- Improving the ability of micro-SMEs to analyse the nature of the changing ecosystem during and after the pandemic post-pandemic and to develop the new managerial and organisational insight to find new ways to serve their customers and communities. - Supplementing the educational programmes which train the potential entrepreneurs and managers for SMEs with the curriculum developed by the project partners that includes the new ways of doing business in the post pandemic period. - Contributing to shaping the education and incentive policies of public institutions responsible for the development and competitiveness of micro-SMEs, by producing relevant educational material.
As observed in research, SMEs had less resilience and flexibility in dealing with the negative effects of the pandemy. Costs for prevention, as well as requested changes in work processes, such as the shift to teleworking were relatively higher for SMEs given their smaller size. Also, in many instances, there was low level of digitalisation and difficulties in accessing and adopting technologies. If production was reduced in response to the developments, the costs of underutilised labour and capital weighed greater on SMEs than larger companies. Furthermore, SMEs found it harder to obtain information e.g. on measures to halt the spread of the virus, but also on possible business strategies to lighten the shock, and government initiatives available to provide support. Our project thus aimed to provide educational materials to help micro-SMEs to identify and develop the new competitive skills, new organisational forms, new business process designs, new organisational systems, new functional skills and new human resources profile that businesses will need in the pandemic and the post-pandemic period, combined with good and best (video) practices. By doing this, micro-SMEs' ability to cope with post-pandemic challenges increased.