Abstract:
COVID – 19 as a globally spread virus, has led to inactive almost all the economies in the world and
it has been created a negative impact on all businesses especially including SMEs worldwide. This
study provides a detailed analysis of how the COVID - 19 has affected the performance of SMEs in
the Uva Province of Sri Lanka.Moreover this study has been focused to identify SME holders ability
to conduct the business siring the pandemic situation. This study has adopted the quantitative
approach as research design. In addition the questionnaire was the major instrument of data
collection administered to the one hundred and twenty (120) respondents from two (02) districts in
Uva Province namely, Monaragala (56) and Badulla (64). The data obtained under three constructs
consisting of 38 dimensions were analyzed employing both descriptive analysis and t - test analysis
by using IBM SPSS software. The findings of the study have revealed that COVID – 19 has affected
the performance of SMEs in Uva Province in both positive and negative manner. It further revealed
that there is a significant difference in the financial performances and marketing performances of
SMEs in Uva Province during the COVID – 19 and before the COVID - 19. However, innovative
performances of SMEs have increased during COVID – 19 compared to the Pre COVID – 19 Period.
Moreover, the study provides details about SME holders‟ ability to conduct the business even under
a pandemic situation. The studt revealved that the majority of SME holders (give the percentage if
available) have the ability to continue their businessess only about 3 to 6 months under this pandemic
situation.
Keywords: COVID – 19; Small and Medium Enterprises; Performance of SMEs; Financial
Performance; Innovative Performance; Operational performance
