The COVID-19 pandemic: small enterprises resilience

Maduekwe, Chinenye Uchechukwu (2023) The COVID-19 pandemic: small enterprises resilience. Masters thesis, Dublin, National College of Ireland.

Preview

PDF (Master of Science) Download (795kB) | Preview

Abstract

This research investigates Covid-19 Pandemic and small business resilience. Three small businesses were investigated in Nigeria; Nuel Pharmaceuticals, Bake and Swallow, and Freedom secondary school. The research aims at acquiring insight into business resilience and how the pandemic has affected the ability of SMEs to build resilience. SMEs are among the largest contributors to the economy of any country. They are also largest employers of labor across the globe. However, the pandemic significantly distorted their activities, and many SMEs were forced to close ad they lack the financial capacity and necessary talent to ensure their continuous survival during the pandemic. SMEs that were able to remain active during the pandemic achieved this by building strong resilience into their system. This research thus investigates how SMEs were able to build resilience before, during and after the pandemic. The research adopts the qualitative research methodology, using interviews as the main instrument for data collection. Overall, data was collected from six participants from three small businesses (two each). The research discovered that small businesses that were able to survive during the pandemic achieved this by relying on their core capabilities in creating a resilience to change. The study also found that technology was a very important component in building resilience among SMEs and it became increasing useful during the pandemic where lockdown measures were implemented. Based on the finding of the research, it is recommended that small businesses should implement strategies that can improve the preparedness of the business ahead of uncertainties and future disasters, while also identifying opportunities in such situations.

Item Type:	Thesis (Masters)
Supervisors:	Name Email Gross, Nicole UNSPECIFIED
Uncontrolled Keywords:	Covid-19; Resilience; SMEs
Subjects:	H Social Sciences > HD Industries. Land use. Labor > HD61 Risk Management H Social Sciences > HD Industries. Land use. Labor > HD28 Management. Industrial Management > Management of Change H Social Sciences > HB Economic Theory > Business Cycles. Economic Fluctuations H Social Sciences > HD Industries. Land use. Labor > Small Business Sector
Divisions:	School of Business > Master of Science in International Business
Depositing User:	Tamara Malone
Date Deposited:	21 Aug 2023 13:19
Last Modified:	21 Aug 2023 13:19
URI:	https://norma.ncirl.ie/id/eprint/6786

Actions (login required)

View Item