<p>The knowledge economy is often related to the innovative development of high-tech firms. In order to promote the sustainable development of high-tech enterprises in the knowledge economy, this study examines the resilience strategies implemented by high-tech enterprises in response to the COVID-19 pandemic—a global public health crisis—and evaluates the extent to which enhanced organizational knowledge resilience fosters innovation and fortifies crisis response capabilities. This study employs a case study methodology, gathering data on knowledge resilience from diverse sources. Grounded theory coding techniques are used to identify the underlying mechanisms of knowledge resilience. Based on these insights, a process model of knowledge resilience response is constructed and subsequently validated through empirical analysis. The study reveals that the knowledge resilience response process in high-tech enterprises operates along two primary dimensions: temporal and content. In the temporal dimension, organizational knowledge resilience evolves through three distinct stages—adaptation, recovery, and transcendence. Regarding the content dimension, the response process follows a sequential coping mechanism: starting with the establishment of knowledge resilience conditions, proceeding to a knowledge resilience response, triggering an organizational behavior response, and ultimately leading to organizational situational reinforcement. A robust foundation of organizational knowledge resilience is essential for an effective response, with enhanced knowledge empowerment and digital diffusion being critical to strengthening overall resilience. This study provides novel insights into how high-tech firms leverage organizational knowledge resilience to navigate public emergency crises. It reveals that mechanisms underpinning knowledge resilience not only accelerate organizational recovery but also extend beyond traditional resilience frameworks—a critical dynamic that has been largely underexplored. By integrating real-world crisis scenarios with rigorous case analyses, this research empirically investigates the process of organizational knowledge resilience, offering a fresh theoretical perspective on its fundamental role in driving adaptive and sustained responses in high-tech enterprises.</p>