Peruvian small and medium-sized enterprises in times of crisis—Or what is happening over time?

Abstract

Crises means a particular threat to small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). The pandemic is no exception; on the contrary, it reinforces this threat. This study provides insight into crisis management in SMEs over a period of time. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews in Peruvian SMEs at two points in time. The findings provide insight into how the Peruvian firms studied adapted to the new situation, and initiated responses to cope with the crisis covering the period April–December 2020. By having studied the phenomenon of crisis management in SMEs at different stages, the study contributes to the further development of still underdeveloped fields of research, namely, crisis management in Latin America in general, and crisis management in SMEs in particular.