Author(s): Abebe Ejigu Alemu, Abdelsalam Adam Hamid Aba, Noorul Shaiful Fitri Abdul Rahman, Adela P. Balasa and Najat Juma Al Maqbali
The emergence of COVID-19 pandemic is continued to be the source of economic, social, and political crises in the world. There is shrinkage of the volume of SMEs and other transactions in global trade due to the lockdown rules implemented in various nations. This research aims at analyzing the relation between individual and public actions implemented for preventing the pandemic on specific activities performed in SME logistics operators and assessing effect on SME operations in the Sultanate of Oman. SMEs contribute to 15% of the Oman’s GDP in 2019. Survey questionnaire from randomly selected 52 SMEs were collected. Secondary data from Oman government database also captured. Descriptive analysis was employed to analyze the survey data and secondary data sources. SMEs in Oman keep on increasing and surviving during the pandemic. The tri-partite cooperation (entrepreneur, financial support, and digital technology adoption was found making SMEs resilience to the pandemic. The analysis of data shows that the government of Oman formulated several intervention policies and the responses of entrepreneurs in quickly adapting digital technologies have kept SMEs in operation and quick recovery and resilience of SMEs are shown in Oman. Prompt policy response and adaptation of digital technologies needs to be a lesson learnt for sustaining SMEs.