Adaptation of Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) Under the Pandemic Situation of the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID -19) in Bangkok Metropolis

Abstract

The objectives of this research were 1) to study the impact on entrepreneurs under the situation of the epidemic of Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) in Bangkok Metropolis, and 2) to compare the level of adaptation of small and medium enterprises (SMEs) under the circumstances the epidemic of Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) in Bangkok Metropolis classified by demographic. The sample used in the research were small and medium enterprise entrepreneurs registered as a juristic person in Bangkok. A questionnaire was used to collect data by the Convenience Sampling method for 400 samples. The instrument used was a questionnaire.The statistics used in the research were frequency, percentage, mean, standard deviation, t-test, and One–way ANOVA.

The results of the research found that Entrepreneurs affected by the epidemic Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) mostly on 1) Sustainability in business decreased by 358 people, representing 90% 2) Profits from Business operations decreased by 334 people, equivalent to 84 percent and 3) Business sustainability decreased by 359 people, equivalent to 90 percent. The adjustment of entrepreneurs was found that the overall level was at a moderate level (mean=3.45, SD=0.81). The highest average was service (mean=3.91, SD=0.76), followed by the adjustment in distribution channels (mean=3.61, SD=0.80), the adjustment in price (mean=3.58, SD= 0.72), Production factor adjustment (mean=3.25, SD=0.72), and Marketing promotion adjustment (mean=2.92, SD=1.04), respectively. The respondents with different gender and level of education had no different adaptation to the COVID situation. the respondents with different ages, experiences in business operation, type business model, and different fixed asset values had different level of adaptation under the epidemic of coronavirus infection 2019 circumstances with statistically significant at .05 level.