| dc.description.abstract | The COVID-19 pandemic changed the landscape of business operations globally, with small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in South Asia among the most affected. SMEs, which constitute a significant proportion of local employment and economic development, faced unprecedented difficulties from disrupted supply chains, country-wide lockdowns, limited capacity to operate, and limited consumer demand. Those SMEs owned and operated by marginalized groups and specifically, women, experienced even greater challenges. Notably, however, the pandemic illuminated a number of resilience reflexes, which included digital transformation and the support made available through policy efforts, including access to grants or loans. The objective of the study is to identify and understand the resilience reflexes adopted by SMEs in South Asia during the COVID-19 pandemic by looking at business models which emphasize, digitalization, access to government support, access to finances, and gender differences. The study utilizes comparative observations from Africa, China, India, Europe, and the Middle East, where comparative longitudinal data from 2019 to 2023 is studied using quantitative techniques such as regression and correlation analysis. The results of the study showed the significant and increased increase in the technology tools, increased from to over 55% using digital tools post-2020, and remote service increased from 2% to 35% between 2019 to 2023. | en_US |
