Investigating SME Response to COVID-19: Ethics and UK Implications

This assignment presents a research ethics application for a project investigating the impact of COVID-19 on small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in the United Kingdom. The application, submitted by a student, includes a completed ethics form (Section A) and a data management and storage form (Section B). The research aims to understand the challenges faced by SMEs during the pandemic, explore strategies for business recovery and continuity, and assess the effectiveness of government policies and national schemes. The project utilizes secondary data and employs a descriptive research design. The introduction provides background information on the negative implications of COVID-19 on the economy and SMEs, emphasizing the importance of these businesses to the UK economy. The literature review covers challenges related to capital accumulation, money management, and the shift to online business models, along with potential solutions such as prioritizing employee safety, managing cash flow, and communicating with stakeholders. The methodology section outlines the research design, participants (if applicable), and data collection methods. The research is focused on secondary data collection only, and the student confirms there is no intention to involve human participants directly, thus addressing ethical considerations related to participant involvement, vulnerable groups, and security-sensitive materials.

Secondary Data collection Only
Research Ethics
You are required to complete an ethics application BEFORE you
embark on the data collection exercise of the research project
Please complete all the following sections:
- Section A: Ethics Form
- Section B: Data management and storage form
RESEARCH ETHICS AND INTEGRITY

RISK ASSESSMENT FORM
Section A: FORM A
For all Undergraduate/Postgraduate Dissertations and Research
Projects
Please fill in this form, then SAVE IT AS A PDF and submit as instructed by your supervisor
with your project proposal

PROJECT DESCRIPTON
Please answer the following questions:
1. Do you intend to involve human participants in the conduct of your research?
If no, please skip questions 2 & 3.
Yes ✅No
2. Does your research involve vulnerable adults or under-18s?
Yes ✅No
3. Could your research potentially expose you, anyone assisting you, or
participants to emotional harm?
Yes ✅No
4. Will your research involve travelling to geo-politically unstable
regions/countries (e.g. areas affected by war, civil unrest, natural disasters, or
listed as unadvisable to travel by the UK government?
Yes ✅No
5. Will your research involve access to security-sensitive material? If yes, you
must include a data management statement.
Yes ✅No
This proposal must be completed with the assistance of your supervisor. You
can change the size of the boxes (below) by typing or deleting as necessary.
It is very important to convey with clarity:
• Your research questions/the problem/the theme or topic you are investigating
(what you are proposing to do and to find out or to create)
• The methodology or technical approach (for projects comprising in whole or
in part the creation of an artefact) you will adopt – methods, number of
participants, who the participants (if any) will be, survey instruments used
technology and equipment employed etc.; and what questions you are
planning to ask your respondents (if applicable); how you will deal with
technical challenges.
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Title of project
To investigate the response of small and medium sized enterprises to COVID-19
disruption: implications for the United Kingdom (UK).
WHERE APPROPRIATE TO YOUR CHOSEN TOPIC/RESEARCH: YES NO N/A
1 Will you describe in writing the main procedures to participants in
advance, so that they are informed about what to expect? A copy of
this must be attached to this application ✅
2 Will you tell participants that their participation is voluntary?
✅
3 Will you obtain written consent for participation and include within this
that they have a right to withdraw at any point? A copy of this must be
attached to this application ✅
4 If the research is observational, will you ask participants for their
consent to being observed? ✅
5 With questionnaires, will you give participants the option of omitting
questions they do not want to answer? ✅
6 Will you tell participants that their data will be treated with full
confidentiality and that, if published, it will not be identifiable as
theirs? This should be evidenced in the consent form and with a
signed copy of UWL’s data management form, attached to this
application.
✅
7 Will you debrief participants at the end of their participation (i.e. give
them a brief explanation of the study)? A copy of this must be
attached to this application ✅
If you have ticked No to any of Q1-7, but have ticked box A overleaf, please give an
explanation on a separate sheet.
[Note: N/A = not applicable]

YES NO N/A
8 Will your project involve deliberately misleading participants in any
way?
X
9 Is there any realistic risk of any participants experiencing either
physical or psychological distress or discomfort? If Yes, give details
on a separate sheet and state what you will tell them to do if they
should experience any problems (e.g. who they can contact for help).
X
If you have ticked Yes to 8 or 9, you should normally tick box B overleaf; if not, please
give a full explanation on a separate sheet
YES NO N/A
10 Does your project involve work with animals? If yes, please tick
box B overleaf. ✅
11 Do participants fall into any of
the following vulnerable
groups? If they do, please and
tick box B overleaf.
Note that you may also need
to obtain satisfactory DBS
clearance (or equivalent for
overseas students).
Schoolchildren (under 18 years of
age) ✅
People with learning or
communication difficulties ✅
Patients ✅
People in custody ✅
People engaged in illegal
activities (e.g. drug-taking) ✅
Any other groups who could be
reasonably argued as
representing any form of
vulnerability – please specify
✅
12 Will you be accessing materials which may be considered security-
sensitive under the Counter Terrorism Act (2015)? ✅
There is an obligation on the researcher to bring to the attention of the School Ethics Panel any
issues with ethical implications not clearly covered by the above checklist.
PLEASE TICK EITHER BOX A OR BOX B BELOW AND PROVIDE THE DETAILS REQUIRED
IN SUPPORT OF YOUR APPLICATION. THEN SIGN THE FORM.
Please tick
A. I consider that this project has no significant ethical implications to be brought
before the School Ethics Panel.
X
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B. I consider that this project may have ethical implications that should be brought
before the School Ethics Panel, and/or it will be carried out with children or other
vulnerable populations.
I have received guidance on ethical research practices relevant to my subject as part of
my preparation for this module.
Signed __ Print Name__IRIS NOBILE COSTA Date _29/01/2021______________
(UG Researcher(s))
Signed ___________________________
(Supervisor)

PART 2
SPECIFICATIONS OF PROJECT
Please answer the following question:
1. Do you intend to use only secondary data in the conduct of your research?
✅ Yes No
Introduction to the research
Background to research topic area (with references where applicable). 200 words approx.
Include Aims and Hypothesis, Research Question(s) of the dissertation/project.
Overview
COVID-19 is regarded as the major issue within existing economy as this has given
tremendous negative implications on the growth and sustainability of the economy and
business existence to almost every industry. Specifically, for small and medium industry,
this industry is dependent on regular resources so this is seen that COVID has given
immense negative implication to the businesses of small and medium scale. Small and
medium size business are playing prominent role within enhancing economy of UK in
vital manner. These businesses are providing higher employment opportunities to people
along with providing strategic direction as well which enhances growth opportunities for
the nation and economy as well. In current scenario COVID-19 has given various
disruption to the economy and small and medium industry as well. In order to continue
business various challenges are being faced by the entity and they are creating barriers
for their survival and continuity and one of them is COVID implication. This research
report is covering various aspect of response provided by small and medium size
business in response to COVID -19. Being a researcher the major role is to provide
recommendations o SME that how can they deal with situation of COVID.
Aim
“To investigate the response of small and medium sized enterprises to COVID-19
disruption: Implications for the United Kingdom”.
Objectives
 To analyse the challenges which are being faced by SME during COVID
outbreak.
 To explore the ways in which SME's can recover from COVID-19 threats for
ensuring business continuity.
 To examine those ways which can be used by SME's in decision making so that
to minimise threat implicated by COVID-19.
 To investigate effectiveness of national scheme and policy interventions those are
supporting sustainability of SME's in COVID crisis.
 To recommend the ways in which existing threat within external environment after
COVID implication can be minimised by SME.
Questions
 What are the challenges which are being faced by SME's during crisis of COVID?
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 What are the ways that can be used by SME's to start business recovery from
COVID outbreak and ensure business continuity?
 What are the policies and national schemes that can be used by SME's in order to
inhale business sustainability during COVID crisis?
 What are those practices that can be adopted by SME's for minimising threats
within external environment due to implication of COVID-19.
Literature review
Challenges which are being faced by SME's during crisis of COVID
According to Chacon B., 2020, The major challenge retained with SME after outbreak of
COVID is associated with problems in accumulating capital as supply lines of goods are
barred and due to this they are not able to pay their rent and other fixed expenses. On
the other hand as trend of internet has emerged after COVID and for every SME's
suddenly changing route of their business is not easy. Money management is the biggest
challenge which is coming for SME's as COVID has magnified the challenge of money
and closed doors for various businesses to run their operations.
Ways that can be used by SME's to start business recovery from COVID outbreak
and ensure business continuity
As per the view point of Basnayake H., 2020, this is analysed that businesses are using
proactive measures in order to deal with COVID crisis and for this businesses are trying
to prioritise safety of their employees so that appropriate engagement can be exerted.
Besides this in order to deal with problem of money management short-term liquidity is
required to be evaluated so that various risks related with cash flow can be minimised.
The another way adopted by business to recover from COVID crisis is to start
communicating with their stakeholders so that various disruptions can be prevented.
Policies and national schemes that can be used by SME's in order to inhale
business sustainability during COVID crisis
As per the opinion of Tong I., 2020, there are various policies and Acts made by the
government so that financial losses to SME's can be minimised and mitigated up to the
level. Government of UK has announced amendments in their taxes and financial policies
so that circumstances related to COVID can be managed in appropriate manner. Besides
this income tax rebate is given to citizens so that they can save money for their personal
use and subsist life in prominent manner. Another policy is related with minimising
burden from companies by introducing temporary social insurance contribution and
reduction.
Practices that can be adopted by SME's for minimising threats within external
environment due to implication of COVID
According to Priya B., 2020, communication is the key to manage transparency within
business and this could be helpful for customers to understand perception of product and
services offered to them. On the other hand by developing culture of working from home
this may provide acknowledgement to the business to inhale the reason by which
flexibility can be given to their employees. On the other hand when a SME is engaged in
manufacturing or product related business then using online platform to manage their
business would be the most advantageous aspect for them to deal external threats.

Method
Outline all methodological issues - e.g. Design, participants, questionnaires, tests,
method of data collection. Who are you working with? How? What Measures? What
interventions/manipulations? What controls? If your research entails exclusively the
consultation of published documents, books, articles or other work in the public domain
please state this under the heading ‘materials’.
Research design
There are three types of research design which can be used by a researcher in order to
conduct provided research in effective manner. These research designs are descriptive,
exploratory and experimental. Under this research descriptive research is being used as
this type of research is helpful in describing population or situation existed within
research.
Participants (where applicable)
Sampling: Sampling is a technique which can be used within a research in order to
analyse the topic in statistical manner and to select population out of larger population so
that to take out results of research in effective manner. There are two types of sampling
techniques such as probability sampling and non probability sampling. Within this
research probability sampling is used and 20 SME's existed within UK is being
undertaken as sample in order to carry out results of research in prominent way.
Secondary data will be used in order to analyse data in correct way.
Materials (to include locations and resources)
The research is being conducted in UK and major resources are defined as time,
stationery and transportation. These are the resources which are helpful for a research to
attain its efficacy. By using books, journals, websites, internet resources data can be
collected in appropriate manner.
Analysis
CLEARLY describe the method of analysis you are going to use. Is it qualitative or
quantitative?
Under this research quantitative analysis will be used and under that frequency
distribution table analysis will be used so that to draw effective results within research.
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Section B: RESEARCH ETHICS AND INTEGRITY
DATA MANAGEMENT AND STORAGE STATEMENT
All applicants should familiarise themselves with the Data Protection Act
1998, and adhere to its principles in all aspects of their research:
Research data covers a broad range of types of information (see examples
below), and digital data can be structured and stored in a variety of file
formats.
EXAMPLES OF RESEARCH DATA
Some examples of research data:
Documents (text, Word), spreadsheets
Laboratory notebooks, field notebooks, diaries
Questionnaires, transcripts, codebooks
Audiotapes, videotapes
Photographs, films
Test responses
Slides, artefacts, specimens, samples
Collection of digital objects acquired and generated during the process of
research
Database contents (video, audio, text, images)
Models, algorithms, scripts
Contents of an application (input, output, logfiles for analysis software,
simulation software, schemas)
Methodologies and workflows
Standard operating procedures and protocols

As a student or member of staff undertaking a research project, I
understand that I am responsible for the following:
 The security and confidentiality of all data collected
 Mitigating all risks to anonymity, privacy and confidentiality posed
by all kinds of personal information storage, processing, including
computer and paper files, e-mail records, audio and video files, and
any information that directly identifies an individual. It is
recommended that data be anonymised at the point of collection.
I will ensure that:
 Data and codes and all identifying information will be kept in
separate locked filing cabinets/files and working files will contain no
identifying information, and will only be accessed by one or two
persons
 All audiotapes will be transcribed using codes or pseudonyms for
identification of individuals and destroyed upon completion of the
research project
 Access to computer files will be available by password only
 Research data will be stored for up to 5 years after the end of the
project, after which they should be disposed of safely.
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