The Impact of Covid-19 Pandemic on Small Businesses in the UK

This literature review examines the multifaceted impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on small businesses in the United Kingdom. It explores the challenges faced, including reduced profitability, productivity, and operational disruptions due to lockdowns, restrictions, and shifts in consumer behavior. The review highlights strategic responses adopted by these businesses, such as implementing remote working, providing online services, adapting to customer needs, and adhering to government guidelines. Furthermore, it analyzes the benefits derived from these strategies, including improved employee engagement, customer satisfaction, and the ability to navigate future risks. The analysis draws upon various research sources, including academic journals and publications, to provide a comprehensive understanding of the pandemic's effects and the adaptive measures employed by UK small businesses.

Literature Review

Table of Contents
Introduction......................................................................................................................................3
Main body........................................................................................................................................3
Impact of global pandemic on a small business of UK...............................................................3
Strategic ways used by small business of UK to overcome from the Covid-19 pandemic........4
Benefits gained by using strategic ways for small business of UK to manage their business
operations during Covid-19 pandemic........................................................................................5
Conclusion.......................................................................................................................................6
REFERENCES................................................................................................................................7

Introduction
Literature review is also known as the comprehensive summary on a previous research
for the specific topic. It is the review of survey that is from the books, articles, journals and other
sources. The benefit of literature review is collecting the reliable and accurate information of
previous research on a particular topic. It is the evaluation and search of past research on the
given topic (Oztemel, and Gursev, 2020). A literature review helps to understand the overall
topic. In the following literature review, the chosen topic is Covid-19 impacts on a small
business and it will also define the strategic ways that is used by small business of UK to
overcome from the global pandemic. This literature review also helps to define the benefits by
using strategic ways that is used by small business to manage their business operation during the
pandemic.
Main body
Impact of global pandemic on a small business of UK
According to the view of Akpan, Soopramanien and Kwak (2021) there are many impacts
of global pandemic on a small business of UK, as Covid-19 is the difficult situation for all the
business which affects its operation and function. In context to small business of UK, the
pandemic hits the overall area and function of the business which directly affects on the
profitability and productivity. The impact of Covid-19 reduced their performance which is
necessary for the business growth. It is reduce the employment from the business that is affecting
the overall operations of the business. Government decided to close everything including hotel,
restaurants, business, gym, theme park etc. for the people's health and care which affects on the
economy of business of UK. Small business of UK is affected with the challenges of Covid-19.
In the opinion to Nicola and et. al (2020) the Covid-19 impact on the small business of
UK creating many issues that affects the overall production and operation of the business. Global
pandemic situation is the tough situation for all the business which is affecting the overall
performance and growth. The impact of pandemic reduce the employment, job opportunities,
profitability, productivity, growth and many more. It is difficult situation for the small business
to maintain and control the crisis within the business. The consequence of Covid-19 effects the
employee working which reduce the business and its growth. It is also reduce the number of
customers which effects on the sale and profit.

As per the point of view of Shafi, Liu, and Ren (2020) the effect of Covid-19 on the small
business of UK affects their business operations. They are dealing with the losses of revenue.
The effect of Covid-19 change the overall business conditions which is affects the business. It is
create difficulty in taking economy decision for the small business of UK. There are many
restriction due to Covid-19 such as lockdown, closed or shut down everything, social distancing
and many more which is directly impact on the sales, profit, budget, product, employment,
customer satisfaction etc. these effects of Covid-19 pandemic reduce the productivity and
performance of the small business which is directly impact on the sale and profit. Covid-19
creates the negative impact on the small business of UK where the growth of the business is
down because of reducing sales and performance. It is also affects the finances resources for the
business. The effect of Covid-19 decrease the work productivity of the employees which is
affecting the performance of the business. Covid-19 changed the daily activities of the business
which is also the biggest issue for the Small business of UK.
Strategic ways used by small business of UK to overcome from the Covid-19 pandemic
According to the point of view of Liguori and Pittz (2020) there are many strategic ways
that is used by small business of UK to overcome the crisis of global pandemic. They follow the
government''s rules and regulations for everyone's safety. They provided the product & services
at the low price to the customers. They provide product & services according to customer's
needs. They provide home delivery on the customer's orders that is help in customer's safety.
They provide remote working for the employees that is help in employment. They understand the
customers health & care and provide hygiene product and services to them. They provide many
opportunities to employees such as bonus and promotion that is helps in employee satisfaction
and their effective performance. These strategic ways helps the small business to overcome the
crisis of Covid-19 and increase the productivity of the business.
As per the view of Narayanan and et. Al (2021) the strategic ways used by small business
of UK to overcome from the Covid-19 pandemic helps to increase the production and growth of
the business. They used some strategies to improve their performance for future growth. They
used strategies such as use of technology, phone banking, online services, remote working,
introduce new hygiene products and many more that is help the business to overcoming form the
crisis. They followed the rules & regulation that is help in health and care of the people. Covid-
19 is the term where people safety is play a important role so, they understand customer's values

and provide services according to them which help in customer satisfaction. They provide their
orders on home delivery that is help in increasing customer's experience.
In the opinion to Singh and et. Al (2022) the impact of Covid-19 creates many challenges
and issues for the small business of UK where they used some strategic ways for overcoming
from the crisis of Covid-19. They used digital technology in their business which helps them in
smart and effective working. Digital technologies helps them in remote working of employees,
online orders and many more. They follow the decision taken by the government for the people's
health and safety. They used to provide best and better hygiene services to customers that is help
in customers satisfaction. They provided services according to customer's needs that is help in
increasing the customer's experience.
Benefits gained by using strategic ways for small business of UK to manage their business
operations during Covid-19 pandemic
According to the point of view of Mahdi and Nassar (2021) there are many benefits that
is gained by using the strategic ways for small business of UK. They are able to manage and
control their business operation during the global pandemic. Strategic ways offers the job
opportunities and offers which allows the business to manage employees engagement. They are
able to protect their customers and employees during the Covid-19 by followed the government's
rules & regulation. They are able to increase the productivity and performance of the business by
increasing the employees motivation. They are able to analysed the risk and issues of future that
is helps them to faced the challenges in future.
In the opinion to Caballero-Morales (2021) the benefits of using strategic ways within the
business helped them to manage and develop the overall business operation for the future
growth. It is helped them to encourage and motivate the employees by offering them bonus and
promotion on their best performance. They used to understand the customer's value and needs
and provided services & products according to them. During the Covid-19 customers demand for
the best and better quality product so, they provide the best quality products to increase the
customers satisfaction. They are able to take the best effective working of employees that is
helped them in business growth and success.
As per the view of Nayal, Pandey, and Paul (2022) the benefits of using strategic ways
for small business helped them to mange their business operation and improve the performance
of the future growth. The benefits they gained such as increasing productivity, performance,

sales, profitability, growth and many more which are helped them to increase the production of
the business. It is helped them to attract more customers and increase their experience towards
product and services. The benefit of strategic ways help to analysis the future risk that is helped
them to faced it in future without any hesitation.
Conclusion
From the above literature review, it has been concluded that the impact of global
pandemic hits the business function and operation of a small business. It is create many
challenges for small business of UK such as reduce productivity, profitability, effective working
of employees etc. during the Covid-19 pandemic, government taking decision for the people's
health and safety where they announced lockdown and closed everything which directly impact
on the business performance. It has been analysed that there are many strategic ways to
overcome the crisis of global pandemic that is used by Small business of UK, where they used to
provide services according to customers needs, provide remote working to employees,
understand the people heath & safety etc. the use of strategic ways, there are some benefits of it
to the small business where it is helps the business to increase their productivity and performance
and also increase the employees motivation that is helping the business in effective working and
managing their business operations.

REFERENCES
Books and Journals
Akpan, I. J., Soopramanien, D., & Kwak, D. H. (2021). Cutting-edge technologies for small
business and innovation in the era of COVID-19 global health pandemic. Journal of
Small Business & Entrepreneurship, 33(6), 607-617.
Caballero-Morales, S. O. (2021). Innovation as recovery strategy for SMEs in emerging
economies during the COVID-19 pandemic. Research in international business and
finance, 57, 101396.
Liguori, E.W. & Pittz, T.G., 2020. Strategies for small business: Surviving and thriving in the
era of COVID-19. Journal of the International Council for Small Business, 1(2), pp.106-
110.
Mahdi, O. R., & Nassar, I. A. (2021). The business model of sustainable competitive advantage
through strategic leadership capabilities and knowledge management processes to
overcome covid-19 pandemic. Sustainability, 13(17), 9891.
Narayanan, V., & et. al., (2021). Toward a strategic approach to studying COVID-19
pandemic. Journal of Strategy and Management.
Nayal, P., Pandey, N., & Paul, J. (2022). Covid‐19 pandemic and consumer‐employee‐
organization wellbeing: A dynamic capability theory approach. Journal of Consumer
Affairs, 56(1), 359-390.
Nicola, M. & et. al., (2020). The socio-economic implications of the coronavirus pandemic
(COVID-19): A review. International journal of surgery, 78, 185-193.
Oztemel, E., & Gursev, S. (2020). Literature review of Industry 4.0 and related
technologies. Journal of Intelligent Manufacturing, 31(1), 127-182.
Shafi, M., Liu, J., & Ren, W. (2020). Impact of COVID-19 pandemic on micro, small, and
medium-sized Enterprises operating in Pakistan. Research in Globalization, 2, 100018.
Singh, S., & et. al., (2022). Explaining the revival strategies of Indian MSMEs to mitigate the
effects of COVID-19 outbreak. Benchmarking: An International Journal.