Change Management in SMEs: A Systematic Literature Review

Abstract

Organizational change is a major challenge for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), particularly in the face of technological developments, market uncertainty, and competitive pressures. This study presents a systematic literature review of change management in SMEs covering the period 2015–2025. Based on 42 articles from Scopus and following a review process informed by PRISMA 2020, it analyzes the main factors, barriers, managerial practices, theoretical foundations, and methodological approaches related to change.

The findings highlight the importance of leadership, communication, employee participation, organizational capabilities, and contextual factors. They also reveal fragmentation in the literature and limited integration of human, managerial, and contextual dimensions. Accordingly, the study proposes an integrative conceptual framework and future research directions, with particular attention to Moroccan SMEs, which remain underexplored.