Empowering small businesses in a pandemic: Governance of cross-sector responses

Year 2022, Volume: 4 Issue: 1, 14 - 20, 01.07.2022

Anita Djoble-d’almeida , Elizabeth Gianna Boye Marcel Djoble D’almeıda

Abstract

Governance of cross-sector partnerships involving the public and private sector actors has been explored in literature. However, little is known about a complicated governance arrangement involving multiple actors including informal sector players and market women in response to a pandemic to achieve an unprecedented outcome. The study focused on the implications of standards and regulations imposed by government and its agencies on small and female-owned enterprises producing PPEs in a partnership arrangement to address the Covid-19 pandemic in Ghana. Following the analysis of data collected qualitatively from 38 participants to explore the phenomenon, the findings concluded suggest that business associations can play a vital role to support and empower small businesses in complicated governance arrangements in a time of crisis. The study recommends that government agencies should be creative in the enforcement of standards and regulations to empower small businesses taking initiatives to respond to a pandemic while sustaining their livelihoods.

Keywords

Crisis management, Covid-19 pandemic, Cross-sector partnership, Governance, Empowering small businesses

Supporting Institution

Ghana Institute of Management and Public Administration

Project Number

Not Applicable

Thanks

Thanks

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