What the research found
Mackenzie and colleagues examined two South Australian case studies using 18 interviews with small business owners following Black Summer and COVID-19. Applying an ecological systems framework, they identified connections between support systems as important to recovery, while finding that these links were often absent or under-resourced.
What this means in everyday terms
Business recovery takes place within a wider setting of community relationships and government support. A business owner’s capacity to adapt is shaped by the assistance and connections available around them.
A starting point for practice
Councils and regional organisations could map how owners move between support services, identify gaps in referrals and coordination, and ask whether help arrives when it is needed. These are editorial applications of the research rather than a tested recovery package.
What the evidence cannot tell us
This qualitative research concerns two South Australian settings. It does not establish which intervention works best or provide Victorian-specific estimates. Applying its insights elsewhere requires local engagement and attention to context.