The Sustainable Factors of the East Priangan Micro and Small Entrepreneurs during the COVID-19 Pandemic

Abstract

In Indonesia, the number of micro and small businesses is dominant; therefore, their economic defense against uncertainty becomes vital, especially during the Covid-19 pandemic. By utilizing the explorative approach, this study wants to know the effect of this pandemic on the ability of micro and small businesses in East Priangan to sustain and detect their internal and external sustainability factors during this pandemic. Furthermore, to accomplish these purposes, this study uses interviews to get the data based on the viewpoint of the eight businesspersons in one city: Tasikmalaya, and two regencies: Pangandaran and Ciamis. Based on the result, this study concludes that a heavily damaging effect exists in the business related to tourist attractions (a restaurant in Pangandaran), supplier of materials to restaurants (a tempeh producer in Ciamis), and crowding creation (the seller of various snacks and a wedding organizer in Ciamis). Meanwhile, the middle-damaging impact happens in the coffee shop in Tasikmalaya, the hawker of round-shaped snacks with a chewy texture, and the food staller of hollow tofu with a sauce made of salt, onion, and brown sugar in Ciamis but a street vegetable hawker in Ciamis experiences low-damaging influence. After being asked about internal and external sustainable factors fronting this pandemic, they declare that having money left and using Instagram and WhatsApp to receive consumer orders become their internal sustainable factors. Meanwhile, receiving government aid is an external factor for business survival during the pandemic.