Weathering the economic impact of COVID-19: challenges faced by microentrepreneurs and their coping strategies during Movement Control Order MCO in Malaysia
The COVID-19 pandemic is a global crisis that has caused a punishing economic impact on businesses, particularly due to many countries adopting measures such as the Movement Control Order (MCO) to curb the spread of the COVID-19 disease. The impact hits the most on microentrepreneurs since they are...
| Main Authors: | , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Universiti Putra Malaysia
2021
|
| Online Access: | http://psasir.upm.edu.my/id/eprint/93575/ http://psasir.upm.edu.my/id/eprint/93575/1/93575.pdf |
| _version_ | 1848861873389174784 |
|---|---|
| author | Megat Tajudin, Putri Noorafedah Abd Rahim, Nur Aira Idris, Khairuddin Arshad, Mohd Mursyid |
| author_facet | Megat Tajudin, Putri Noorafedah Abd Rahim, Nur Aira Idris, Khairuddin Arshad, Mohd Mursyid |
| author_sort | Megat Tajudin, Putri Noorafedah |
| building | UPM Institutional Repository |
| collection | Online Access |
| description | The COVID-19 pandemic is a global crisis that has caused a punishing economic impact on businesses, particularly due to many countries adopting measures such as the Movement Control Order (MCO) to curb the spread of the COVID-19 disease. The impact hits the most on microentrepreneurs since they are not able to operate their businesses, of which the margins of profit and resources are relatively small. The purpose of this research was to explore the challenges faced by microentrepreneurs during MCO and their coping strategies used to overcome these challenges. This study utilized the qualitative case study approach and collected interview data among the identified microentrepreneurs that met the criterion sampling. The findings uncover that these microentrepreneurs typically faced challenges related to restricted cash flows, lack of customers and supplies shortage issues which impacted their income and business operations during MCO. These challenges were addressed using coping strategies, namely having the ability to control stress, developing a strong spiritual relationship with God, applying problem solving thinking skills, utilizing social capital (offline and online), and optimizing digital marketing. It is recommended that government agencies, NGOs, and social movement bodies contribute to microentrepreneurs by organising and engaging in digital empowerment programs to enable rural entrepreneurs to leverage on their access to digital commerce, internet marketing and alike. |
| first_indexed | 2025-11-15T13:08:03Z |
| format | Article |
| id | upm-93575 |
| institution | Universiti Putra Malaysia |
| institution_category | Local University |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2025-11-15T13:08:03Z |
| publishDate | 2021 |
| publisher | Universiti Putra Malaysia |
| recordtype | eprints |
| repository_type | Digital Repository |
| spelling | upm-935752025-07-03T08:01:35Z http://psasir.upm.edu.my/id/eprint/93575/ Weathering the economic impact of COVID-19: challenges faced by microentrepreneurs and their coping strategies during Movement Control Order MCO in Malaysia Megat Tajudin, Putri Noorafedah Abd Rahim, Nur Aira Idris, Khairuddin Arshad, Mohd Mursyid The COVID-19 pandemic is a global crisis that has caused a punishing economic impact on businesses, particularly due to many countries adopting measures such as the Movement Control Order (MCO) to curb the spread of the COVID-19 disease. The impact hits the most on microentrepreneurs since they are not able to operate their businesses, of which the margins of profit and resources are relatively small. The purpose of this research was to explore the challenges faced by microentrepreneurs during MCO and their coping strategies used to overcome these challenges. This study utilized the qualitative case study approach and collected interview data among the identified microentrepreneurs that met the criterion sampling. The findings uncover that these microentrepreneurs typically faced challenges related to restricted cash flows, lack of customers and supplies shortage issues which impacted their income and business operations during MCO. These challenges were addressed using coping strategies, namely having the ability to control stress, developing a strong spiritual relationship with God, applying problem solving thinking skills, utilizing social capital (offline and online), and optimizing digital marketing. It is recommended that government agencies, NGOs, and social movement bodies contribute to microentrepreneurs by organising and engaging in digital empowerment programs to enable rural entrepreneurs to leverage on their access to digital commerce, internet marketing and alike. Universiti Putra Malaysia 2021-12 Article PeerReviewed text en cc_by_nc_nd_4 http://psasir.upm.edu.my/id/eprint/93575/1/93575.pdf Megat Tajudin, Putri Noorafedah and Abd Rahim, Nur Aira and Idris, Khairuddin and Arshad, Mohd Mursyid (2021) Weathering the economic impact of COVID-19: challenges faced by microentrepreneurs and their coping strategies during Movement Control Order MCO in Malaysia. Pertanika Journal of Social Sciences and Humanities, 29 (s1.). pp. 271-290. ISSN 0128-7702; eISSN: 2231-8534 http://www.pertanika.upm.edu.my/pjssh/browse/special-issue?article=JSSH(S)-1501-2021 10.47836/PJSSH.29.S1.15 |
| spellingShingle | Megat Tajudin, Putri Noorafedah Abd Rahim, Nur Aira Idris, Khairuddin Arshad, Mohd Mursyid Weathering the economic impact of COVID-19: challenges faced by microentrepreneurs and their coping strategies during Movement Control Order MCO in Malaysia |
| title | Weathering the economic impact of COVID-19: challenges faced by microentrepreneurs and their coping strategies during Movement Control Order MCO in Malaysia |
| title_full | Weathering the economic impact of COVID-19: challenges faced by microentrepreneurs and their coping strategies during Movement Control Order MCO in Malaysia |
| title_fullStr | Weathering the economic impact of COVID-19: challenges faced by microentrepreneurs and their coping strategies during Movement Control Order MCO in Malaysia |
| title_full_unstemmed | Weathering the economic impact of COVID-19: challenges faced by microentrepreneurs and their coping strategies during Movement Control Order MCO in Malaysia |
| title_short | Weathering the economic impact of COVID-19: challenges faced by microentrepreneurs and their coping strategies during Movement Control Order MCO in Malaysia |
| title_sort | weathering the economic impact of covid-19: challenges faced by microentrepreneurs and their coping strategies during movement control order mco in malaysia |
| url | http://psasir.upm.edu.my/id/eprint/93575/ http://psasir.upm.edu.my/id/eprint/93575/ http://psasir.upm.edu.my/id/eprint/93575/ http://psasir.upm.edu.my/id/eprint/93575/1/93575.pdf |