LEADER 02637cam a22004935i 4500001 99131234514406421 005 20210609191805.0 006 m d 007 cr cn||||||||| 008 160311s2021 dcu o i00 0 eng^^ 024 8 10.1596/1813-9450-9642 |2doi 035 (The World Bank)9642 035 (CKB)4100000011953323 035 (US-djbf)9642 035 (EXLCZ)994100000011953323 040 DJBF |beng |cDJBF |erda 100 1 Aga, Gemechu. 245 10 COVID-19 and African Firms : |bImpact and Coping Strategies / |cGemechu Aga. 246 COVID-19 and African Firms 264 1 Washington, D.C. : |bThe World Bank, |c2021. 300 1 online resource (29 pages) 336 text |btxt |2rdacontent 337 computer |bc |2rdamedia 338 online resource |bcr |2rdacarrier 347 data file |2rda 520 3 Drawing on a representative survey of firms in 38 countries, eight of which are in Sub-Saharan Africa, this paper documents the impact of COVID-19 and firms' coping strategies in Sub-Saharan Africa, benchmarking with other regions. The paper shows that the impact of the pandemic is more pronounced in Sub-Saharan Africa compared with other regions. This disproportionate impact is not explained by differences in sectoral composition and other firm characteristics, but likely by the level of development. This underscores the important economic and structural contexts that predate the pandemic in understanding the differential impact. Contrary to expectations, the findings show that businesses in Sub-Saharan Africa are more likely to adjust their operations or products and services to adapt to the shock than those in other regions. However, firms in the region lag in leveraging digital technologies, remote working, and e-commerce, compared with those in other regions. 650 4 Business Cycles and Stabilization Policies 650 4 Coping Strategy 650 4 Coronavirus 650 4 COVID-19 650 4 Disease Control and Prevention 650 4 Employment and Unemployment 650 4 Enterprise Survey 650 4 Firms 650 4 Labor Markets 650 4 Macroeconomics and Economic Growth 650 4 Pandemic Impact 650 4 Pandemic Response 650 4 Private Sector Development 650 4 Private Sector Economics 650 4 Social Protections and Labor 700 1 Maemir, Hibret. 830 0 Policy research working papers. 830 0 World Bank e-Library. 906 BOOK