Inventory Management Practices among Small and Micro Businesses during COVID-19 Pandemic

Abstract

Developing micro, small, and medium businesses (SMEs) encourages Malaysia's economic growth. The Covid-19 pandemic has greatly affected SMEs. During the Covid-19 pandemic, with material shortages and shipping delays, the ability to track the inventory is critical. Adopting digital technology in the inventory tracking process will assist the company in managing its inventory effectively. SMEs need to have relevant knowledge and technical skills to adopt digital technology. Specifically, this study explores SMEs' current inventory management practices to gauge their knowledge of inventory management. Data was collected using semi-structured interviews using a questionnaire with ten SMEs in Selangor. This study documents that SME organisation value is positively associated with best inventory management practices. In addition, results show that divergence can intensify the negative relationship between low inventory management practices and SMEs' value. Findings support the need for more scrutiny by SME owners, regulators, policymakers, and standard setters to monitor the conflict, which is crucial for SMEs to overcome the issues and challenges they face. This study will contribute to the sustainability of SMEs, consistent with the national agenda to strengthen the SMEs as highlighted in the government’s new Economic Transformation Program (ETP) through Bumiputera’s Economic Transformation Agenda.