The impact of the Covid 19 pandemic on the performance of SNI certified SMEs

Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic is causing unprecedented economic disruption and downturn in communities and organizations globally, including small and medium enterprises (SMEs). Indonesian National Standard (SNI) certified products have good quality and are competitive in trade. The purpose of this study was to determine the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the performance of SNI-certified SMEs. The research method used is descriptive quantitative involving 34 SMEs that apply SNI. The data collection method is an online interview using a structured questionnaire to SMEs implementing SNI with research variables covering four independent variables, namely financial, operational, supply chain, and reputation of SMEs. The analysis used is using quantitative analysis techniques using a Likert scale. The COVID-19 pandemic has harmed the performance of SMEs from the financial, operational, supply chain, and reputation aspects. The percentage of the impact caused is 70% with the information level being high. Financial and operational impacts have a high level of impact with a percentage of 72% and 73%, while the supply chain and reputation aspects have a moderate level of impact with an impact percentage of 68% and 63%, respectively. In the aspect of reputation, brand image, product quality, and competitiveness can be maintained by the implementation of SNI, so that it has the lowest percentage value. SNI certification also helps SMEs in product promotion and sales. Although the majority of SMEs stated that recertification was a priority, not a few SMEs experienced difficulties and incompetence in the SNI certification process.