Evolving Impacts of the Covid-19 Pandemic on Micro, Small, and Medium-Sized Enterprises in Asia
Igarashi, Takiko; Takeda, Asami; Truong, Hoa T.; Sonobe, Tetsushi | January 0009
Abstract
Since the first quarter of 2020, micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs) in developing countries have faced significant hardship due to the economic shocks related to the COVID-19 pandemic. Questions arise, however, regarding the extent to which MSMEs’ hardship has varied between sectors and between countries over time, whether it is gender neutral, whether the digitalization of MSMEs could alleviate it, and whether government support has reached MSMEs. This paper aimed to answer these questions using new survey data from eight developing Asian countries around the middle and toward the end of 2020. We found a wide variation in the severity of and responses to the pandemic impacts on MSMEs between sectors and between countries. Turning to common trends, our significant findings were as follows. First, MSMEs’ sales and non-permanent employment tended to recover toward late 2020. Second, despite the general trend, the pandemic shocks concentrated on hard-hit industries, such as food processing, textiles, tourism, food and drink services, and education, which even deteriorated in the second half of 2020. Third, women-led enterprises remained vulnerable, exhibiting bleak prospects for sales or more job cuts than men-led but otherwise similar enterprises. Fourth, the digitalization intensity had a nonlinear relationship with MSMEs’ sales and employment, suggesting that online sales beyond a certain threshold, around 40% of the total sales, could generate more revenues and jobs for MSMEs. Last, the number of MSMEs receiving support from their governments increased in the second half of 2020. Still, such support did not effectively reach the most affected or vulnerable MSMEs.
Citation
Igarashi, Takiko; Takeda, Asami; Truong, Hoa T.; Sonobe, Tetsushi. 0009. Evolving Impacts of the Covid-19 Pandemic on Micro, Small, and Medium-Sized Enterprises in Asia. © Asian Development Bank Institute. http://hdl.handle.net/11540/14232. License: CC BY 3.0 IGO.Keywords
Aged Health
Quality of Health Care
Public Health
Partnerships in Health Reform
Health Systems
Development projects
Physical infrastructure
Soft infrastructure
Infrastructure finance
Infrastructure bonds
Pandemic
Vaccination
World Health Organization
Quality of Health Care
Partnerships in Health Reform
Health
Health Standards
Health Care Cost Control
Health Care Access
Health Risk
Health Issues
Environmental Health Hazards
Education, Health and Social Protection
Urbanization
Urban Services
Urban Planning
Urban Conditions
Sanitary facilities
Health facilities
Hygiene
Waste disposal
Health hazards
Public health
Social Aspects Of Poverty
Private Healthcare
Macroeconomic
Macroeconomic Analysis
Macroeconomic Framework
Macroeconomic Models
Macroeconomic Performance
Macroeconomic Planning
Macroeconomic Policies
Macroeconomic Reform
Macroeconomic Stabilization
Financial crisis
Stimulus
SMEs
Medical Economics
Disease Control
Occupational Hygiene
Medical Services
Health Costs
Sanitation
Diseases
Water Quality
Respiratory Diseases
Health Indicators
Disadvantaged Groups
Social condition
Health Care Services
Health Standards
Health Service Management
Health Costs
Medical Statistics
Lockdown
Urban Population
Drug Policy
Preventive Medicine
Medical Economics
Disease Control
Sanitation
Health Hazards
Face masks
Disadvantaged Groups
Social condition
Economic dependence
Economic assistance
Recession
International monetary relations
International monetary relations
International trade
National accounting
Market
Travel restriction
Migration
Stay at home
Bailout
Interest rate
Tourism
Hospices
Delivery of health care
Prevention of disease
Health status indicators
Sanitation services
Cost of medical care
Health status indicators
Sanitation services
Sickness
Illness
Prevention of disease
Health status indicators
Cost and standard of living
disabilities
Nutrition and state
Food policy
Nutrition policy
Covid
Health status indicators
Medical and health care industry
Vaccination
Delivery of medical care
Cost and standard of living
Economic conditions
Exchange
Comparative economics
Index number
Monetary policy
Value analysis
Adjustment cost
Transaction cost
Conditionality
International relations
Social change
Social accounting
Inequality of income
Mass society
Social policy
Social stability
Population|SMEs
Unemployment
Sick leave
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