Purpose The evolving business climate has made it more important than ever for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) to develop managerial skills that boost resilience, competitiveness and performance. This study aims to carefully review current literature to determine the essential managerial traits that are relevant to SMEs in the post-2020 era and their impact on organizational success. Design/methodology/approach The objective of a systematic literature review was peer-reviewed research published after 2020. The review uses the Mixed Methods Appraisal Tool to assess quality and adheres to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses approach. Findings The study report identifies leadership, strategic thinking, innovation, social skills and digital abilities as critical managerial competencies in SMEs. These competencies significantly affect a company’s capacity to adjust and maintain sustainability in a changing market. Research limitations/implications Further empirical research is required to examine the industry-specific variations in managerial competencies and their effectiveness across different SME sectors. Practical implications The study findings provide a framework for developing targeted competency development programs that tackle contemporary business challenges for educators, policymakers and SME managers. Originality/value By providing an updated and organized synthesis of SME managerial competencies and highlighting innovation and digital transformation as critical success factors, this study adds to the body of previous knowledge.
Aliu et al. (Wed,) studied this question.