From Challenges to Creativity: Enhancing SMEs’ Resilience in the Context of COVID-19

Ambika Zutshi, John Mendy, Gagan Sharma (), Asha Thomas and Tapan Sarker
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Ambika Zutshi: Department of Management, Melbourne Burwood Campus, Deakin University, 221 Burwood Highway, Burwood, VIC 3125, Australia
John Mendy: Department of Management, Lincoln International Business School, University of Lincoln, Brayford Pool, Lincoln, Lincolnshire LN6 7TS, UK
Asha Thomas: Jagan Institute of Management Studies, Rohini, New Delhi 110085, India

Sustainability, 2021, vol. 13, issue 12, 1-16

Abstract: COVID-19 pandemic has brought significant and multiple challenges for SMEs. While SMEs have traditionally faced financial and non-financial crises, the pandemic has brought about additional uncertainties on how to maintain business continuity. The purpose of this paper is to examine how SMEs can mitigate against COVID-19-related crisis by examining the impacts that the pandemic has had on them through a review of 34 articles. The thematic analysis from the literature covered three overarching and inter-related challenges including (i) cost and finance-related challenges, (ii) disruption of activities, and (iii) existential difficulties. The paper’s value lies in addressing the gap between the espoused literature’s claim of the beneficial impact of new technological advancements and SMEs’ ability to survive in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic. The additional value of this paper is a framework of recommendations to help enhance SMEs’ resilience and responsiveness in the context of COVID-19. These recommendations include collaboration, openness, taking advantage of opportunities/victory, and durability.

Keywords: SMEs; COVID-19; rapid review; resilience; technological advancements (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (10)

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