OPERATIONAL STRATEGIES ADOPTED BY SELECTED SMALL-MEDIUM

ENTERPRISES IN THE MUNICIPALITY OF NAVAL, BILIRAN PROVINCE

DURING THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC

_____________________________

A Thesis
Presented to
the Faculty of School of Arts and Sciences
Biliran Province State University
Naval, Biliran

_____________________________

In Partial Fulfillment
Of the Requirements for the Degree
Bachelor of Science Business Administration Major in
Financial Management

ANGELYN AGUSTIN
AILEEN GONZALES
IRIS JAMOT
MARY ANN BACALLA
ALMA PAGHID

June 2022

1
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Page
TITLE PAGE ………………………………………………………. 1
ABSTRACT ………………………………………………………… 2
TABLE OF CONTENTS ………………………………………….. 3
LIST OF TABLES ………………………………………………….
LIST OF APPENDICES ……………………………………………
APPROVAL SHEET ………………………………………………
ACKNOWLEDGMENT …………………………………………….

CHAPTER I- INTRODUCTION

Background of the Study ……………………………………………

Objective of the Study ………………………………………………
Theoretical Framework ……………………………………………..
Conceptual Framework ……………………………………………..
Significance of the Study ……………………………………………
Scope and Delimitation ……………………………………………..
Definition of Terms …………………………………………………..

CHAPTER II
Review of Related Literature ……………………………………….

CHAPTER III- Methodology

Research Design …………………………………………………….

Research Locale ……………………………………………………..
Data Gathering Procedure ………………………………………….
Data Scoring ………………………………………………………….
Statistical Treatment of Data ………………………………………..

2
CHAPTER IV- RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

Results and Discussion ………………………………………………

CHAPTER V- SUMMARY, CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATION

Summary ……………………………………………………………….
Conclusions ……………………………………………………………
Recommendations …………………………………………………….

REFERENCES …………………………………………………………
APPENDICES ………………………………………………………….
CURRICULUM VITAE …………………………………………………

3
LIST OF TABLES
Tables Page

1 The Profile of the Small-Medium

Enterprises …………………………………………………..

2 The Challenges Faced by the Owners of

Micro Small-Medium especially
during the Pandemic ………………………………………..

3 The Marketing Strategies Adopted by Owners

of Micro Small-Medium Enterprises Experienced
during the Pandemic ……………………………………….

4 Level of Effectiveness of operational strategies adopted

by owners and workers of small - medium enterprises
in the MUNICIPALITY OF NAVAL, BILIRAN PROVINCE
during pandemic………………………………………………

4
LIST OF APPENDICES
APPENDIX Page

1 Letter to the Dean …………………………………………..

2 Letter to the Municipal Mayor of Naval…………………….

3 Letter to the Respondents …………………………………

5
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

This thesis would not have been possible without the guidance and the
help of several individuals who in one way or another, had contributed and
extended their valuable assistance in the preparation and completion of this
study.

We are grateful to our parents, friends, and loved ones for their constant
support. Without your prayers and financial and emotional support, we would
not have accomplished this. All that we do is for the achievement of our
dreams.

To our Dean Analiza B. Calles, EdD, in SAS Department, to our

Chairperson Vicente Q. Solteo, Jr. LIB, DM, to our Instructor Vennie G. Coton,
MPM, Claire Theresa S. Bentor, MAEd , to Roland A. Niez, EdD, to Annel
Ruth D. Celis, DPA.

We sincerely appreciate our instructors, research adviser, research

panelists, and university officials for the knowledge they have imparted to us
and for the guidance in making this possible.

We are forever prayerful and thankful to God, who makes things possible
for those who believe in him.

ANGELYN AGUSTIN
AILEEN GONZALES
IRIS JAMOT
MARY ANN BACALLA
ALMA PAGHID

6
APPROVAL SHEET

This thesis entitled; "OPERATIONAL STRATEGIES ADOPTED BY

SELECTED SMALL-MEDIUM ENTERPRISES IN THE MUNICIPALITY OF
NAVAL, BILIRAN PROVINCE DURING THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC"
prepared and submitted by ANGELYN AGUSTIN, AILEEN GONZALES, IRIS
JAMOT, MARY ANN BACALLA, ALMA PAGHID, In Partial Fulfillment Of the
Requirements for the Degree Bachelor of Science in Business Administration
Major in Financial Management has been examined and recommended for
acceptance and approval for Oral Examination.

Date Approved: ____________ VENNIE G. COTON, MPM

Instructor

THESIS COMMITTEE
Approved by the Committee on Oral Examination with a grade of __________

VICENTE Q. SOLTEO, JR. LIB, DM

Chairperson

VENNIE G. COTON, MPM CLAIRE THERESA S. BENTOR MAEd

Lead Technical, Core Asst. Lead Technical Core

VICENTE Q. SOLTEO JR., LIB DM ROLAND A. NIEZ,EdD.

SAS Core-Grammar SAS Core-Statistician

Accepted and approved in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree
Bachelor of Science in Business Administration.

Recommending Approval:

ANALIZA B. CALLES, EdD. VICTOR C. CAÑEZO,JR.,Ed.D,

Dean, School of Arts and Sciences University President III
7
Chapter I

INTRODUCTION

Background of the Study

The Center for Disease Control and Prevention of the United States of

America has defined the COVID-19 (Coronavirus Disease 2019) as a virus-

borne disease caused by SARS-CoV-2 in December 2019 in Wuhan, China. It

is very infectious and has rapidly spread around the world. COVID-19 is most

commonly associated with respiratory symptoms that resemble a cold, the flu,

or pneumonia. It has been found that the disease may cause damage to more

than only your lungs and respiratory system. The condition may also affect

other sections of your body.

According to Error: Reference source not found. Countries have

declared lockdown and quarantine measures to control the spread of the

virus. Other aspects of the community have also been affected. Education,

health facilities, and the economic stability of countries have been greatly

affected. However, growing criticisms from the opposition and international

media have been thrown at how the Philippine government handled the

pandemic. News Agency, the Strait Times, reported that on March 16, 2020,

Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte declared a state of emergency

throughout the country. The restrictions put in place were among the most

stringent in Asia. As the Philippines struggles to manage an epidemic, Duterte

instructed most businesses to shut down, except banks, money transfer

8
services, utilities, telecommunications, and outsourcing and export

enterprises. Public markets, supermarkets, grocers, convenience stores,

clinics, hospitals, pharmacies, and pharmacy stores will open. Most malls

have opted to close, although their groceries and pharmacies will remain

open.

According to Error: Reference source not found. That the World Bank

recorded that in August 2020, layoffs were especially severe in the sectors of

the Philippines, particularly the construction sector (56%) and public

transportation (52%), while cumulative job losses were seen among informal

workers such as laundry women, hairdressers, and workers in small

canteens; and in everyday retail such as "sari-sari" stores, street vendors, and

markets. According to reports, 70 percent of communities' informal agriculture

and 61 percent of small-scale farming saw severe labor losses.

Error: Reference source not found. The Asian Development Bank also

recorded that companies were obliged to make workforce modifications due to

the epidemic. In April, 41.9 percent of the firms polled provided leave to full-

time regular employees, 41.4 percent decreased their working hours, and

32.0 percent lowered their salaries and perks; just 14.7 percent laid off staff.

Meanwhile, 20.7 percent of businesses employed new full-time personnel to

satisfy peak home demand.

According to Error: Reference source not found. In the Province of Biliran,

Governor Rogelio Espina issued Executive Order 18 announcing a border

9
closure to safeguard its citizens from the pandemic threat. Only vessels and

vehicles carrying vital necessities and crucial products are authorized to enter

the disinfected province as part of the limitations placed in place to limit

mobility. The move included closing establishments that were deemed "non-

essential." Error: Reference source not found Non-residents are not permitted

to enter the province unless they are health workers, uniformed personnel

responding to public health and peacekeeping, government employees with

relevant certificates, or authorized people working in critical services.

The study will provide the operational strategies of small-medium

enterprises owners and workers and focus on the pandemic experiences from

March 2020 until December 2020. This study is beneficial to help in the plight

to understand the economic effects of the Coronavirus pandemic on small-

medium enterprises since existing studies, however, only show data from

metropolitan areas in the Philippines. These statements shall also be helpful

for the government to make policies and contingencies which are inclusive

and sustainable, even for these small enterprises.

Objectives of the Study:

Generally, this study aims to understand better the operational

strategies adopted by owners and workers of small-medium enterprises in the

Municipality of Almeria, Biliran Province. It shall focus on the struggles and

the emotional and mental scuffles towards the uncertainty of the pandemic.

Specifically, it aims to answer the following:

10
 The Profile of the of the Micro Small-Medium Enterprises

o Tenure of the business

o Type of business

o Number of Workers

o Estimated monthly revenue

 What are the strategies adopted by owners of micro small-medium

enterprises experienced during the pandemic? Specifically;

o Marketing strategies

o Workforce

 Level of Effectiveness of operational strategies adopted by owners and

workers of small - medium enterprises in the MUNICIPALITY OF NAVAL,

BILIRAN PROVINCE during pandemic.

The Framework of the Study

Theoretical Framework of the Study

This research is anchored based on the Resource-Based Theory by

Birner Warnerfelt. The explanation from the journal of the Southern

Management Association has said that many enterprises saw huge revenue

drops due to the lockdown and severe recession, resulting in severe cash-

flow concerns.

According to Error: Reference source not found. Deplete cash

reserves or get funds from other sources (e.g., borrowing and asset sales) to

remain viable. Long-term sustainable competitive advantage from valuable,

11
rare, inimitable, and non-substitutable (VRIN) resources has become a more

pressing problem for many organizations than survival (i.e., current

competitive advantage and value appropriation).

Error: Reference source not found. The threat-rigidity effect, which

argues that organizations respond to problems by restricting innovation and

narrowing their attention to what has succeeded in the past, has bolstered this

short-term change in priorities.

According to Error: Reference source not found. Firms must, however,

prepare for the New Normal environment that will emerge following the

pandemic. Many businesses have demonstrated their ability to adapt to the

pandemic in the short term, but they will need different resources and new

ways to use them in the long run. As a result, resource orchestration becomes

even more critical. Firms may need more flexible resources and new

capabilities to compete in the new environment, including a rapidly changing

competitive landscape. Has envisioned that to achieve adaptive efficiency,

firms may need to focus less on resource attributes (VRIN) and more on

routines and processes that allow them to reconfigure resources and

capabilities to operate effectively in the new environment. Practices typically

evolve as businesses learn what is required to adapt.

Error: Reference source not found. Resource Orchestration to Create

Competitive Advantage: Breadth, Depth, and Life Cycle Effects, when

environmental jolts and disruptions occur, routines must also change quickly

to allow firms to rapidly acquire/develop new resources and bundle them to

create new capabilities.

12
According to Error: Reference source not found. The Agency Theory is

another theory that was used in this study. The agency theory is distinguished

by an "agency problem," which refers to a conflict of interest between

principals (owners) and agents (managers). Before the pandemic, one point of

contention was short-term versus long-term value. Some management

scholars have criticized companies that prioritize short-term financial returns

over long-term value.

The pandemic has heightened the debate because many businesses

have chosen to focus on short-term survival while still facing pressures to

identify different strategies for long-term success. Due to the apparent

pandemic's ambiguity, ensuring that managers (agents) prioritize the owners'

interests has become more critical and complex because resources are

scarce, firm survival is threatened, and some managers' jobs are at stake.

Furthermore, most owners and managers have little experience dealing with

events such as the pandemic, making it challenging to identify strategic

decisions and actions that maximize shareholder value. Because of the

unprecedented disruption, the usual cognitive processes and heuristics for

achieving and evaluating this outcome may be less effective.

13
Conceptual Framework

The conceptual framework of the study was the presented hereunder.

Profile of OWNERS
AND WORKERS OF
OPERATIONAL LEVEL OF
SMALL - MEDIUM EFFECTIVENESS
ENTERPRISES STRATEGIES
OF OPERATIONAL
ADOPTED BY
STRATEGIES
 Tenure of OWNERS AND ADOPTED BY
Business WORKERS OF SMALL OWNERS AND
- MEDIUM WORKERS OF
 Type of Business SMALL - MEDIUM
ENTERPRISES IN THE
ENTERPRISES IN
 Number of MUNICIPALITY OF
THE MUNICIPALITY
Workers NAVAL, BILIRAN
OF NAVAL, BILIRAN
PROVINCE DURING PROVINCE DURING
 Estimated PANDEMIC PANDEMIC
Monthly Income

14
Significance of the Study:

Using different operational strategies just to have an income and profit

and to sustain business during pandemic has brought big impact. Therefore,
this study is viewed as important to the following:

Small and Medium-sized [Link] research aims to understand

the hardships, sacrifices, and lives of owners and workers in small and

medium-sized businesses, how the pandemic affects their livelihood and

financial stability, to overcome and survive these difficulties in the face of the

pandemic. The study will also provide knowledge about strategies that could

be used to assist owners and workers in small-medium enterprises with their

problems

Government and Other Governing bodies. The study will provide the

government and other governing bodies with a deeper understanding of the

effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on Micro-Small Medium Enterprises.

Giving employment to displaced workers during the pandemic has always

been part of the problems of any government, and suggesting businesses

should help small economies to prosper. This research will also benefit

businesses to have alternatives to operational strategies to survive the

pandemic.

Researchers from the academe, this study should result in another

system that aims to know effective operating procedures.

Future Researchers. Using this study Future Researchers will be

aware of the phenomenon in which owners and workers in small-medium

15
enterprises face numerous challenges as a result of the pandemic, which

results in poverty and other social issues.

Scope and Delimitation

The study focused on the operational strategies adopted by selected

small-medium enterprises in the MUNICIPALITY OF NAVAL, BILIRAN
PROVINCE during the covid-19 pandemic.

Definition of Terms

To make the presentation of the research findings and other pertinent

information of the study understandable, the following terminologies were
conceptually and operationally defined.

Cash Flow - in general, refers to payments made into or out of a business,

project, or financial product. It can also refer more specifically to a real or
virtual movement of money. Cash flow, in its narrow sense, is a payment (in a
currency), especially from one central bank account to another.

Covid-19 Pandemic - The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic is

a global outbreak of coronavirus – an infectious disease caused by the severe
acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). Cases of novel
coronavirus (nCoV) were first detected in China in December 2019, with the
virus spreading rapidly to other countries across the world. This led WHO to
declare a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC) on 30
January 2020 and to characterize the outbreak as a pandemic on 11 March
2020.

Lockdown - a state or period in which movement within or access to an area

is restricted in the interests of public safety or health.

16
Marketing strategies - an overview of how a business or organization will
articulate its value proposition to its customers. Generally, a marketing
strategy outlines business goals, target market, buyer personas, competitors,
and value for customers.

Operational Strategies - a set of decisions an organization makes regarding

the production and delivery of its goods. Organizations may consider each
step they take toward manufacturing or delivering a product an operation, and
all decisions regarding these various operations are the operations strategy.

Phenomenon - a fact or situation that is observed to exist or happen,

especially one whose cause or explanation is in question.

Revenue - Revenue is the income generated from normal business

operations. Revenue can also be earned by governments and nonprofits.

Small-Medium Enterprises -Small and midsize enterprises (SMEs) are

businesses that maintain revenues, assets, or a number of employees below
a certain threshold. small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) employ
fewer than 250 people. SMEs are further subdivided into micro enterprises
(fewer than 10 employees), small enterprises (10 to 49 employees)

Severe Recession - the typical output cost is close to 5 percent. The fall in
consumption is often small, but both industrial production and investment
register much larger declines

Workforce - the people engaged in or available for work, either in a country or

area or in a particular company or industry.

17
Chapter II

REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE

Error: Reference source not found. During the coronavirus disease

2019 (Covid-19) pandemic, the Department of Interior and Local Government

(DILG) directed local government units (LGUs) and the Philippine National

Police (PNP) to enforce the closure of non-essential business establishments

strictly.

World Bank reported that the COVID-19, 2020, outbreak caused

many firms to close or reduce operations, resulting in a significant drop in

sales and significant changes in employment, but with a wide range of effects

across firms.

Error: Reference source not found. COVID-19 has had a significant

economic impact and impact on businesses. The National Bureau of

Economic Research in the US surveyed more than 5,800 small businesses to

shed light on how COVID-19 affects small businesses. The findings reveal

several significant themes. For starters, massive layoffs and closures have

already taken place. In our sample, 43% of companies are temporarily closed,

and companies have reduced their employee counts by 40% on average

since January. Second, consistent with previous research, many small

businesses are financially vulnerable. Third, enterprises have widely disparate

expectations about the duration of COVID-related disruptions.

According to Error: Reference source not found. In an online report by

the Asian Development Bank in the Philippines, the pandemic eradicated 1.7
18
million salaries and paid employees in January 2021. In comparison, jobs in

the informal sector have increased by almost 435,000 people. The epidemic

might have long-term consequences for employment. This significant transient

shock to the industry may result in a continuously reduced employment ratio

even after the sector has begun to recover. According to reports, job

searchers will increase, including persons who have lost their employment,

school leavers, and new labor force entries. The longer laid-off employees

and new labor force entrants are out of work, the more likely they will become

less marketable in the future due to lost skills. Furthermore, the pandemic has

resulted in a significant re-allocation of employment across industries.

Error: Reference source not found. COVID-19 has created an

unprecedented crisis for SMEs, forcing each one of them to reconsider their

business operations and adapt to the new, unexpected circumstances. The

Romanian study also discovered that for micro and small businesses to better

cope with the disruption caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, they must first

demonstrate openness to product innovation and adaptation and strong

support for customers and communities. Second, efforts should ensure their

internal operational management and worker protection efficiency. While

external factors motivate businesses to implement various resilience

measures to better respond to the pandemic, the most important motivations

in this decision are generally internal.

According to a Nigerian study, Error: Reference source not found.

SMEs need to use new technologies to carry out various transactions, such

as online sites and mobile transfer platforms. The point is to limit human

19
contact with the virus via banknotes and other plastic cards (credit & debit

cards). Banks should roll out various platforms that do not require person-to-

person contact with SMEs at a cheaper and affordable cost. This study

proposed ways for SMEs to cope during the Coronavirus pandemic and a

model business to fight the invisible enemy. Following the health advice, we

concluded that SMEs could triumph in these turbulent times, and we hope that

the world heals from this pandemic soon.

According to Error: Reference source not found. In the context of the

Philippines, SMEs make a substantial contribution to the country's economy.

They are, nevertheless, among the most impacted when crises and calamities

happen due to their tiny size. Due to the significance of small enterprises to

the broader economy, their closures have a multiplier impact, resulting in the

loss of employment, productivity, and money.

Error: Reference source not found, the study's findings, additional

support is needed to improve them and create them more fiscally robust. First,

the state should make a tremendous effort to enhance MSMEs' access to

finance. Second, the government should strengthen knowledge dissemination

mechanisms on MSME support programs, particularly within the government's

policy implementation hierarchy. Third, because most MSMEs were found to

be "flexible and innovative in their ways of coping, especially by using the

internet and customizing or manufacturing new products," the government can

focus on assisting, aiding, and incentivizing online approaches to doing

business, as well as creating programs and pieces of training on small-scale

innovative products and other ways to provide technical help to MSMEs.

20
According to Error: Reference source not found. While the adverse

effects of COVID-19 affect all sections of society, impoverished and

disadvantaged people have taken the brunt of the issue even with the Social

Amelioration Program. Despite the challenges, some grassroots organizations

can help their communities, mainly where official support is absent. We

looked at five grassroots situations in urban slums and indigenous

communities. Initial bulk purchases for face masks from partner NGOs

benefited Igting or Maigting na Samahan ng mga Panlipunang Negosyante ng

Towerville Inc., a women's social enterprise centered on garment manufacture

in northern Manila. Given the Philippines' catastrophic health and economic

circumstances, the national government should consider new and additional

steps to halt the deterioration. The key recommendation of the research was

to embrace a new paradigm of a "whole-of-society approach" rather than a

"whole-of-government approach." This necessitates the formation of alliances

across all sectors of society and the development of a specific big plan that

goes past social amelioration measures and the waiting for a vaccine.

Error: Reference source not found. In President Rodrigo Duterte's pre-

State of the Nation Address (pre-SONA) event in April 2021, government

officials again emphasized the continuance of their infrastructure project

named "Build, Build, Build" and highlighted measures that will primarily benefit

businesses and big business. They insisted on a trio of steady drip reforms

that will decrease corporate tax rates, assist banks in offloading bad loans,

and resolve businesses' liquidity and solvency issues. Some legislators

advocate for a new stimulus program known as "Bayanihan 3," which would

provide enormous economic assistance to reduced households, marginalized

21
employees, farmers, and fisherfolk. However, financial managers have

vehemently opposed it for months, insisting that the government instead

spend the 2021 budget and cash left over from the two economic stimuli

authorized last year. They further contend that significant help cannot be paid

for since more borrowings will harm the country's credit rating.

22
Chapter III

RESEARCH METHODOLOGY

Research Design

The data gathering procedure was conducted, semi - instructed

interview are given to SMEs / business owners in the Municipality of Naval,

Biliran Province. Answers are tallied and computed weighted mean and

average weighted mean are also computed based on the Level of

Effectiveness of operational strategies adopted by owners and workers of

small - medium enterprises in the MUNICIPALITY OF NAVAL, BILIRAN

PROVINCE during pandemic.

Research Respondents

The study utilized owners of small-medium enterprises as respondents.

These respondents are the owners of micro small-medium enterprises that

have continuously opened during the pandemic. The researchers found 15

respondents from different places around the Municipality of Naval.

Research Instrument

This research uses a descriptive research design.

Error: Reference source not found. A Descriptive research design,

according to the research data business VOXCO, is a kind of research design

that seeks knowledge to characterize phenomena, scenarios, or communities

23
comprehensively. It mainly assists in answering the what, when, where, and

how questions about the study challenge instead of the why. To explore the

factors in the issue, the descriptive technique of study may entail the need for

various methodologies. It primarily uses quantitative data, while qualitative

data is occasionally employed for explanatory reasons.

In this research, a semi-structured interview has been crafted that

consists of questions to elicit the participant's views and experiences on their

MSMEs. A semi-structured interview was used for the researchers to

understand participants' responses deeper. The questions were asked using

the Bisaya language to provide a comfortable talk. All answers were

considered accordingly and validated based on the research problem and the

study's variables upon collecting the data.

Data Gathering Procedure

The study took some measures to collect data effectively. Because of

the ongoing epidemic, the interview has already been approved. The

researchers went to the Municipal Office of Naval to ask for a list of registered

SMEs. After that, the interview took place right away. Because of the

epidemic, the interview was conducted through Facebook Messenger and

face-to-face using protective precautions. Interviews allow people to explain

situations to others from their point of view and in their own words. The given

conversation was decoded and modified, and the material was read many

times to explain and gather critical aspects from the participants' views. The
24
researchers were able to gain and obtain answers from computer store

owners during the epidemic. To maintain the anonymity of our participants in

this research, the interviews were conducted in private. Participants were

questioned and provided written information regarding the flow of data

gathering and confidentiality after giving their informed verbal permission.

Authorization to access the participants is the researcher's effort, including

locating them in the area via Facebook and neighbors. The participants are

asked to notify them of the interview and protect their anonymity.

Data Scoring

Data in this study were analyzed tallied and computed. These will

measure the Level of Effectiveness of operational strategies adopted by

owners and workers of small - medium enterprises in the MUNICIPALITY OF

NAVAL, BILIRAN PROVINCE during pandemic using a 5 - point scale method

of interpretation.

Weigh / Verbal
Mean Range
Scale Interpretation

5 4.51 - 5.00 Strongly Agree

4 3.51 - 4.50 Agree

3 2.51 - 3.50 Moderately Agree

2 1.51 - 2.50 Slightly Agree

1 1.00 - 1.50 Disagree

25
Statistical Treatment of Data

The information acquired for this study will be totaled, convert to

frequency counts, analyze, and will be interpret using the proper statistical
methods, including frequency, percentage, mean, standard deviation, and t-
test for independent and paired samples.

Summary statistics such as frequency counts, percentages, cross

tabulation and descriptive measures such as mean were generated using
descriptive statistics.

The frequency counts, percentages, tabulation and descriptive

measures and mean will be used to interpret the data.

The data gathered was tallied, tabulated, interpreted and analyzed.

Percentage formula was used.

Where: P =percentage
= frequency

100% constant
Find the Weighted Mean

Where:
N = Number of Respondents
n= number of scale, students respond towards Deteminants of
First Year Students in Course Preferences

Find the Avegare Weighted Mean

Where: = Summation of weighted mean per

factor
26
Chapter IV

RESULTS AND DISCUSSIONS

The Profile of the Small-Medium Enterprises

Particulars [Link] Respondents Percentage

Tenure of Business

One year and Below 1 6.67

2 - 5 years 4 26.67

5 - 10 years 8 53.33

Above 10 years 2 13.33

Total 15 100

Type of Business

Agricultural and
3 20.00
Crops

Food and Beverages 6 40.00

Services 1 6.67

General
2 13.33
Merchandize

Clothing, Crafts and

3 20.00
Industrial tools

Total 15 100

Number of Workers

1 4 26.67

2-5 9 60.00

5-10 2 13.33

Above 10 0 0.00

27
Total 15 100

The tenure of the Small-Medium Enterprises in the Municipality of

Naval that had participated in the research, as shown here in Table, most of

the businesses have operated for five to ten years, with average percentage

of 53.33% of the [Link] 1 Enterprise has started its business during

pandemic. Four business are now in their 2 - 5 years of operation and Two

are more than 10 years.

Also on the Table represented the type of businesses that participated

SMEs offer. Agricultural and Crops with 3 out of 15 respondents which was

also on the same data with the Clothing, Crafts and Industrial, with both

percentage rating of 20%. Because of lockdown during pandemic Food and

Beverages bloom, which was 6 of the respondents are into the

aforementioned enterprise with equivalent rating of 40% of its total average.

One respondent was into services business with 6.67 % and Two

respondents are into General Merchandise with 13.33%..

As further shown on the table the number of workers that these SMEs

employ. Most of these enterprises use at least 2 to 5 workers with 9

respondents answered . 4 respondents / businesses have 1 employee and 2

of them answered that they 5 to 10 workers. And out of 15 respondents /

businesses no one answered above 10 workers.

Total
SMEs Income Range Percentage
Respondents

Below 5,000 5 33.33

5,001.00 - 10,000.00 6 40.00

28
10,001 - 20,000.00 2 13.33

above 20,000.00 2 13.33

Total 15 100.00
As shown on the table above, Most of the respondents SMEs have average

income ranges from P5,000 - P10,000 estimated which is 6 of them with

equivalent percentage to 40%. Five of them had an estimated income of

below P5,000.00 with 33.33%. Two answered that there estimated monthly

income range from P10,001.00 - P 20,000 and two also answered that there

income ranged to above P20,000.00 with both equivalent rate to 13.33%.

The challenges faced by the owners of micro small-medium, especially

during the pandemic.

The findings underscore the financial insecurity of many small

businesses and how the current economic crisis has damaged them. Many of

these enterprises appear to have had little cash on hand at the onset of the

outbreak, implying they will have to cut costs or take on significantly more

debt. This scenario demonstrates the several ways in which the immediate

availability of more funds might alter medium-term outcomes. According to the

study's findings, many small businesses are likely to fail if they do not receive

financial assistance. SMEs regarded it unlikely or only somewhat likely that

they would be open for business. It is uncertain if the state-owned financial

institutions' actions will allow the majority of SMEs to survive—or whether

beliefs about their impact are overly optimistic—even though optimism

increased when they were informed about some of the government and

financial institutions' loan programs.

29
The marketing strategies adopted by owners of micro small-medium

enterprises experienced during the pandemic.

Small-Medium Enterprises struggled during the pandemic, but these

businesses had to adapt marketing strategies to keep the business alive to

ensure survival. Though having minimal resources in terms of finances and

Workforce, they kept their business afloat through the pandemic. Our

participants answered that most of them utilized the following:

Word of mouth by passing on details about their products to relatives

and friends. Using word of mouth is used since people love to talk and give on

gossip, making it a more accessible and cost-efficient marketing strategy.

They have also asked people or posted among themselves on their products

to increase publicity.

They have used Facebook and other flatforms for advertisement.

The pandemic has made an already exploding trend of selling online even
more important. The popularity of ecommerce is not a new story.

The COVID-19 pandemic, however, has accelerated the growth of the

convenience of online shopping movement.

According to Jennifer McAdams, 2021In March 2020, much of the

world went into lockdown, forcing many businesses to temporarily shut
down. Countries are gradually relaxing restrictions, but the future is still
uncertain. Even businesses that are reopening have restrictions enforcing
social distancing, the wearing of masks, and limits on how many customers
can enter a space at one time.

When traditional shopping becomes difficult, or may even be scary,

people are increasingly inclined to shop online. The fact that consumers
30
were already embracing Amazon and other online retailers with open arms
made this transition considerably easier.

In 2020, online revenue growth was up 44% and in Q1, 2021 it

increased 39% year-over-year. There's a good chance that this trend will
continue in the post-quarantine world. The advantages of online shopping
aren't going to disappear even when retail businesses reopen fully. All of this
points to why this is the ideal time to either start or double down on your
ecommerce efforts.

The participants also admitted having offered discounts and

promos to attract potential buyers. Many have offered selected customers

20 or 50 pesos off on selected items to convince buyers. With people

quarantined, some SMEs have also adopted having special deliveries to

specific customers that are nearby. This method enables some buyers to

purchase something without leaving and risking the virus. At the height of the

COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, the Municipality of Naval has adopted a system

to bring farm produce closer to far barrios in Naval.

They also do house-to-house to sell their products to potential

buyers.

The strategies adapted by owners of micro small-medium enterprises

experienced during the pandemic in matters of Workforce.

The majority of Navaleño employees work for small businesses.

Nonetheless, the findings illustrate the financial vulnerability of many small

businesses and how the current economic crisis has damaged them. It

observed that some SMEs had temporarily closed their doors and that

31
employment in the sample had declined. Many of these enterprises appear to

have had little cash on hand at the onset of the pandemic, which means they

will have to slash expenses dramatically and take on further debt. This

scenario demonstrates how the quick availability of more funding might impact

medium-term outcomes.

Strongly Moderately Slightly Agree Disagree - Level of

Operational Strategies Agree - 4 TOTAL
Agree - 5 agree - 3 -2 1 effectiveness
Word of mouth 11 2 2 0 0 15
Strongly Agree
Weighted Mean 3.66 0.53 0.53 0.00 0.00 4.72
They have used Facebook
and other flatforms for 13 1 1 0 0 15
Strongly Agree
advertisement.

Weighted Mean 4.33 0.27 0.27 0.00 0.00 4.87

The participants also
admitted having offered
2 3 3 7 0 15
discounts and promos to Moderately Agree
attract potential buyers

Weighted Mean 0.67 0.8 0.6 0.93 0 3.0

They also do house-to-
house to sell their products 1 1 0 7 6 15
Slightly Agree
to potential buyers.

Weighted Mean 0.33 0.33 0 0.93 0.4 1.99

As Table shown above the Respondents/ SMEs Strongly agree that by

using Word of Mouth they had gain income thhis results to weighted mean of
4.72%. Respondents also Strongly agree that using online flatforms they may
able to increase their profit because people or consumers will not be abe to
go out because of lockdown the weighted man results to 4.87%. Concluded
that it is the best operational strategies used during the time of pandemic.
While respondents Moderately Agree with equivalent weighted mean of 3.0 %
to strategies that some offered discounts to buyers because they think that
this operational strategy may result to losses. And 1.99 % or Slightly Agree to
House - to - House Selling because some of the area are restricted during the
time of Pandemic.
32
CHAPTER V

SUMMARY OF FINDINGS AND CONCLUSION

The COVID-19 pandemic, which was initiated by a novel coronavirus,

has dramatically impacted the lives of millions of people globally, including the

lives of many successful enterprises, in just a few months. The study's

findings provide extensive and valuable insights on the pandemic's influence

on SMEs in many aspects of their economic lives during the outbreak,

including their thoughts on the immediate and far future. We discovered that

SMEs became innovative and resilient during the pandemic. These acts have

enabled SMEs to stay afloat. These entrepreneurs' coping strategies for

dealing with the epidemic's impacts include demanding that the government

implement less stringent laws to continue their operations and lower costs

such as travel. Many small and medium-sized businesses (SMEs) will survive

the outbreak. Many, though, may require government assistance to continue

functioning throughout the epidemic

33
REFERENCES

Error: Reference source not found

34
APPENDICES

35
LETTER TO THE DEAN

36
LETTER TO THE RESPONDENTS

37
LETTER TO MUNICIPAL MAYOR OF NAVAL

38
CURRICULUM VITAE

39
ANGELYN ARNOSA AGUSTIN
anjieagustin7@[Link]
09855895840

RELEVANT EXPERIENCE

Encoding Statement of Account, Securing signatures of the SOA to Chief of

Hospital

Filing Philhealth claims in Biliran Provincial Hospital

PERSONAL INFORMATION

Age: 27

Birthdate: November 06, 1995

Birth Place: Quezon City

Gender: Female

Height: 5'2

Weight: 50kls

Civil Status: Single

40
Religion: Iglesia Filipina Independiente

Citizenship: Filipino

SKILLS

 Knows how to operate computer and use MS Word, Front Page,

Publisher, PowerPoint, Access, to make the paper works easy and
Browse internet using World Wide Web.
 Computer literate.
 With strong interpersonal skills.
 Researcher

EDUCATIONAL BACKGROUND

2021-2022 COLLEGE
Graduate, BSBA Student
Biliran Province State University

2011-2012 SECONDARY
Almeria National High School
Almeria, Biliran

2007-2008 TERTIARY
Caucab Elementry School
Caucab, Almeria, Biliran

INTEREST AND HOBBIES

 Internet Browsing
 Writing
 Cooking

LANGUAGE SPOKEN

 Cebuano/Tagalog/English

HOME ADDRESS

 Caucab, Almeria, Biliran

41
IRIS DE LA PEÑA JAMOT
jamotiris11@[Link]
09532452201

RELEVANT EXPERIENCE

Encoding Regular Salary Deduction, Official Receipt, PhilHealth Refund for in

Patient at Provincial Hospital in 2016-2017.

Encode and Working on Excel, Photocopy and Printing Documents, Data

Recording, Filing and Sorting-out of Documents in DENR, PENRO-BILIRAN.

PERSONAL INFORMATION

Age: 25

Birthdate: May 11,1997

Birth Place: Naval, Biliran

Gender: Female

Height: 5'0

Weight: 45kls

Civil Status: Single

Religion: Roman Catholic

Citizenship: Filipino

42
SKILLS

 Knows how to operate computer and use MS Word, Front Page,

Publisher, PowerPoint, Access, to make the paper works easy and
Browse internet using World Wide Web.
 Computer literate.
 With strong interpersonal skills.
 Researcher

EDUCATIONAL BACKGROUND

2021-2022 COLLEGE
Graduate, BSBA Student
Biliran Province State University

2016-2017 VOCATIONAL SCHOOL

BPITLC-Sharing Computer Access Locally and
Abroad
Capitol Ground
Brgy. Calumpang, Naval, Biliran

2014-2015 SECONDARY
Naval National High School
[Link], Naval, Biliran

2009-2010 TERTIARY
Naval SPED Center
Castin St. Naval, Biliran
INTEREST AND HOBBIES

 Internet Browsing
 Reading
 Playing Badminton

LANGUAGE SPOKEN

 Cebuano/Tagalog/English

HOME ADDRESS

 Sitio San Roque Brgy. Larrazabal, Naval, Biliran

43
ALMA IBAJAN PAGHID
almapaghid418@[Link]
09260211742

RELEVANT EXPERIENCE
LA PABORITABAKERY, (MAKATI, CITY)
CASHIER, Prepare report of all transaction forwarding to supervisor 2009-
2010.
[Link] INSURANCE CO.(PHILHEALTH)
Assistance Secretary / Encode, Assist patient for thier verifying transmittal
from hospital result, Encode the MDR (member information) For philhealth
Identification Number(PIN, Filling all important office Documents.2014-2015.
PERSONAL INFORMATION
Age: 30
Birthdate: April 18, 1992
Birth Place: Almeria, Biliran
Gender: Female
Height: 5'0
Weight: 54kls.
Civil Status: Single
Religion: (UCCP) Protestant
44
Citizenship: Filipino
SKILLS
 Can operate computer and use MS Word, Front Page, PowerPoint,
Access, to make the paper works easy and Browse internet using
World Wide Web.
 Computer literate.
 With strong interpersonal skills

EDUCATIONAL BACKGROUND
2021-2022 COLLEGE
Graduate, BSBA Student
Biliran Province State University
2014-2015 VOCATIONAL SCHOOL
BPITLC-Sharing Computer Access Locally and
Abroad
Capitol Ground
Brgy. Calumpang, Naval, Biliran
2008-2009 SECONDARY
Almeria, National High School
Almeria, Biliran
2004-2005 TERTIARY
Iyusan, Elementary School
Almeria, Biliran
INTEREST AND HOBBIES
 Internet Browsing
 Reading

LANGUAGE SPOKEN
 Cebuano/Tagalog/English
HOME ADDRESS
 Iyusan, Almeria, Biliran
45
MARY ANN L. BACALLA
bacallamaryann7@[Link]
09774053931

RELEVANT EXPERIENCE
Encoding documents, Printing, Sorting documents in Espina Paras Green
Energy (EPGEN)

PERSONAL INFORMATION
Age: 27
Birthdate: August 19,1995
Birth Place: [Link], Leyte, leyte
Gender: Female
Height: 5'0
Weight: 45kls.
Civil Status: Single
Religion: Roman Catholic
Citizenship: Filipino
SKILLS
 Computer literate.
 With strong interpersonal skills

46
EDUCATIONAL BACKGROUND
2021-2022 COLLEGE
Graduate, BSBA Student
Biliran Province State University
Brgy. Calumpang, Naval, Biliran

2011-2012 SECONDARY
Biliran National Agricultural High School
2007-2008 TERTIARY
Brgy. Kawayan, Elementary School
Leyte, leyte
INTEREST AND HOBBIES
 Cooking
 Reading

LANGUAGE SPOKEN
 Cebuano/Tagalog/English

HOME ADDRESS
 Brgy. Tinocdugan Leyte,leyte

47