis of the resilience organizational capabilities of NTBFs (non-resilient) that will be carried out in the point 4 below with the subsequent case studies.

Agile and solvent management leadership. Reaction requires quick and clear management leadership as well as convincing to the members of the organization.

Attitude of commitment of the whole organization. Resilience from a corporate perspective demonstrates a systemic approach, which is a powerful condition of sense of belonging that allows even the development of extra efforts.

Effective teamwork. As part of the philosophy of any innovative organization, collaboration is key and resilience is addressed from effective collaborative dynamic.

Staff talent. Skills, attitudes, experiences, etc., build the basis of talent and in this factor lies much of the creation of solutions that requires resilience. Attitude that is based on the existence of an innovative culture in the organization, foundation to create adaptive advantage that results in a ROC (Bueno and Morcillo, 2017[12]).

Creative and innovative staff spirit. As an essential part of a innovative company, the very creative and innovative condition that characterizes it is important to even turn resilience into a base that enhances the questioning attitude and therefore the development of innovations.

Agility and process adjustment. From a more structural part to having internal work patterns that are fast and fit to become allies of timing that requires resilience.

Business flexibility. Aspects such as the possibility of varying organizational design in an agile way, making or getting rid of resources and being able to adjust costs are also key elements in this area of resilience.

External networking support. Since the part of relationships have external support derived from different agents (clients, suppliers, laboratories, institutions, etc.) can be vital for resilience.

These eight factors have been taken into account to develop a questionnaire (see Annex 1), and has been used to analyze the resilience of 6 NBTFs housed in the Madrid Science Park (PCM) and 14 innovative SMEs from the region of Antioquia in Colombia. Analysis that has followed the methodology of Case Study (Yin, 2014[50]) with the purpose of the confirmation to start from a methodological triangulation and whose results are presented in the following section.

The Madrid Science Park (PCM) is a support structure for the enterprise that has been hosting NBTFs for more than 15 years. The orbit of organizations linked to the Park reaches 120, which is an essential center for understanding the phenomenon of these companies in Spain.

The 8 factors previously described to measure the ROC have been studied in 6 NBTFs as confirmation cases of the importance of them, as recorded in the technical file of Table 2. In each case, there have been asked for phrases representative of their assessments in order to be able to show opinions that can help to understand details of the ROC.

The results for each of the 8 factors have been collected on a likert scale of 1 to 5 and are then sorted by their mean values (Table 3).

As can be appreciated in a general way, there is an important conclusion, and it is that the NTBFs place the most structural solutions that are typical of most SMEs, that is, reduce expenses, reconfigure the organization, which seeks quick solutions in the income statement. This shows a work culture more linked to adaptation than to survival.

In the context of the attitude those responsible for these organizations have made comments such as the following, “the best thing this company has is people’s commitment”, or “resilience is a key issue of attitude, adversity is not a problem but a condition”.

From the leadership level some comments were as follows: “decisions can not wait, they must be very clear and reach all people. If you have to stop, stop“, ”it is necessary that what is decided is consistent so that you trust what is proposed”.

For the factor of teamwork the comments focused on: “resilience is a team issue, it does not depend on the happy idea of a person”, “the key to resilience is in the conjunction of points of view. You always get a more complete solution”.

In the case of staff talent, the following statements were highlighted: “we must take advantage of change as a condition and feel resilience as an element that supports the differentiating effect of our talent”, “the talent of our human group stands out in key moments”.

In consequence these 4 factors are those that have obtained an average qualification greater than 4 agglutinating the greater explanation of the ROC for the companies analyzed. Obviously the results require a study in greater depth and size of the same to be considered in general, nevertheless, they show a marked character of core competences in the NTBFs that identify the ROC as dynamic capabilities (Kurtz and Varvakis, 2016[24]).

Following the comments on the other factors, in the case of the creative and innovative spirit was mentioned: “sometimes resilience does not always require the consideration of innovative responses, leads to important decisions for market positioning rather than component Innovative”, “creativity and innovation are important in creating resilience”.

Therefore, the average value is quite high but half the companies have put a rating of 3.

On the side of the external networking support, the comments moved from a high valuation, for example, “it is necessary to have good external collaborators to solve adverse situations, sometimes they are the key”, and others of lower level: “resilience can have external support but it depends on us”.

It is a factor that can depend a lot on the reality of business or sector. The results have been high in finance and health.

In the case of business flexibility, in SMEs has been notorious for their preference for this type of decisions, however in NTBFs has importance but not priority. Thus have been obtained comments as: “reconsider aspects of resources and costs has helped us”, “have not been the issues we have begun to reflect”.

Finally, for the agility and adjustment of the processes all the companies have been awarded the value of 3, an average value that represents relative importance in the ROC. The comments have been very significant: “what we do has a very specific methodology, it is not a matter of changing the way of doing”, “adjustments have been made in processes but always considered as minor adjustments.”

Once commented one by one the eight factors can be argued the understanding of the ROC in the NTFBs of the Madrid Science Park from 2 dimensions. The first one based on commitment, leadership and collaboration, and the second characterized by skills, adjustments and networks. In the study carried out in Colombia it will be possible to appreciate that the results confirm a large part of this argument, that is, with some particular difference.

The main purpose of this research was to identify the determinants of resilience in a group of SMEs considered innovative in Colombia, specifically in the Region of Antioquia. This region concentrates 15% of the total of the companies in the country, of which SMEs represent 85%. Likewise, in this region there is a high business mortality represented by an average disappearance of 29% of SMEs in the third year of operation (Ospina, O.M., 2011[31]).

In this way, it is a priority to know the factors that can contribute to their survival. For this reason, the 8 factors to measure the ROC, mentioned in point 3.2, have been evaluated in 14 innovative SMEs in order to validate their importance, as shown in the data sheet of Table 4. In this sense, SMEs participating in the research, to be considered innovative, had to comply with the characteristics of more than 5 years old and the development of R & D activities, or their interest in developing them.

Based on the results obtained from the questionnaire applied (see annex 1), and from the interviews carried out with the executives of the participating SMEs, the analysis of them is carried out below (Table 5).

As we can see in the previous graph, the factors selected to try to explain certain key components of resilience show a lot of relevance given that except for the last one (staff talent) the rest is above 4 average rating.

What is significant are the factors that lead the valuations representing an important relationship between resilience and attitudinal and solidarity elements. Actually, the sense of collective identity is identified as a significant basis for this capacity that is based on group work, collaboratively, in the context of solid relationships.

These three factors show that resilience is not fundamentally a matter of knowing how to manage adversity, but of wanting from a collective approach where all internal and external supports count. Therefore, the climate of relationships and the collaborative culture (internal and external) are positioned as key issues to endow an organization with that resilience.

Going into some specific issues of these factors, first of all the “attitude of commitment of the entire organization”, the importance of “relationships between managers and employees based on trust, participation, labor flexibility, solidarity ... “to create an environment conducive to the capacity associated with resilience. Secondly, the factor “effective teamwork” is highly valued, especially by some companies, such as the Confecciones where “the sense of the production chain emphasizes the need for this collaborative work that is exemplified in product meetings, where feedback is given to the entire organization on the role that each plays in achieving common objectives (...) as well as the continuous improvement programs in which some of the companies are immersed “.

Finally, the “external networking support” factor expands the collaborative context to external stakeholders, especially with customers. In most of the companies in the study, “there is joint work with customers in relation to the design of products and services”.

After that core of factors that leads the valuations, there appear other 4 factors that establish a second layer of articulation of the resilience and that are determined by the operability of the same, that is to say, to have profiles that on the one hand reinforce the 3 previous factors besides to lead the decision process that can make that resilience effective, either from the promotion of creative talent or from the reconfiguration of processes or business schemes. In short, executive leadership is required to guide and secure internal movements that are the effective sign of resilience.

Considering some specific opinion derived from the interviews, the factor “agile and solvent management leadership”, there is a consensus that “it is not the manager or Director the unique leader of the organization; depending on the structure, the majority of companies choose -in a voluntary way among employees- leaders by activity areas or primary groups, diluting in this way, the only responsibility that the Manager or Director would have, who assumes the functions of facilitator”.

Finally, the staff talent appears which, as mentioned above, is important given that this talent can play a very important role in the creative and innovative staff spirit, nevertheless, the resilience (seen in the evaluations) seems to be closer in essence to the attitudes than aptitudes.

Regarding this last factor “Staff talent” the interviews show the high value that is given to “attitudes and other characteristics personal issues related to commitment and teamwork, which will better guarantee good performance in these organizations”.

For all the above, two general considerations can be made: