Entrepreneurs’ Responses to COVID-19 Crisis: A Holistic Dynamic Capabilities Perspective in the Saudi Food and Beverage Sector

Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic has been an active crisis for businesses around the globe. This paper adopts the Dynamic Capabilities (DC) theory to investigate factors that may account for differences in entrepreneurial marketing (EM) adoption and entrepreneurial marketing opportunities during two stages of the recent COVID-19 pandemic, namely the full and partial closure. The existing study provides useful insights into the functioning of entrepreneurial marketing that make the related opportunities and challenges visible. Additionally, the paper explores entrepreneurial marketing strategies employed by Saudi entrepreneurs within the Food and Beverage sector (F&B) to mitigate the uncertainty and challenges posed by the pandemic. Since the nature of the research inquiry is exploratory, semi-structured interviews with seventeen restaurant and cafe owners were conducted to explore the phenomena under investigation and confirm the constructs used for the model development. Under exceptional circumstances, restaurants and cafés representing the F&B sector have been forced to respond quickly, become innovative and make compromises. Findings revealed that converting to survival mode with short time frames was the only solution for entrepreneurial marketing within the context of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Regional Agriculture and Food Systems Amid the COVID-19 Pandemic: The Case of the Near East and North Africa Region

“…Referring to the fruit and vegetable supply chain in Meknes (Morocco), Saidi et al [137] observed that the crisis prompted the emergence of new and more sustainable food supply methods, such as mutualized and local sourcing, as well as reduced food waste, leading the move towards sustainability. [165]; AlTarrah et al [121]; Belton et al [208]; Ben Hassen et al [145]; Ben Hassen et al [6]; Ben Hassen et al [141]; Dimassi et al [127]; Elgammal et al [171]; Ghali-Zinoubi [183]; Hamade [130]; Kaitibie et al [146]; Saidi et al [137]; Saidi et al [138]; Sobaih and Moustafa [179]; Sundarakani and Onyia [193]; Taybeh et al [119]; Zainal et al [124] 25 (16.55%) Consumption (including food services and food waste)…”

“…Bouzidi and Abdellaoui [79]; Dimassi et al [127]; El Bilali et al [135]; Elgammal et al [171]; El-Haddad and Zaki [102]; Faour-Klingbeil et al [206];…”

“…ALkharashi [159]; Almousa and Alagal [160]; Al-Musharaf [75]; Al-Musharaf et al [76]; Almutairi [161]; Alothman et al [162]; Alotiby and Al-Harbi [163]; Alqurashi [164]; Alsuwailem et al [165]; Alyami et al [166]; Arfaoui and Alghafari [77]; Azazz and Elshaer [167]; Bakhsh et al [168]; Braiji et al [169]; Bushnaq et al [170]; El-Akabawy et al [80]; Elgammal et al [171]; Hanbazaza [172]; Hanbazaza and Wazzan [68]; Hariri et al [173]; Helal et al [88]; Hesham et al [174]; Jalal et al [175]; Jawed et al [176]; Mosli et al [82]; Mumena [177]; Saaty and Aljadani [178]; Sobaih and Moustafa [179]; Sultan et al [180];…”

“…Benmerzoug et al [65]; Braiji et al [169]; Bushnaq et al [170]; Butt et al [66]; Cheikh Ismail et al [126]; Cheikh Ismail et al [203]; Dimassi et al [127]; El Bilali et al [135]; El Khoury and Julien [128]; El-Akabawy et al [80]; Elgammal et al [171]; El-Malah et al [204];…”

Sustainable Purchasing Behaviors in Generation Z: The Role of Social Identity and Behavioral Intentions in the Saudi Context

“…Almost all of the sustainable products that iHerb sells are cosmetics only" (Interview 7, S/F, 19Y). According to Elgammal et al [67], several young Saudi entrepreneurs started their businesses during the COVID-19 pandemic and adopted sustainable and green practices for their business model in the restaurant industry, but perhaps they failed to spread the word among Gen Z through their marketing strategies.…”