THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC: THE INITIATOR FOR DIGITAL INCLUSION OR EXCLUSION OF SMES IN THE BULAWAYO METROPOLITAN PROVINCE, ZIMBABWE
Abstract
The study examined whether the COVID-19 pandemic had created digital opportunities for Small to Medium Entrepreneurs (SMEs) in the Bulawayo Metropolitan Province, Zimbabwe or it had actually exposed their lack of digital acumen. The interpretivist paradigm, a qualitative descriptive approach and a case study design were adopted for this study. The research used semi-structured questionnaires to solicit data from 30 purposively selected small to medium entrepreneurs. Data were thematically analysed to discern meaning. The study revealed that the COVID-19 pandemic had led participants to embrace technology, as evidenced by their acquisition of technological gadgets. Furthermore, ownership of technological gadgets had facilitated working from home, in the comfort of their homes; reaching clients irrespective of boundaries; having easy access to information on business transactions; the ability to do business even during the pandemic; ordering and ease of payment of suppliers; convenience and flexibility in doing business and discovering business platforms they were not aware of. The study concluded that the COVID-19 pandemic was the initiator for the digital inclusion of SMEs in the Bulawayo Metropolitan Province, after the realisation that for their businesses to remain operational in this uncertain and disruptive environment, they had to embrace technology. The study recommended that workshops to train and equip SME owners with digital skills be conducted so that in the event of other pandemics, their businesses would remain afloat.
Article visualizations:
Keywords
Full Text:
PDFReferences
Abdul, N., Yaacob, Z., & Mat, R. (2016). An Overview of Technological Innovation on SME Survival : A Conceptual Paper. Procedia - Social and Behavioral Sciences, 224(August 2015), 508–515. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sbspro.2016.05.427
Afolayan, A., Plant, E., White, G. R. T., Jones, P., & Beynon-Davies, P. (2015). Information Technology Usage in SMEs in a Developing Economy. Strategic Change, 24(5), 483–498. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1002/jsc.2023
Amirudin, A., Syamsul, M., Marnani, C. S., Rahmah, N. A. & Wilopo (2021). Positive impacts among the negative impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic for community life. E3S Web of Conferences 331,01008. https://doi.org/10.1051/e3scarf/202133101008
Awa, H. O., Ukoha, O., & Emecheta, B. C. (2016). Using T-O-E theoretical framework to study the adoption of ERP solution. Cogent Business and Management, 3(1), 1–23. https://doi.org/10.1080/23311975.2016.1196571
Bayo-Moriones, A., Billion, M & Lera-Lopez, F. (2013). “’Perceived Performance effects of ICT in manufacturing SMEs,” Industrial Management and Data Systems, Vol. 113. No. 1 pp.117-135.
Belas, J., Gavurova, B., Dvorsky, J., Cepel, M., & Durana, P. (2021). The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on selected areas of a management system in SMEs. Economic Research-Ekonomska Istraživanja, 1–24. https://doi.org/10.1080/1331677X.2021.2004187
Belitski, M., Guenther, C., Kritikos, A. S., & Thurik, R. (2021). Economic effects of the COVID ‑ 19 pandemic on entrepreneurship and small businesses. Small Business Economics, 593–609. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11187-021-00544-y
Belitski, M., Guenther, C., Kritikos, A. S., & Thurik, R. (2022). Economic effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on entrepreneurship and small businesses. Small Business Economics, 58(2), 593–609. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11187-021-00544-y
Bouey, J. (2020). Assessment of COVID-19’s Impact on Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises: Implications from China (pp. 1–13). https://doi.org/10.7249/ct524
Bryman, A., Bell, E., Hirschon, P., Dos Santos, A., Dutoit J., Masenge, A, Van Aardt., I & Wagner, C. (2017). Research methodology. Business and Management Contexts. 7th Impression. Cape Town: Oxford University Press Southern Africa.
Chen, Y, -Y., K. Jaw, Y. L. & Wu, B-L. (2016). Effect of digital transformation on organisational performance of SMEs. Internet Research, Vol (26). No. 1, pp 186-212, doi 10.1108/Int R-12-2013-0265
Chirume, E., & Kaseke, N. (2020). Impact of COVID-19 on Small and Medium-seized Enterprises SMEs) in Chinhoyi, Zimbabwe. International Journal of Business, Economics and Law, 23(1), 101–110.
Cooper, D. R. & Schindler, P. (2008). Business Research Methods. Singapore: McGraw-Hill. Irwin.
Corvello, V., Verteramo, S., Nocella, I., & Ammirato, S. (2022). Thrive during a crisis : the role of digital technologies in fostering antifragility in small and medium ‑ sized enterprises. Journal of Ambient Intelligence and Humanized Computing, 0123456789, 1–13. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12652-022-03816-x
Dai, R., Feng, H., Hu, J., Ji, Q., Li, H., Wang, R., Wang, R., Xu, L. &X. Zhang (2020). The Impact of COVID-19 on Small to Medium Enterprises: Evidence from Two-wave Phone Surveys in China. Working Paper 549. Centre for Global Development www.cgdev.org Washington DC
Dzindikwa, E. (2022). Unpacking the Drivers of Elecgtronic Business in Zimbabwe. Global Scientific Journals, 10(3), 1201–1204.
Dzobo, M., Chitungo, I. & Dzinamarira (2020). COVID-19: A perspective for lifting lockdown in Zimbabwe. Pan African Medical Journal, 2020:35 (2)13.doi:10.11604/pamj.supp.2020.35.2.23059
Edmunds, A. (2020). Digital exclusion : Internet access and affordability. In People Know How - Research Briefings (Issue October). https://doi.org/10.13140/RG.2.2.21938.43204
Engidaw, A. E. (2022). Small businesses and their challenges during COVID ‑ 19 pandemic in developing countries : in the case of Ethiopia. Journal of Innovation and Entrepreneurship, 11(1), 1–14. https://doi.org/10.1186/s13731-021-00191-3
Guo, H., Yang, Z., Huang, R., & Guo, A. (2020). The digitalization and public crisis responses of small and medium enterprises : Implications from a COVID-19 survey. Frontiers of Business Research in China, 14(19), 1–25.
Gurure, B., & Takavarasha, J. S. (2020). An Evaluation of the Importance of E-commerce Adoption to the Growth of SMEs in Zimbabwe. 2nd African International Conference on Industrial Engineering and Operations Management, 3462–3475.
Harel, R. (2021). The Impact of COVID-19 on Small Businesses ’ Performance and Innovation. Global Business Review, 1–22. https://doi.org/10.1177/09721509211039145
Hoti, E. (2015). The technological, organizational and environmental framework of IS innovation adaption in small and medium enterprises. Evidence from research over the last 10 years. International Journal of Business and Management, 3(4), 1–14. https://doi.org/10.20472/bm.2015.3.4.001
Ijirshar, V. U., & Ayidiowu, S. I. (2015). The impact of Business Education on growth of SMEs: A basic tool to natrional development. 6th National Conference and Workshop, July 2015, 1–14.
Jere, J. N., & Ngidi, N. (2020). A technology, organisation and environment framework analysis of information and communication technology adoption by small and medium enterprises in Pietermaritzburg. South African Journal of Information Management, 22(1), 1–9. https://doi.org/10.4102/sajim.v22i1.1166
Juniarti, R. P., & Omar, A. (2021). Technology Adoption in Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) Current: Issues and Future Research Avenues. Advances in Economics, Business and Management Research, 193, 91–101.
Khalid, M. S., & Pedersen, M. J. L. (2016). Digital Exclusion in Higher Education Contexts: A Systematic Literature Review. Procedia - Social and Behavioral Sciences, 228, 614–621. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sbspro.2016.07.094
Kraft, C., Lindeque, J. P., & Peter, M. K. (2021). The digital transformation of Swiss small and medium-sized enterprises: insights from digital tool adoption. Journal of Strategy and Management. https://doi.org/10.1108/JSMA-02-2021-0063
Lippert, S. K. (2006). Toe 1990. Communications of the IIMA Volume, 6(1), 147–160.
Maglakelidze, A., & Erkomaishvili, G. (2021). Challenges of small and medium enterprises during the COVID-19 pandemic : Case of Georgia. Problems and Perspectives in Management, 19(4), 19–28. https://doi.org/10.21511/ppm.19(4).2021.02
Makiwa, P., & Steyn, A. A. (2016). ICT Adoption and Use in Zimbabwean SMEs. IST-Africa 2016 Conference Proceedings, May, 1–8. https://doi.org/10.1109/ISTAFRICA.2016.7530576
Mallinguh, E., Wasike, C., & Zoltan, Z. (2020). Technology Acquisition and SMEs Performance, the Role of Innovation, Export and the Perception of Owner-Managers. Journal of Risk Financial Management, 13, 1–19.
Manyati, T. K., & Mutsau, M. (2019). Exploring technological adaptation in the informal economy : A case study of innovations in small and medium enterprises ( SMEs ) in Zimbabwe. African Journal of Science, Technology, Innovation and Development, 0(0), 1–7. https://doi.org/10.1080/20421338.2018.1552650
Martin, C., Hope, S., & Zubairi, S. (2016). The role of digital exclusion in social exclusion. Ipsos Mori Scotland, September, 48. https://www.carnegieuktrust.org.uk/wp/wp-content/uploads/sites/64/2016/09/the-role-of-digital-exclusion.pdf
Martinelli, E., Tagliazucchi, G., & Marchi, G. (2018). The resilient retail entrepreneur: Dynamic capabilities for facing natural disasters. International Journal of Entrepreneurial Behaviour & Research, 24(7), 1222–1243
Moyo, P., & Tengeh, R. (2021). Digital design and technology and market outreach in rural Zimbabwe. EUREKA: Social and Humanities, 3, 3–14. https://doi.org/10.21303/2504-5571.2021.001758
Nani, G. V., & Ndlovu, I. (2022). Survival of the fitetst, How Small to Medium Enterprises (SMEs) in the Bulawayo Metropolitan province, Zimbabwe, experirmced the COVID-19 pandemic. Journal of Global Business and Technology, 18(1), 56–70.
Natalia, N. (2022). Adaptation of Small and Medium-sized Enterprises During the COVID-19 Pandemic. SHS Web of Conferences 135, 01008, 1–7.
Nguyen, A. (2021). Digital Inclusion. In Handbook of Social Inclusion (Issue June, pp. 1–15). https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-48277-0_14-1
Nugroho, M. A., Susilo, A. Z., Fajar, M. A., & Rahmawati, D. (2018). Exploratory Study of SMEs Technology Adoption Readiness Factors. Procedia Computer Science, 124, 329–336. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.procs.2017.12.162
Nyanga, T. & Zirima, H. (2020). Reactions of SMEs in Masvingo, Zimbabwe to COVID-19: Implications on Productivity. Accessed on 04/06/2020 https://ideas.repec.org
OECD. (2020). Coronavirus (COVID-19): SME Policy Responses (Issue July).
Ragnedda, M., & Mutsvairo, B. (2018). Digital Inclusion: Empowering People Through Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs). In Digital Inclusion. An International Comparative Analysis (Issue April 2020).
Reisdorf, B., & Rhinesmith, C. (2020). Digital inclusion as a core component of social inclusion. Social Inclusion, 8(2), 132–137. https://doi.org/10.17645/si.v8i2.3184
Sanders, R. (2020). Digital inclusion, exclusion and participation. In Iriss (Issue April).
Saunders, M., Lewis, P. & Thornhill, A. (2016). Research Methods for Business Students. Pearson Education Limited.
Sharp, M. (2022). Revisiting Digital Inclusion: A Survey of Theory, Measurement and Recent Research (Issue March). https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.35489/BSG-DP-WP_2022/04
Siavhundu, T., Nyabunze, A., & Chinorwadza, T. (2020). SMEs Financing Constraints in Zimbabwe : The Case of Midlands Province. Diverse Journal of Business and Economic Growth (DJBEG), 1(3), 1–7.
Souza, C. A. D. E., Siqueira, E. S., & Reinhard, N. (2017). Digital divide of small and medium-sized enterprises: an analysis of influencing factors using the TOE theory. Management Review, 18(2), 15–48. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1590/1678-69712017
Taylor, B., Sinha, G. & Ghoshal, T. (2014) Research Methodology. A Guide for Researchers in Management & Social Sciences. Asoke K. Ghosh., PHI Learning Private Limited. Delhi
Tornatzky, L., & Fleischer, M. (1990). The process of technology innovation. Lexington: Lexington Books
United Nations. (2021). Leveraging Digital Technologies for Sosial Inclusion: Covid-19 is Accelerating The Pace of Digital Transformation: Implication for Social Inclusion (Issue 92). www.un.org/development/desa/publications/.
Watling, S., & Crawford, K. (2010). Digital Exclusion: Implications for Human Services Practitioners. Journal of Technology in Human Services, 28(4), 205–216. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1080/15228835.2011.565242
Zamani, S. Z. (2022). Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) facing an evolving technological era: a systematic literature review on the adoption of technologies in SMEs. European Journal of Innovation Management, 25(6), 735–757. https://doi.org/10.1108/EJIM-07-2021-0360
DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.46827/ejmms.v7i4.1317
Refbacks
- There are currently no refbacks.
Copyright (c) 2022 Gwendoline Vusumuzi Nani, Kudakwashe Maguraushe
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
The research works published in this journal are free to be accessed. They can be shared (copied and redistributed in any medium or format) and\or adapted (remixed, transformed, and built upon the material for any purpose, commercially and\or not commercially) under the following terms: attribution (appropriate credit must be given indicating original authors, research work name and publication name mentioning if changes were made) and without adding additional restrictions (without restricting others from doing anything the actual license permits). Authors retain the full copyright of their published research works and cannot revoke these freedoms as long as the license terms are followed.
Copyright © 2017-2023. European Journal of Management and Marketing Studies (ISSN 2501 - 9988) is a registered trademark of Open Access Publishing Group. All rights reserved.
This journal is a serial publication uniquely identified by an International Standard Serial Number (ISSN) serial number certificate issued by Romanian National Library. All the research works are uniquely identified by a CrossRef DOI digital object identifier supplied by indexing and repository platforms. All the research works published on this journal are meeting the Open Access Publishing requirements and standards formulated by Budapest Open Access Initiative (2002), the Bethesda Statement on Open Access Publishing (2003) and Berlin Declaration on Open Access to Knowledge in the Sciences and Humanities (2003) and can be freely accessed, shared, modified, distributed and used in educational, commercial and non-commercial purposes under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License. Copyrights of the published research works are retained by authors.
