An analysis of COVID-19 implications for SMEs in the emerging market

Abstract

This paper aims to determine the impact of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) on small and medium enterprises in Fiji, which are at risk of crisis. The COVID-19 pandemic exaggerated almost all nations and made small and medium-scale enterprises (SMEs) very vulnerable (Higgins-Desbiolles, 2020). This study recommends policies to stakeholders by reviewing the situation of SMEs in Fiji after the surge of the COVID-19 pandemic. Replies from SME owners were collected and analyzed using descriptive analysis and appropriate graphs. According to the findings, SMEs in Fiji have experienced negative consequences of COVID-19 in the way of shortages of supplies, carriage disruptions, decreased demand for products and services, decreased earnings and sales, inadequate operations, and lockup and staff layoffs. The impact of COVID-19 on SMEs is still being studied, which helps with proactive preparation for the fourth wave of the outbreak (Ashford et al., 2020). The use of samples and quality data set collected using the instrument adds value to the study’s findings and their uniformity. The current body of knowledge in Fiji’s SME sector strengthened the analysis of the sector’s crisis consequences, which has previously gone unnoticed.