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When crisis hits, most businesses brace for survival. But what if adversity could be a launch pad for innovation and growth?

That鈥檚 the question driving the work of , PhD'14, a professor at the University of Calgary鈥檚 , whose career has been shaped by a deep curiosity about how organizations and entrepreneurs respond to disruption. 

His latest project, funded by the (SSHRC), explores how generative AI can help entrepreneurs overcome systemic barriers and build more resilient, successful businesses.

鈥淲e鈥檙e living in an era of 鈥榩ermacrisis鈥� 鈥� a term that literally became Collins Dictionary鈥檚 word of the year in 2022,鈥� Osiyevskyy says. 

鈥淔rom pandemics to economic shocks to climate events, disruption is no longer the exception. It鈥檚 the norm.鈥� 

As a speaker at the upcoming  on Nov. 4, Osiyevskyy and fellow Haskayne researcher , PhD, will present the Permacrisis Playbook: How Leaders Turn Chaos Into Innovation.

According to recent data, 91 per cent of organizations have faced multiple disruptions in the past two years, averaging 3.5 major events. For entrepreneurs, especially those from underrepresented communities, these challenges can be even more daunting.

But this professor of entrepreneurship and innovation sees opportunity in the chaos.

The paradox of adversity and aversion

Osiyevskyy鈥檚 research asks a bold question: How can we move from reacting to a barrage of crises to growing because of them?

It鈥檚 a question rooted in both academic inquiry and lived experience. Before entering academia, the Haskayne professor founded a startup and held strategic roles in the corporate world during turbulent economic times. What he saw playing out in the boardroom didn鈥檛 match the popular narrative.

"Everyone loves to say, 'never waste a good crisis,' but the reality is most organizations become rigid and risk-averse when things get tough," says Osiyevskyy. 

"Less than a third actually try new approaches during adversity." 

That paradox sparked a decade-long journey to understand what separates those who freeze from those who flourish. Osiyevskyy鈥檚 earlier work focused on how some companies use crises as springboards for innovation. Now, he鈥檚 taking that research further into the realm of emerging technology and equity.

The power of generative AI for minority entrepreneurs

鈥淕enerative AI is changing the game," Osiyevskyy says. 

"It鈥檚 giving small-business owners access to tools that were once reserved for big corporations with deep pockets.鈥�

For minority entrepreneurs who often face limited access to capital, networks and resources, this shift is especially powerful. Osiyevskyy describes their use of AI as a kind of 鈥渄igital bricolage,鈥� a creative, resourceful way of turning constraints into competitive advantages.

鈥淭hese entrepreneurs are already masters of resourcefulness,鈥� he says. 鈥淣ow, with AI, they can build smarter, faster and more efficiently than ever before.鈥�

Osiyevskyy鈥檚 research aims to uncover how these innovators are using AI to break through systemic barriers, and what lessons can be shared more broadly.

The implications go far beyond individual success stories.

"Minority-owned businesses are vital engines of job creation and innovation in Canada," says Osiyevskyy. "When we help them succeed, we're not just promoting equity; we're unlocking untapped potential that strengthens the whole economy." 

This emerging research offers practical benefits for three key groups:

• Business leaders, who gain tools to reframe crises as growth opportunities and activate entrepreneurial thinking across their organizations;
• Minority entrepreneurs and policymakers, who get evidence-based strategies to harness AI and overcome systemic challenges; and
• Society at large, which benefits from a more inclusive, resilient and innovative economic landscape.

What excites Osiyevskyy most is the timing.

鈥淲e鈥檙e at a unique moment,鈥� he says. 

鈥淎 solo entrepreneur can now access AI capabilities that rival those of major corporations. That鈥檚 never happened before.鈥�

As disruption becomes a constant, Osiyevskyy believes the ability to thrive through uncertainty will define the next generation of successful businesses. His research is helping pave the way by showing how adversity, when met with creativity and the right tools, can become a powerful advantage.