COVID-19 Effects on Companies Owned by Disabled Entrepreneurs

Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic has caused considerable operational and financial challenges to companies, particularly those owned or managed by disabled entrepreneurs. While assessing the impact of the pandemic on the performance of the surveyed companies, this study attempts to explain how disabled entrepreneurs reacted to the effects of the pandemic and their success and shortfalls in overcoming the business and commercial challenges during the pandemic. Focus group discussions were used to collect primary data, with the aim of identifying and exploring different variables that influence the activities of disabled entrepreneurs and affect their business. The content analysis technique was also used to analyze the primary data to determine the status and conditions of companies owned by disabled entrepreneurs and to provide SWOT analysis of these companies. The results revealed that companies owned by disabled entrepreneurs demonstrated resilience and adaptability in surviving the pandemic, despite shortcomings such as falling trade operations, fewer customers, and higher operational expenses. The findings also identified some successful business models, where disabled entrepreneurs were able to adapt to the changing business environment by implementing digital technologies, accepting creative solutions, and changing business strategies. Our findings make original contribution to the field by identifying the serious challenges that encounter disabled entrepreneurs and stressing the urgency of developing specific policies to provide technical and financial support to this group at the time of crises.