The impact of Covid-19 containment lockdowns on MSMEs in India and resilience of exporting firms

B-Tier
Journal: Journal of Economic Behavior and Organization
Year: 2023
Volume: 210
Issue: C
Pages: 320-341

Authors (4)

Chen, Yutong (not in RePEc) Debnath, Sisir (not in RePEc) Sekhri, Sheetal (University of Virginia) Sekhri, Vishal (not in RePEc)

Score contribution per author:

0.503 = (α=2.01 / 4 authors) × 1.0x B-tier

α: calibrated so average coauthorship-adjusted count equals average raw count

Abstract

This study uses data from a survey of micro, small, and medium enterprises in India to document the impact of Covid-19 containment lockdowns on firms, their responses, and adaptation strategies. We find that the profits and sales declined substantially for the majority of firms. Temporary closures, pay cuts, and temporary lay-offs were the key measures utilized by firms to cope with the shock. Firms did not have adequate liquidity to last beyond six months, albeit the majority expected the pandemic to be over within that period. Micro-enterprises were the most fragile. Using a retrospective panel and matching-based difference-in-differences strategy, we show that exporting firms were able to cushion themselves from the domestic market contractions resulting from the lockdown.

Technical Details

RePEc Handle
repec:eee:jeborg:v:210:y:2023:i:c:p:320-341
Journal Field
Theory
Author Count
4
Added to Database
2026-01-25