Editorial: Post-COVID-19 global trade and business environment and maritime supply chain

Since January 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic has caused widespread impacts on virtually every sector of the global economy, including world trade and global supply chains. [...]it has been argued that the existing globalised economies might require to be restructured in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic when governments and firms start to re-strategize their critical supply chains through various disruption and resilience management strategies. [...]other shipping intermediaries, i.e. freight forwarders and logistics service providers, who play crucial roles in connecting demand and supply of maritime supply chains also suffered due to reduced business transactions. [...]the focus of this special issue is on understanding the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on various players in the maritime supply chain, as well as possible trends of global trade and maritime supply chains and strategies and policies in the aftermath of the pandemic.

Revisiting the marketing approach between seaports and dry ports in Malaysia: current trend and strategy for improvement

Purpose This paper aims to explore the comparative analysis of marketing strategies between seaports and dry ports. Second, this paper proposes a recommendation to improve marketing approaches in both nodes.Design/methodology/approach This research analyzes current marketing approaches to improve the freight volume and enhance interrelation between them for a comprehensive collaboration in the freight supply chain. This research employed semi-structured interviews via an e-interview questionnaire.Findings The result shows that dry port and seaport practice a mixed marketing strategy. Some marketing elements that a seaport applies are also applied by a dry port, like focusing on the target customer, joining exhibitions and face-to-face meetings. Customized service to clients, frequent discussion on the effective marketing plans and increasing the facilities at the seaport and dry ports can improve the marketing strategies in dry port and seaports.Originality/value Seaports are the critical components in esteem-driven context, which add to supply chains by creating value-added services in the transport chain. Nonetheless, research between dry ports and seaports has increasingly drawn the attention of scholars during the last decade. Having said like that, there have not been any pragmatic studies undertaken in the Malaysian context that mainly discusses the marketing prospect of the dry ports and seaports especially during COVID-19 outbreak.

Digitalization of the supply chain: transformation factors

PurposeThere is an increasing interest in the supply chain's digitalization, yet the topic is still in the preliminary stages of academic research. The academic literature has no consensus and is still limited to research assessing the supply chain's digitalization of organizations. This study aims to explore the supply chain digitalization drivers to understand the emerging phenomena. More specifically, the authors devised from the literature the most common factors in assessing the readiness in scaling supply chain digitalization.Design/methodology/approachThis study followed a five-phased systematic literature review (SLR) methodology in this research: designing, analyzing, conducting, writing and assessing the quality of the review. The SLR is beneficial for justifying future research regardless of the complex process that requires dealing with high-level databases, information filtering and relevancies of the content. Through analysis of 347 titles and s and 40 full papers, the authors showed and discussed the supply chain digitalization: transformation factors.FindingsThe results generated three main themes: technology, people and processes. The study also generated ten subthemes/primary drivers for assessing the readiness for supply chain digitalization in organizations: IT infrastructure, cybersecurity systems, digitalization reskilling and upskilling, digitalization culture, top management support, digitalization and innovation strategy, integrated supply chain, digital innovation management, big data management and data analytics and government regulations. The importance of each factor was discussed, and future research agenda was presented.Research limitations/implicationsWhile the key drivers of the supply chain digitalization were identified, there is still a need to study the statistical correlation to confirm the interrelationships among factors. This study is also limited by the articles available in the databases and content extraction.Practical implicationsThis study supports decision-makers in understanding the critical drivers in digitalizing the supply chain. Once these factors are studied and comprehended, managers and decision-makers could better anticipate and allocate the proper resources to embark on the digitalization journey and make informed decisions.Originality/valueThe digitalization of the supply chain is more critical nowadays due to the global disruptions caused by the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic and the surge of organizations moving toward the digital economy. There is a gap between the digital transformation pilot studies and implementation. The themes and factors unearthed in this study will serve as a foundation and guidelines for further theoretical research and practical implications.

Empirical benchmarking of virtual service centers' service quality: a case of a large telecom service provider in India

PurposeThis paper aims to present a hybrid approach to measure the efficiency of virtual contact centers (VCCs) started during the pandemic and benchmark them for service performance. The results are used to plot the VCC's efficiency score (performance) and customer perception (Importance) to propose appropriate strategies.Design/methodology/approachUsing the survey method, 854 responses were collected from customers who used VCC services during the pandemic. This data was then employed to assess the performance of VCCs using SERVPERF and DEA methods, followed by the development of the model for performance analysis.FindingsResults reveal the ranking of different VCCs started during the pandemic for the telecom company using SERVPERF and DEA methods. Further, the performance analysis model highlighted the strategies appropriate for each VCCs.Practical implicationsThe findings add to the body of knowledge on how multiple service units of a large organization can assess service efficiency utilizing a combination of SERVPERF-DEA. The present work also contributes to the performance analysis field by proposing a model to assess the service centers and provide improvement guidelines.Originality/valueThe work is one of the first to assess the service efficiency of the VCCs started during the pandemic by using a unique hybrid approach of SERVPERF and DEA. This approach provides a direction to whom to benchmark and to what degree service quality should be improved. Further, the study proposes a unique performance analysis model based on performance scores and customer perception.

Effects of COVID-19 on customer service experience: Can employees wearing face masks enhance customer-perceived service quality?

Wearing a facemask is an effective part of personal hygiene management (WHO, 2020). Not only can it offer healthy people some protection against coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) infection, but it can also reduce the spread of the virus. Wearing facemasks, as a part of the various regulations and guidelines encouraged by the Chinese government and hospitality firms, has been widely accepted by the public in the post-COVID-19 era in China. But few studies have considered the effects of employees wearing facemasks on the customer service experience. Based on signaling theory, this experimental study explores the effects of hotel employees wearing facemasks on customer perceptions of service quality. The results indicate three main effects. (a) Having employees wear facemasks can improve perceptions of customer service quality. (b) Customers commonly feel that female employees wearing facemasks could provide higher service quality than male mask-wearing employees, but the improvement in customer perception with male employees wearing facemasks is greater than the situation between facemask-less and facemask-wearing females. (c) Customer perceptions of employee expertise, employee trustworthiness, and hotel trustworthiness play serial mediating roles. Recommendations to help hotel managers improve customers' service evaluations during the COVID-19 pandemic are provided. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved)

The Study on the Effectiveness of Sustainable Customer Relationship Management: Evidence from the Online Shopping Industry

Sustainable development integrates business, environmental, and social objectives into a unified effort to achieve a common goal. Sustainable customer relationship management (CRM) combines company strategy, customer-focused business processes, and computer technologies. From the consumer's perspective, it lowers psychological, energy, time, and other costs;from the company's perspective, it offers a means of engaging with customers to build lasting and reliable relationships. The sustainable CRM program provides advantages to businesses in various industries, particularly online commerce. It alludes to a comprehensive strategy that promotes solid interactions between buyers and sellers of goods and services. Since current customer retention is less costly than new customer attraction in competitive markets, especially online shopping, identifying the factors affecting relationship management with stable customers is essential. This investigation intends to evaluate the effect of the use of management information systems (MIS), as well as insights on employee behavior and knowledge, and customer behavior (satisfaction and loyalty), on the effectiveness of sustainable CRM in online shopping. The model is validated using the PLS–SEM technique, and study sample of 293 employees and managers from private organizations. According to the results, the MIS, employee behavior and knowledge, customer satisfaction, and customer loyalty influence the effectiveness of sustainable CRM in online shopping. Furthermore, employee behavior and knowledge positively moderate the relationship between customer loyalty and the effectiveness of sustainable CRM. However, the moderating role of employee behavior and knowledge on customer satisfaction and the effectiveness of sustainable CRM is not confirmed. Overall, taking these characteristics into account might help organizations to take significant steps toward increasing the efficacy of sustainable CRM.

Implementation of Digitization for Anti-crisis Management of Business Entities

Digitalization in the crisis has contributed to increasing the level of resilience of business entities to economic downturns and bankruptcy risks. The article aims to empirically study the use of digital tools and crisis management methods in business entities. The research methodology is based on a case study of companies in various sectors of the economy on the integration of technological solutions during the pandemic in 2020. Statistical analysis was used to study the state of information technology financing during the crisis. Results. During the pandemic, since the beginning of 2020, the global level of funding for information technology (IT) by companies of different sizes has been growing. Depending on the size of the business entity, investments in technological solutions and equipment differ in volume: small firms invest more in hardware projects, and large firms - in commercial services. The critical digital tools for crisis management in companies are Big Data / Analytics (64%), Cloud Technology (50%), and Artificial Intelligence / Machine Learning (44%). Analysis of the volume of different segments of the Enterprise application software market in 2020 shows companies' use of different types of enterprise software for different purposes and management functions. The analysis of companies' cases in using digital technologies during the crisis shows a high return on digitalization in a short time (0.34 years). Business entities are focused on integrating technologies to solve problems related to improving relations with suppliers, and customers, optimizing business processes, personnel management, and increasing operational efficiency. Integration of digital tools into various subsystems of company management (suppliers, customers, staff, shareholders) provides instant qualitative and quantitative effects.

Privacy and Information Disclosure: Dynamic Digital Governance in Response to COVID-19

The information collection in the global governance of the digital economy is important to companies in response to COVID-19. This research studied the initiative of conflicts between privacy and information disclosure based on agency theory, analyzed the resolution of the conflicts based on incentive compatibility, and further discussed the rationale of the balance between private and public interest based on agile governance. This research suggests the necessity of finding the balance between public interest and privacy protection based on the hierarchical division of private and public interest. The dynamic psychological behavior to privacy and information disclosure by uninfected and infected citizens in response to COVID-19 is simulated by Volterra differential equations. The specification of boundaries in data use can be helpful to companies in reconciling the privacy and information disclosure for customer relationship management in digital governance in response to COVID-19.

The impact of workplace safety and customer misbehavior on supermarket workers' stress and psychological distress during the COVID-19 pandemic

Purpose: Essential frontline workers in the retail sector face increased exposure risks to coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) due to frequent interactions with the general public. Often these interactions are fraught with controversies over public safety protocols. The purpose of this study is to examine the impacts of frontline workers' perceptions of workplace safety and customer misbehaviors on their stress and psychological distress to inform managing workplace health and safety during public health crises. Design/methodology/approach: The authors conducted an online survey of 3,344 supermarket workers in the state of Arizona (US) during the state's first COVID-19 pandemic wave in July 2020. Measures included mental health distress, and perceptions of workplace safety and customer behaviors. The authors utilized a mixed-methods approach combining multiple regression analyses with qualitative analyses of open-ended comments. Findings: Workers reported high rates of stress and psychological distress. Increases in mental health morbidity were correlated with perceptions of being unsafe in the workplace and concerns about negative customer encounters. Qualitative analyses reveal frustration with management's efforts to reduce risks intertwined with feelings of being unsafe and vulnerable to threatening customer encounters. Practical implications: The findings highlight the need to provide and enforce clear safety guidelines, including how to manage potential hostile customer interactions, to promote positive health workplace management during a pandemic. Originality/value: This study is among the first to assess the COVID-19 pandemic's impact on the mental health of non-health care frontline essential workers and presents novel insights regarding perceived customer misbehavior and need for management support and guidance in a public health crisis. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved)

Guest editorial: The future of family business: marketing challenges in times of crisis

[...]decision-makers face new conditions that affect their reasoning and their customer validation, forcing them to reframe their marketing operations (Syam and Sharma, 2018). [...]this issue contributes to family firm research. The third paper, "Assessing the AI-CRM technology capability for sustaining family businesses in times of crisis: the moderating role of strategic intent”, by Ranjan Chaudhuri Sheshadri Chatterjee, Sascha Kraus and Demetris Vrontis, investigates the potential for artificial-intelligence-integrated customer relationship management (AI-CRM) technology to sustain family businesses in times of crisis, assessing the moderating role of strategic intent. The sixth article, entitled "Effective business model adaptations in family SMEs in response to the COVID-19 crisis”, by Sofia Brunelli, Rafaela Gjergji, Valentina Lazzarotti, Salvatore Sciascia and Federico Visconti, tested the effects of two major business model adaptations – namely changes in value proposition and changes in target market – on a sample of 96 family SMEs.

AI-ENABLED TECHNOLOGY INNOVATION IN E-COMMERCE

Recently, advanced digital/internet-based technology has become more prevalent and advanced to play a dominant role in e-commerce. Among them, AI-driven technology innovation in e-commerce plays an important role for its development. There is research potential to discuss how AI-driven technology innovation can benefit the digital economy, as typified by e-commerce, and how it can contribute to the digital transformation of companies in traditional industries. This special issue expands our understanding of organizational and customer intentions and behavior toward AI, such as privacy issues, the perceived benefits and risks of AI-driven technology innovations in e-commerce and building long-term trust relationships between users and AI.

Assessing the AI-CRM technology capability for sustaining family businesses in times of crisis: the moderating role of strategic intent

PurposeThis study assesses the capability of artificial intelligence integrated customer relationship management (AI-CRM) technology for sustaining family businesses in times of crisis, such as the COVID-19 pandemic. The study also investigates the moderating role of strategic intent in sustaining family businesses in times of crisis.Design/methodology/approachThe authors used dynamic capability view theory and related literature on family business and technology adoption to develop a conceptual model. This model has been validated using the structural equation modeling technique considering 332 usable responses from people of India involved in family businesses and technology adoption. The study also uses multigroup analysis to examine the moderating role of strategic intent.FindingsThe study finds that adoption of AI-CRM technology significantly and positively impacts dynamic capabilities of the family businesses, such as sensing, seizing and transforming capabilities, which in turn positively and significantly influences their sustainability during crises. The study also highlights the significant moderating impact of strategic intent for sustaining family business firms in uncertain times.Practical implicationsThis study has highlighted the importance for family businesses to adopt AI-CRM technology and its influence on their dynamic capabilities. The study also provides important inputs to the management of family businesses regarding adoption of new technologies and their significance during crises. The study also documents that strategic intent could help family businesses to survive during such times. The study is conducted in India and thus cannot be generalized.Originality/valueThis study table is unique in that it investigates the influence of AI-CRM technology and the moderating role of strategic intent on family business sustainability in times of crisis. Moreover, the proposed theoretical model is a unique model with explanative power of 71%.

NEUST iOES: A PANDEMIC-DRIVEN INTEGRATED ONLINE ENROLMENT SYSTEM WITH CUSTOMER RELATIONSHIP MANAGEMENT

The semi-automated LAN-based enrolment system, which requires face-to-face transactions, was useful to the research locale until the outbreak of COVID-19 disease in the country. The NEUST iOES: A Pandemic-driven Integrated Online Enrolment System with Customer Relationship Management was developed with the aim of processing students' enrolment online so that university employees and students can avoid getting infected with the COVID-19 disease. This research study employed a developmental research design based on the Agile-Scrum Framework software development methodology. The gathered users' stories were planned and transformed into system designs that serve as a guide to developing the system. During implementation, sprint retrospective meetings were conducted to identify what build went well and what needed improvements. As evaluated, the results clearly affirm that the implemented NEUST iOES attained its goals and objectives. Because of the implemented system, about 26000 students were able to enrol online without the risk of having exposed to the COVID-19 virus;and faculty and staff can be able to process their usual work regarding enrolment even in a Work-From-Home setup. © School of Engineering, Taylor's University.

Is Relationship Marketing Still Relevant? A Concept Analysis: An Abstract

Relationship marketing represents a shift from traditional, transaction-based marketing practices to customer-centric techniques that focus on providing customers with a competitive advantage through the development of mutually beneficial relationships. As a result of COVID-19's isolation orders, quarantine requirements, and an increase in remote workforces, one has to wonder, how are relationships changing due to this forced digital era? The purpose of this research is to review the origins, definitions, and intricacies of relationship marketing, including but not limited to the current importance and validity of it as a paradigm shift in the digital era, applicable theories and constructs, and the various facets associated with relationship marketing. By reviewing the importance and worthiness of relationship marketing as a dominant theoretical and practical school of thought, the authors review the fundamentals of relationship marketing and present it as a paradigm shift in the wake of the digital marketing climate forced by COVID-19. Relationship marketing has garnered significant attention from scholars as a dominant field of study within the marketing discipline. However, as marketers navigate the wealth of new opportunities afforded by the digital era, it is germane to address how relationship marketing aligns with these new tools and strategies. Conducting business is fundamentally rooted in one's ability to establish and maintain fruitful relationships through the development of commitment and trust (Morgan & Hunt, 1994;1999). The content analysis examines the origins, definitions, and intricacies of relationship marketing to determine its relevance to the current market and concludes by presenting several viable areas for future research contributions. Exploration of relationship marketing as a paradigm shift is far from mature and holds many implications for academia and industry. Relationship marketing is essential because this research is a window into strategic approaches and tactics;it expands much more comprehensively than the company and its customers and offers the potential for additional research contributions including theory and scale development. The digital age has enhanced future research possibilities by unifying various perspectives of relationship marketing and providing new avenues for assessing the bonds between consumers and companies. Furthering the body of knowledge for relationship marketing is essential to understand the ups, downs, starts, and conclusions of this communication and marketing strategy and the overall longevity of business relationships in the digital age. © 2023, The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Switzerland AG.

A study of the Indonesian trucking business: Survival framework for land transport during the Covid-19 pandemic

Trucking occupies the largest Indonesian transportation market share, making this sector a crucial contributor to the Indonesian supply chain. Any problem in freight transportation impacts the entire supply chain. This study explores how trucking companies were affected by the COVID-19 pandemic and what factors contributed to their resilience. A total of 190 Indonesian trucking companies were involved in this research. This study demonstrates that trucking companies' performance was significantly affected by both the COVID-19 pandemic and companies' resilience. Their resilience was affected by various factors, including the adoption of digital technologies, strength of financial resources, risk and business continuity management, and relationships with customers. Even though financial resource management directly affected company performance, the effect was more significant when company resilience was a mediating factor between financial resources management and company performance. Hence, survival frameworks and managerial action should emphasize these factors to enhance company resilience and performance. However, successful application of this in the trucking industry still requires further exploration. © 2022 Elsevier Ltd

Left to their own devices? Antecedents and contingent effects of workplace anxiety in the WFH selling environment

Purpose>The main purpose of this research is to understand how the sudden shift to work from home (WFH) after the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic has caught several sales organizations underprepared and ill-equipped to combat emergent challenges. In this research, the authors provide initial evidence into how the WFH arrangement impacts salespeople and sales organizations. Specifically, this research is guided by two objectives: to understand how the shift to WFH environment is affecting salespeople, and to explore how organizations can mitigate dysfunctional effects of the shift to WFH practices and enhance salespeople's commitment toward this new reality.Design/methodology/approach>The authors did preliminary in-depth interviews with 13 executives operating in the business-to-business (B2B) space to identify themes that reflected the reality faced by B2B sales organizations when transitioning to WFH. The authors then conducted a quantitative study involving a survey with 130 B2B salespeople.Findings>The findings from the qualitative research suggested that the WFH situation is quite different from the more traditional remote selling situations that B2B salespeople are used to. More specifically, salespeople experienced more anxiety because of the WFH situations. This finding was supported in the empirical study done by the authors where stress associated with WFH and job insecurity had a significant impact on salesperson anxiety.Research limitations/implications>The study primarily used subjective responses of salespeople with no objective measures. Furthermore, this study is cross-sectional in nature. Future research should build on the present work to understand the long-term consequences of WFH and factor in customer responses to the same. The impact of increased use of technology in the sales process will need further attention, including the sales management implication for the same.Originality/value>Given the unforeseen nature of the COVID pandemic and how unprepared salespeople and sales organizations were to deal with it, this study is one of the first studies that documents the impact of WFH situations on salespeople.

A strategy to improve green purchase behavior and customer relationship management during the covid-19 new normal conditions

The study aimed to perform a further analysis of the society's awareness towards the natural environment, especially the awareness of having a healthy life, which leads them to have an awareness to use a natural-based product (environmentally friendly product). Furthermore, this awareness acts as a guidance for them to become consumers who care about their environment and also the material logistics management of each company to build a good customer relationship management with their customer. Along with this phenomenon, however, several reasons regarding the increase of environmentally friendly product consumption are unknown. This study focused on antecedents generating green purchase behavior, namely, social influence, green attitude, green value, and green trust. The approach applied in the study was a purposive sampling method with the 450 respondents in all over Bali. The finding showed that the social influence did not significantly impact the green purchase behavior. On the other hand, green attitude, green value, and green trust brought a positive and significant impact toward green purchase behavior. Social influence, green attitude, and green value influenced positively and significantly toward green trust. Green trust played a role as the relationship mediator of social influence, green attitude, and green value on green purchase behavior. The study was limited as it belonged to cross-sectional and longitudinal study, and it needed a lengthy period to validate the finding. It only accommodated the consumer's green purchase behavior in Bali. Hence, it cannot be generalized;however, it can be developed in another area. Moreover, the practical implication for the producers of the environmentally friendly product is that they can be more attentive to certain variables that generate the green purchase behavior. The authenticity of the study is that the social influence does not influence the green purchase behavior toward the society in Bali. Furthermore, this study supports the Theory of Reasoned Action (TRA) particularly in marketing the green product. The study is a more completed model development of the green purchase behavior. Furthermore, the variable in this study is worth considering in developing the environmentally friendly product. © 2023 Growing Science Ltd. All rights reserved. © 2023 by the authors;licensee Growing Science, Canada.

Yun Dong Jia: find a silver lining on "cloud” during COVID-19 pandemic

Learning outcomes: This case provides detailed information about digital technologies and business practices that may help offline retailers catch up with the trend of new retail. After studying the case and working on the assignment questions, students will be able to:▪ Understand new features of smart cash registers, including facial-recognition payment, purchase-sales-inventory management, customer profile and store management, which all are important for the long-term development of the retail business in the age of "new retail”.▪ Identify opportunities, practices and impacts of digital technologies, such as big data and artificial intelligence, on contemporary retail businesses.▪ Identify problems of traditional retail and suggest solutions by applying the concepts and tools learned above.▪ Apply digital marketing approaches and tools (e.g., social media, livestreaming and online word-of-mouth) to design marketing campaigns;students should include basic elements such as the 6Ms for effective marketing communications (market, mission, message, media, money and measure). Case overview/synopsis: This case describes difficult situations facing Leo Shoudong Pan, the founder and CEO of Yun Dong Jia Technologies Co Ltd (YDJ), in marketing communications. With a motto of "Making it easy to open stores anywhere”, YDJ develops and sells smart cash registers, which provide a self-developed operating system and cloud computing services. Pan targets small and micro retailers, who are technology laggards when digital transitions had swept the world. His goal is to build a network of 100,000 pieces of smart cash registers across China, but he has only sold 8,000 pieces since he founded YDJ in 2016. He must make a breakthrough in the business. To drive leads and sales, he feels the urgency of conducting effective marketing communications with target customers and enhance their understanding on the value that YDJ creates for them. Monetary incentives are tangible but not yet fully demonstrated YDJ's value. With the traditional retail approach, brick-and-mortar stores, especially those small-scaled ones, are not able to meet the market change;instead, they must adopt digital techniques to catch up with the trend of new retail, which is necessary for a long-term business development rather than just a temporary measure during the Covid-19 pandemic. Pan must craft more compelling messages. What customer value should be chosen as incentives to motivate the target market? How to conduct effective marketing communications correspondingly? Complexity academic level: Senior undergraduate;Postgraduate;MBA;EMBA. Supplementary materials: Teaching notes are available for educators only. Subject code: CSS 8: Marketing. © 2022, Emerald Publishing Limited.

Explaining the revival strategies of Indian MSMEs to mitigate the effects of COVID-19 outbreak

Purpose> Micro, small and medium enterprise (MSME) is the kingpin of Indian economy. It contributes to 48% of India's exports and provides employment to 110 million people. As a result, it is critical to evaluate the obstacles, expose them and find a way to overcome the crisis due to the pandemic. The study aims to analyse the impact of financial and non-financial measures for the revival of MSME and its impact on firm sustainability and future opportunity as perceived by MSME owners/heads during the COVID-19 outbreak.Design/methodology/approach>This study, based on a cross-sectional survey of 197 export-oriented Indian MSMEs, attempts to investigate covid crisis mitigation strategies/measures in the context of the COVID-19 crisis. The confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) model was applied to check model fit, and structural equation modelling (SEM) was employed for data analysis.Findings>The results of this study show the financial and non-financial revival measures such as firm revival, marketing training, customer relationship management (CRM), financial incentive and firm support, extending worker social security and financial access and price control positively impact MSMEs' business sustainability and future opportunity as perceived by the respondents that lent good support to the hypothesis.Research limitations/implications>The study emphasizes management in association with government and financial institutions to design short-term as well as long-term strategies that may enhance their sustainability in the market. MSMEs are being forced to reassess their business strategy and modify their operating model as a result of the uncertain/unpredictable climate. Many levels of strategy aid in revitalizing the company and providing future possibilities to move forward if the government schemes positively impact the perception of entrepreneurs. Further, the study identifies the immediate measures to tide over the crisis over this sector and then furnishes recommendations for closing the identified gaps in the present understanding.Originality/value>The impact of COVID-19 on Indian MSMEs and how these MSMEs are dealing with it are highlighted in this paper, which is quite scarce and insufficient to cover the gap. It also provides a comprehensive view of firm sustainability and perceived opportunity among MSMEs.