The Impact of COVID-19 on Small Business Outcomes and Expectations

43 Pages Posted: 10 Apr 2020 Last revised: 29 May 2020

See all articles by Alexander Bartik

Alexander Bartik

University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign - Department of Economics

Marianne Bertrand

University of Chicago - Booth School of Business; National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER); Centre for Economic Policy Research (CEPR)

Zoe Cullen

Harvard University - Business School (HBS)

Edward L. Glaeser

Harvard University - Department of Economics; Brookings Institution; National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER)

Michael Luca

Harvard University - Business School (HBS)

Christopher Stanton

Harvard University - Business School (HBS); National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER)

Multiple version iconThere are 3 versions of this paper

Date Written: May 26, 2020

Abstract

To explore the impact of COVID on small businesses, we conducted a survey of more than 5,800 small businesses between March 28 and April 4, 2020. Several themes emerged. First, mass layoffs and closures had already occurred – just a few weeks into the crisis. Second, the risk of closure was negatively associated with the expected length of the crisis. Moreover, businesses had widely varying beliefs about the likely duration of COVID-related disruptions. Third, many small businesses are financially fragile: the median business with more than $10,000 in monthly expenses had only about two weeks of cash on hand at the time of the survey. Fourth, the majority of businesses planned to seek funding through the CARES act. However, many anticipated problems with accessing the program, such as bureaucratic hassles and difficulties establishing eligibility. Using experimental variation, we also assess take-up rates and business resilience effects for loans relative to grants-based programs.

Keywords: COVID, entrepreneurship, stimulus, insolvency, small business

JEL Classification: I12, E65, L20

Suggested Citation

Bartik, Alexander and Bertrand, Marianne and Cullen, Zoe and Glaeser, Edward L. and Luca, Michael and Stanton, Christopher, The Impact of COVID-19 on Small Business Outcomes and Expectations (May 26, 2020). Harvard Business School NOM Unit Working Paper No. 20-102, Harvard Business School Entrepreneurial Management Working Paper No. 20-102, HKS Working Paper No. RWP20-012, Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=3570896 or http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.3570896

Alexander Bartik

University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign - Department of Economics ( email )

410 David Kinley Hall
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Marianne Bertrand

University of Chicago - Booth School of Business ( email )

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Chicago, IL 60637
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HOME PAGE: http://gsbwww.uchicago.edu/fac/marianne.bertrand/vita/cv_0604.pdf

National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER) ( email )

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Centre for Economic Policy Research (CEPR)

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Zoe Cullen

Harvard University - Business School (HBS) ( email )

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HOME PAGE: http://www.hbs.edu/faculty/Pages/profile.aspx?facId=879471

Edward L. Glaeser

Harvard University - Department of Economics ( email )

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Room 315A
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Brookings Institution

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National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER)

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Michael Luca

Harvard University - Business School (HBS) ( email )

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Boston, MA 02163
United States

HOME PAGE: http://drfd.hbs.edu/fit/public/facultyInfo.do?facInfo=ovr&facId=602417

Christopher Stanton (Contact Author)

Harvard University - Business School (HBS) ( email )

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National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER) ( email )

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