Da gestão despreparada ao reaprender a trabalhar: um estudo sobre os desafios da gestão de micro e pequenas empresas no contexto da pandemia de covid-19

Abstract

Due to the importance of SMEs (small and medium-sized enterprises) for the country, the goal of this research is to analyze the challenges faced in the last few years by these companies and the adaptions they implemented. To conduct this research, interviews were completed with five CEOs from different SMEs in the city of Luis Eduardo Magalhães – BA. From the interviews it was possible to understand that the most impactful difficulties faced by SMEs were poor management, bad financial health and competition from large companies. This research was developed based on the Covid19 situation which started in the beginning of 2020. Therefore, the impacts felt by those business were severally increased by this situation. Another outcome of the research was to understand how those CEOs responded to this major pandemic challenge and what they did to make their businesses last. The SMEs with the most success benefited from superior planning, higher education levels achieved by the CEOs and business adaptations (especially those with more engagement on digital platforms).