Exploring change management as a means for SMES survival in Vuca environment and Covid-19: a case of fast foods SMES in Harare CBD.

Abstract

This research sought to assess the impact of Zimbabwe’s VUCA environment and Covi-19 related lockdown on fast foods SMEs business cycles and operations, to identify opportunities and threats presented to fast foods SMEs by the VUCA environment and Covid-19 and also to examine the strategies employed by fast foods SMEs in utilising new opportunities and overcoming threats arising from VUCA and COVID-19 so as to stay afloat. A case of fast food SMEs in Harare CBD was used. The researcher was propelled to carry out the study after a saddening observation of cessation of existence of multiple SMEs which occurred both before Covid-19 and even worsened after the pandemic struck. The existing VUCA (Volatile, Uncertain, Complex and Ambiguous) environment in Zimbabwe was worsened by a new version of VUCA in the form of Covid-19; and the researcher decided to carry out this research as an attempt to help SMEs to overcome premature death in business through change management. Questionnaires were used to collect data from respondents and ninety-two and half percent (92.5%) turnout was realised in this qualitative research. Major findings were that the fast food industry is dominated by women who are between the ages of 20 to 29 years. It was also found out that small fast food restaurant are facing VUCA and Covid-19-related challenges of low sales as a result of forced closures, limited working hours, low disposable income among clients and growing negative perception among customers. Other challenges include but not limited to high cost of sales due to inflation, high rentals and licensing fees, lack of funding (from both government and private financial institutions) and also loss of employees for few of the restaurants. The researcher recommended fast food SMEs to have optimum stocks of food stuffs, to save foreign currency, to diversify into the essential service sector and to comply with health regulations and all other governing authority regulations. The researcher also expressed concern over why some SMEs deliberately choose to remain small despite of possible opportunities to grow and therefore encouraged other researchers to explore the area.