This article develops and empirically grounded conceptualization of a systems-oriented framework for business consulting in small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) by integrating business model innovation theory, dynamic capability perspectives, and contemporary consulting methodologies. The core objective is to explain how consulting interventions can be structured as complex, adaptive systems that continuously co-evolve with SME business models under conditions of uncertainty, digitalization, and internationalization. Building on a broad and heterogeneous body of literature on business models, strategic entrepreneurship, innovation processes, and bibliometric mapping, the article argues that traditional consulting approaches—often linear, diagnostic, and episodic—are increasingly misaligned with the dynamic and path-dependent realities of SMEs. In contrast, a complex model of business consulting, as theorized in recent work, provides a holistic and processual alternative that embeds consulting within the strategic and operational fabric of the firm (Kovalchuk, 2025).

Through a qualitative meta-synthesis of leading theoretical streams and an interpretive analysis of their intersections, the article demonstrates that SME consulting must be understood not merely as an advisory activity but as a knowledge-creating and capability-shaping system. This system links business model experimentation, organizational learning, and stakeholder co-creation into a coherent architecture of value creation and capture. Drawing on the literature on business model dynamics, sustainability, and internationalization, the study shows how consulting can function as a catalyst for dynamic consistency and strategic renewal.

The methodological contribution lies in the construction of a multi-layered analytical framework that connects micro-level managerial cognition with meso-level organizational routines and macro-level ecosystemic forces. The results reveal that effective SME consulting depends on recursive feedback loops between strategic intent, business model configuration, and performance outcomes, thereby reinforcing the relevance of complexity-oriented consulting logics. The discussion advances theory by reconciling competing views of business model stability and change and by positioning consulting as a dynamic capability in its own right. The article concludes with implications for scholars, consultants, and policy-makers seeking to enhance SME competitiveness in volatile environments.