Background: The COVID-19 pandemic, Suez Canal blockage, War in Ukraine and recently Yemeni’s Houthi rebels’ attacks in the shipping channel in the Bab al mandab strait in the Red Sea, have been some of the incidences that greatly disrupted supply chains and the flow of materials, negatively affecting upstream and downstream businesses including those in the automotive industry in Europe. These disruptions forced many businesses to evaluate their supply chain management strategies and to take measures to enhance resilience in case of any potential future disruptions.

Purpose: The purpose of this research was to explore how SMEs which play key roles as suppliers or service providers in the automotive indutry manage supply chain disruptions. The second aim was finding out if the size and/or resource limitations had also an effect on the ability of the SME to manage disruptions.                                         

Method: The research was conducted through an exploratory qualitative multi-case study design of 9 SMEs in the automotive industry in Finland and Sweden. Data was collected through semi-structured interviews with ten individuals who held key positions related to supply chain in their respective companies. The data were later analysed with the help of thematic analysis.

Conclusion:  The results show that SMEs employ both proactive and reactive strategies which are being supported by visibility and control elements in the supply chain. Proactive and reactive measures include investing in forecasting technologies, risk analysis tools, and maintaining redundant inventory and strong supplier relationships. The findings also indicate that limited resources can constrain SMEs, necessitating careful cost-benefit analysis for any investment in disruption management strategies.