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Responding to COVID-19 involves not just shielding small business jobs, supporting entrepreneurship, and raising government debt but also creating productive entrepreneurship and resilient location-specific entrepreneurial ecosystems. The COVID-19 pandemic is an unprecedented challenge for small businesses that also brings new...
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We analyze the link between standardization and economic growth by systematically reviewing leading economics journals, leading economic growth researchers' articles, and economic growth-related books. We make the following observations: 1) No article has analyzed the link between standardization and economic growth in top5 economics journals betwe...
Citations
... Heterogeneous impacts have been noted across gender, socioeconomic status, age, race and countries (Crossley et al., 2021;ILO Monitor, 2021;Karaye and Horney, 2020;Martin et al., 2020;Salari et al., 2020). Additionally, within the working population, the impact varied (Belitski et al., 2022;Kritikos et al., 2020;Patel and Rietveld, 2020). While businesses in some industries could continue to operate normally, other industries had to close abruptly or shift from in-person work to remote work from home. ...
... While businesses in some industries could continue to operate normally, other industries had to close abruptly or shift from in-person work to remote work from home. Studies show that entrepreneurs were more directly affected by the pandemic than individuals employed by companies (Belitski et al., 2022;Kritikos et al., 2020). Self-employed individuals and small-business owners were badly impacted due to financial uncertainty and being active in hard-hit sectors (Bartik et al., 2020;Fairlie and Fossen, 2021;ILO Monitor, 2021;Stephan et al., 2021a, b). ...
Purpose
Lockdowns and the forced closure of certain industries during the COVID-19 pandemic severely impacted workers, particularly entrepreneurs, who were financially and emotionally involved in their businesses. Two studies have shown that entrepreneurs have a lower willingness to get vaccinated against COVID-19 than employees. In this study, the authors try to replicate the vaccination gap between the two groups. Second, the authors study whether the difference persists when controlling for demographics, vaccination attitudes and the COVID-19 context, including the financial impact of the pandemic, its effect on the wellbeing of workers, and government attitudes. Third, the authors study whether there are differences in how the context of the pandemic relates to vaccination willingness for entrepreneurs and employees.
Design/methodology/approach
The authors conduct regression analyses using three large datasets. The authors study vaccination status (February 2022) in a 27-country Eurobarometer sample, vaccination intention (December 2020) in a Dutch sample from the LISS panel and vaccination status (July 2021) in a sample from the Understanding America Study (UAS).
Findings
All datasets confirm that entrepreneurs have lower vaccination intention and coverage than employees. Even when controlling for the variables described in the LISS and UAS datasets, this negative difference remains. The study results also indicate that demographics, especially vaccination attitudes, are much more important than contextual influences in the decision to get vaccinated against COVID-19.
Originality/value
The authors are the first to dive further into the vaccination differences between entrepreneurs and employees. They advise further research into the drivers of this gap, specifically relating to the role of personality and social normative influences.
... These support measures, among others, were hasty and heuristic in the early stages, focusing on immediate effect rather than structural and long-term focus [7,66,76,79]. Whilst these short-term focused policies have been criticised, their direct impact was positive [91,[111][112][113][114][115][116][117][118][119]. For example, in developing countries, the absence of government support would have increased the failure rate of SMEs by 9.1% points, representing 4.6% of private-sector employment [12]. ...
Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) are particularly vulnerable to pandemics. Therefore, resilience and adaptation to shocks from pandemics such as COVID-19 are urgently needed. However, despite some coping strategies already in place among SMEs, research on their nature and effectiveness is limited. Thus, it remains unclear how effectively and sustainably documented coping strategies reduce SMEs' vulnerability and increase their resilience to pandemic risk. This article reviews academic literature for evidence of pandemic risk impacts on SMEs, coping strategies in response to these impacts, and the degree to which these strategies reduce SMEs' vulnerability and increase their resilience. According to the literature review, seven essential pandemic risk impacts were identified for SMEs-human movement restrictions, financial constraints , operational challenges, logistics difficulties, delayed business reopening, short-term policy focus and tacit knowledge workers. The study also outlined eleven critical coping strategies , notably structural or physical and behavioural changes. Study analysis reveals that resilience research among SMEs is predominantly conceptual with limited empirical evidence. To conclude, this study urges more adaptation research focused on developing new forms of pandemic risk education for SMEs addressing their complexities.
... This refers to the "combined shifts in business digitalization, adoption of net-zero practices and productivity upgrading that business are navigating." The COVID-19 pandemic has encouraged moves towards home and hybrid working and has accelerated digital adoption by firms (Belitski et al., 2021;Priyono et al., 2020). These changes support more sustainable business models including for small and medium tourism businesses. ...
... Cities were shutdown, travel was restricted, outdoor activities and gatherings were restricted, human movement was also restricted, as such businesses were closed . Owing to these measures, Belitski (2021) alludes that business operations were directly affected. There are many effects of COVID-19 to the business. ...
... There are many effects of COVID-19 to the business. Belitski et al. (2021) Business shutdown, reduced operating hours, job cuts, supply chain disruptions, jeopardizing the R&D processes, cessation of operations, business model changes, loss of key customers, restrictions on products/services, and the use of digital technology. Barrero, Bloom & Davis (2020) Job losses, business closure, reallocation of labour, shift to working from home, and shift to the use of digital technology. ...
The objective of this study is to examine the effects of remote work arrangements implemented during the COVID-19 pandemic on the equilibrium between work and personal life among employees in Botswana. The case of the Botswana Unified Revenue Service (BURS) will be utilized as a specific context for analysis. The study utilized a descriptive qualitative research approach, including in-depth interviews with a sample of 18 employees from BURS who were engaged in remote work throughout the COVID-19 lockdown period. These interviews were done in order to collect relevant data for the study. An alternative sampling method, namely non-probability sampling, was employed to pick a sample size of 18 employees from the BURS organization. The collected data was subsequently subjected to thematic analysis for the purpose of analysis. The findings of the research indicate that employees reported numerous advantages, including increased sleep duration and enhanced concentration. They also highlighted the benefits of having flexibility and autonomy in a home environment, free from the distractions typically encountered in open-office settings. However, the study also identified certain challenges, such as disruptions caused by family members and feelings of isolation. The study suggests that further research should be conducted to examine the effects of remote work in Botswana. This research would provide valuable insights for policymakers in navigating the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic and its aftermath.
... The implementation of measures to mitigate the spread of the virus resulted in the closure of cities, restrictions on travel, limitations on outdoor activities and gatherings, and constraints on human mobility, leading to the closure of companies . As a result of implementing these procedures, Belitski (2021) suggests that there was a direct impact on corporate operations. COVID-19 has had numerous ramifications for the corporate sector. ...
... COVID-19 has not only had significant implications for public health, but it has also precipitated a substantial economic disruption (Aum, Lee & Shin, 2020). The COVID-19 pandemic resulted in the closure or downsizing of numerous enterprises, as a consequence of diminished consumer demand during periods of lockdown (Bartik et al., 2020;Belitski et al., 2021;Guerrieri et al., 2022). Nevertheless, it is important to note that the disruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic do not have an equal impact on all enterprises. ...
... The United Kingdom experienced a significant increase in the unemployment rate, reaching its highest level since 2017, due to the ongoing impact of the pandemic on employment opportunities (Thomas, 2020). According to Belitski et al. (2021), it is anticipated that the Covid-19 epidemic would have enduring effects, serving as a transformative mechanism that leads to significant job reallocation and restructuring inside organizations. ...
The COVID-19 pandemic prompted a widespread shift towards remote work, driven by the imperative of social distancing. This transition has compelled organizations and individuals worldwide to explore alternative employment arrangements. Botswana, like many other nations, witnessed a significant uptake of remote work, leading to the formulation of remote work policies by numerous institutions. To ensure the viability of these policies, it is essential to consider their practicality for both companies and employees. The pandemic offered institutions such as the Botswana Unified Revenue Service (BURS) an opportunity to investigate the efficacy of working-from-home (WFH) arrangements, which could play a pivotal role in shaping future labor policies to accommodate flexible working hours. This study leverages data from BURS to scrutinize the impact of WFH during the COVID-19 pandemic on employee productivity in Botswana. Employing descriptive qualitative research methods and conducting in-depth interviews with 18 BURS personnel who experienced WFH during the lockdown, the study employs theme analysis and non-probability sampling to analyze the collected data. The findings reveal that WFH contributed to increased employee productivity, underscoring the importance of allocating adequate resources to optimize WFH performance in organizations.
... Thoroughness and rigor characterize both approaches, which leads to the legitimacy and objectivity of results (Jesson, Matheson, and Lacey 2011;López-Fernández, Serrano-Bedia, and Pérez-Pérez 2016;Tranfield, Denyer, and Smart 2003;Turzo et al. 2022). Previous research in the field of entrepreneurship extensively used these methodologies for identifying and evaluating a significant amount of literature (Belitski et al. 2022). ...
... First, we included a detailed explanation of the SLR and co-word analysis. In addition, we added new references to justify our methodological approach in a more accurate manner (Belitski et al. 2022;López-Fernández et al. 2016;Turzo et al. 2022, pp. 5-6). ...
The majority of research on corporate entrepreneurship focuses on developed countries and overlooks that various cultural and economic contexts may lead to different intensities and behaviors in entrepreneurial activities. This omission could challenge extant theoretical models and assumptions. Accordingly, this article intends to analyze the literature on corporate entrepreneurship in developing countries. The paper adopts a two-step research approach, a systematic literature review, and a bibliometric (co-word analysis) analysis of 85 articles published between 1999 and 2021. We identify the major articles, journals, and scholars that made significant contributions to the field within the context by summarizing and describing indicators, such as number of publications, citations, theoretical and methodological perspectives, topic trends, and thematic maps. Analysis enables the study to establish that research on corporate entrepreneurship in developing countries comprises three major thematic classifications, namely, determinants and effects of corporate entrepreneurship; determinants of intrapreneurship and performance, and dynamic capabilities and corporate entrepreneurship. In summary, this article contributes to an enhanced understanding of the concepts and dimensions of corporate entrepreneurship within developing countries. In addition, it provides a research agenda; hence, we propose future directions that shape the dynamics of the field and that provide relevant insights for researchers and managers interested in corporate entrepreneurship in the context of developing countries.
... The government and policymakers may want to design financial policy interventions that lessen the effects of the pandemic on small businesses, focusing on subgroups, supply chains, and small businesses without stable bank relationships. Financial support policies are essential for supporting small businesses and individual entrepreneurs (Belitski et al., 2022). ...
This research aims to test the impact of bank finance and government support on initiating entrepreneurial ventures and start-ups. This study used a quantitative approach. Data were collected through a survey method using a questionnaire. The study's respondents were 203 entrepreneurs and businessmen in Homagama Divisional Secretariat Division in Colombo district, Western Province, Sri Lanka. Exploratory factor analysis and confirmatory factor analysis were performed to identify the impact of bank finance and government support on the initiation of entrepreneurial ventures and start-ups and test the convergent and discriminant validity. Cronbach's α analysis was carried out to test the reliability of the dimensions. In addition, criterion-based validity and the stability of the impact of bank finance and government support on the initiation of entrepreneurial ventures and start-ups were also tested. All the tests were conducted using the SPSS software with the extension PROCESS 4.0 to test the entrepreneur's moderator; t,e age. The study has been proven to have good validity, reliability, and stability for measuring the impact of bank finance and government support on initiating entrepreneurial ventures and start-ups in the Homagama Divisional Secretariat Division in Colombo District, Western Province, Sri Lanka. This research was carried out in a single developing country, Sri Lanka. Hence, the stability of the model needs to be tested in different cultures. Government and the Bank Financing authorities can use this study to monitor, measure, and improve the service quality of their services towards start-up ventures and entrepreneurial firms. Hence it is proved that even though people have enough motivation and locus of control, support from the external authorised parties is the factor that determines successful start-up decision-making.
... Furthermore, there is a time lag in policies, therefore, the moderating effect is not significant. This result is in line with Belitski et al. (2022), who considered that during the first phase of the epidemic, COVID-19 was slowed by the considerable government support provided. However, it may be argued that the resources were not used effectively and that the public support mechanisms slowed down the dynamism of the industrial sector. ...
Using survey data from 90 nations polled by the Global
Entrepreneurship Monitor (GEM) in the past two years from 2020 to 2022, this study evaluates the effect of COVID-19 on global entrepreneurship and its mechanism using a structural equation model (SEM). The results show that under the impact of COVID-19, entrepreneurial activities are still active, becoming the fortunate choice for many people to turn danger into opportunity. Entrepreneurial self-efficacy and motivation play a significant chain-mediating role in the impact of COVID-19 on entrepreneurial activities. The entrepreneurial environment played a positive moderating role in the relationship between COVID-19 and entrepreneurial activities. Further heterogeneity analysis shows that this moderating effect is more significant in low- and middle-income economies and in the stage of epidemic normalization. Finally, this study offers policy suggestions on how to propel the entrepreneurial environment, improve entrepreneurial self-efficacy, stimulate entrepreneurial motivation, and promote entrepreneurial activities.
... The exogenous crises arise from the external environment, such as global financial crises, pandemics, wars and natural disasters (Doern et al., 2019). In March 2020, an exogenous crisis, COVID-19 was declared a pandemic (World Health Organization, 2020), challenging business operations globally (Batat, 2021;Belitski et al., 2022). The national lockdown imposed by governments to minimise the spread of the virus had a significant impact on businesses, resulting in declining numbers of customers, increased supplier costs and constraints on financial and non-financial resources (Batat, 2021;Belitski et al., 2022;Kuckertz et al., 2020). ...
... In March 2020, an exogenous crisis, COVID-19 was declared a pandemic (World Health Organization, 2020), challenging business operations globally (Batat, 2021;Belitski et al., 2022). The national lockdown imposed by governments to minimise the spread of the virus had a significant impact on businesses, resulting in declining numbers of customers, increased supplier costs and constraints on financial and non-financial resources (Batat, 2021;Belitski et al., 2022;Kuckertz et al., 2020). Therefore, entrepreneurs' critical activity was ensuring their businesses survived the COVID-19 crisis. ...
... Some crisis management strategies focused on business-level approaches, including business model pivots and digitalisation (Kuckertz et al., 2020;Manolova et al., 2020). Few studies explore the response strategies at multiple levels, namely, individuals, businesses and society (Belitski et al., 2022). In their multi-level study, Batat (2021) examined how individual factors influence social innovation to benefit communities. ...
Purpose: Entrepreneurs constantly face crises and resource scarcity threatening their firms’ survival. However, limited studies analyse how entrepreneurs influence business model adaptation to survive a crisis. The study uses the bricolage theory to explore how entrepreneurs’ resourcing actions influenced business model adaptation during the COVID-19 crisis in a resource-constrained environment.
Design/methodology/approach: This narrative qualitative study was conducted on 12 Indian entrepreneurs in the KwaZulu-Natal province and validated by additional interviews with three Black African entrepreneurs in Gauteng province, South Africa. The themes were developed using narrative thematic analysis.
Findings/results: The study reveals the resourcing actions influencing Indian entrepreneurs’ business model adaptation. These include sense-making of resource constraints, leveraging ‘self-reliant’ entrepreneurial bricolage behaviours and maximising ‘joint’ stakeholder resources. The study shows how some dimensions of effectuation influence the resourcing actions, suggesting that bricolage is not mutually exclusive from effectuation during business model adaptation because of the crisis.
Practical implications: The study offers entrepreneurs practical insights on resourcing actions for business model adaptation during a crisis. The findings will help entrepreneurship development groups establish suitable interventions for entrepreneurs, assisting in preparing and managing crises.
Originality/value: The study shows how the micro or individual and/or entrepreneur interacts with the macro business levels and stakeholders during business model adaptation. The study shows that entrepreneurs’ actions are significant antecedents to business model adaptation.
... Governments worldwide implemented various measures, ranging from partial to complete lockdowns and social isolation, to contain the spread of the pandemic. These measures have significantly amplified the economic shocks experienced by SMEs (Belitski et al., 2022;Lastauskas, 2022;Pedauga et al., 2022). While governments have introduced certain initiatives to support businesses during the economic crisis, the primary focus has been on helping SMEs survive by implementing policies that improve liquidity through payment deferrals, providing financial assistance (such as reducing government fees and offering payroll support), and strengthening balance sheets through loan guarantee programs (Belghitar et al., 2022). ...
... While several studies have explored the challenges faced by SMEs during the COVID-19 pandemic (Belitski et al., 2022), our paper aims to consolidate and highlight these obstacles, along with recommendations for overcoming them. To accomplish this, we conducted a bibliometric review, analyzing 135 selected papers to gain a comprehensive understanding of the pandemic's impact on SMEs as a whole. ...
... The "new normal" stresses improving the resiliency of SMEs, such as through having several suppliers. The development of a unit's digital capabilities is progressively becoming viewed as a need, as opposed to an added bonus (Belitski et al., 2022;Mossberger et al., 2022). In order to create a safe platform that is available from anywhere and to eliminate their dependency on physical data centers, resilient SMEs are adopting online sale facilities and the cloud as the preferred alternative to physical data centers (Thukral & Ratten, 2021). ...
Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) are a major contributor to economic growth and a potential source of growth and employment globally. This article employs a bibliometric analysis approach to examine 135 research articles focused on the barriers encountered by SMEs and their strategic responses during the COVID-19 pandemic. Through this analysis, we present a conceptual diagram that highlights prominent challenges, including organizational barriers (e.g., financial crisis, liquidity constraints, and reduced purchasing power), operational barriers (e.g., scarcity of skilled workforce and limited access to raw materials), technological barriers (e.g., digitalization and forecasting capabilities), and strategic restrictions (e.g., resource limitations and disruptions in supply chains). We further explore approaches to overcoming these barriers, such as entrepreneurial resilience and innovation. The findings of this review underscore the importance of government policies aimed at supporting SMEs and facilitating their survival in the aftermath of crises. Moreover, given the impact of COVID-19, policies should also prioritize the involvement of SMEs and business owners in decision-making processes related to policy responses and recovery strategies.
