Marketing Activities and Covid-19: A Mediating Role of Performance of Micro Enterprises in Southeast of Nigeria

Introduction: The study examines the relationship between marketing activities and COVID-19 as a mediating role of performance of micro enterprises in Southeast of Nigeria. Materials and Method: The applied survey research design with close ended questionnaire which was administered to the respondents who were the owners of micro enterprises in South East of Nigeria. The variables used were wearing of mask, hand washing with water and sanitizer, staying at home and keeping social distance which were used as measures of COVID-19 and marketing activities were measured with price, product, promotion and place while performance were measured using expansion, survival, number of employees, and capital employed. The population of the study is the entire micro enterprises in Southeast of Nigeria and the sample size of 389 was derived using Taro Yamane formula. The variables were tested for reliability and result showed that all the variables were reliable. The study used Partial Least Square Structural Equation Model (PLS-SEM) to test the hypotheses and to determine if there is an effect of independent variables on dependent variable. Results: COVID-19 is significant in enhancing performance of micro enterprises in Southeast of Nigeria and marketing activities is significant in solving COVID-19 problem by Micro enterprises in Southeast of Nigeria while marketing activities is insignificant in achieving performance by Micro enterprises in Southeast of Nigeria. Conclusion: The study recommended that Micro enterprises in Southeast of Nigeria should continue to apply price concept, product concept, promotion, and place strategy in conducting their activities since it helps in solving the problem of COVID-19 and minimize the rate of spread of the virus since marketing activities are conducted by observing the government policies of COVID-19.

COVID-19 and Survival Strategies of Small Businesses in Nigeria

Introduction: The study examined the effect of COVID-19 on the survival strategies of small businesses in Nigeria. Materials and method: The applied survey research design with a close ended questionnaire which was administered to the respondents who were the owners of small businesses in Benue State of Nigeria. The variables used were number of deaths, number of confirmed cases and number of recovery cases which were used as measures of COVID-19 while survival strategies were measured with retrenchment strategies, investment strategies and ambidextrous strategies. The population of the study is the entire small businesses in Benue State of Nigeria and the sample size of 297 was derived using Taro Yamane formula. The variables were tested for reliability and result showed that all the variables were reliable. The study used regression with the aid of SPSS version 20. Results: There was a negative and significant effect of COVID-19 on survival strategies of small businesses in Benue State of Nigeria. Conclusion: The study recommended that small businesses in Benue State should continue to apply survival strategies during COVID-19 such as retrenchment strategies in terms reduction in the number of employments, reduction in expenditure (additional cost or overhead cost) and closure of additional branches of business establishment. They should also continue to adopt investment strategies such as investment in innovation, increase in resources and estimating growth measures of the firms.

Effect of COVID-19 on the Performance of Small Businesses in Nigeria

Introduction: The study examined the effect of COVID-19 on the growth of small businesses in Nigeria. Materials and Method: In this study, survey research design was used with the aid of a close ended questionnaire which was administered to the respondents who were the owners of small businesses in FCT, Nigeria. The variables used were social distancing, lockdown, face mask and washing of hands which were used as measures of COVID-19 while number of customers, increases in sales or patronage and number of employees were used as measures of growth. The population of the study is the entire small businesses in FCT, and the sample size of 253 was derived using Taro Yamane formula. The variables were tested for reliability. The study used regression with the aid of SPSS version 20. Results: There was a negative and significant effect of COVID-19 on the performance (growth) of small businesses in Nigeria. Conclusion: The study recommended that Government of Nigeria especially Federal Capital Authority Administration in Nigeria should ensure provide financial assistance to small businesses to recover from the negative effect of COVID-19. They should encourage small businesses by removing them from multiple taxations so they can survive their businesses.