• About UGM
  • SIMASTER
  • SINTESIS
  • Public Information
  • SDGs
  • English
    • Bahasa Indonesia
    • English
Universitas Gadjah Mada Universitas Gadjah Mada
Faculty of Economics and Business
  •  About Us
    • Overview
    • History of The Establishment
    • Mission & Vission
    • School Values
    • School Leadership
    • Senate Leadership
    • Department Leadership
    • Study Program Leadership
    • Unit Leadership
    • Faculty Advisory Board
    • Annual Report
    • Campus Facilities
    • Visual Identity
    • News Room
    • The 70th Anniversary
  • Academic Programs
    • Undergraduate Program
    • Master Program
    • Doctoral Program
    • Profession Program
    • Short Academic Programs
    • Professional Programs & Certification
    • International Undergraduate Program
    • International Doctorate in Business (IDB)
    • Academic Calendar
    • Rooms and Events
  • Faculty & Research
    • School Memberships
    • School Accreditation
    • International Networks
    • Faculty Members
    • Visiting Professor & Research Fellows
    • Professional Staffs
    • Publications
    • Published Journals
    • Working Papers
    • Fields of Study
    • Supporting Units
    • International Conference Partnership
    • Call for Papers
    • Community Service
    • Faculty Library
  • Admission
  • Home
  • Faculty Insight

Organizational Mindfulness and Social Learning: Important Factors for SMEs to Survive during the Covid-19 Pandemic

  • Faculty Insight
  • 24 December 2021, 10.14
  • By : Admin
Luluk Lusiantoro

Since the end of 2019, the world community has been surprised by the presence of the Covid-19 virus which continues until now and has become one of the largest pandemics in the history of mankind. All levels of society are affected and forced to adapt to all aspects of life. One of the worst affected by this pandemic are small and medium enterprises (SMEs) who are on the front lines of the world’s economic development. Almost 67% of SMEs worldwide have been significantly affected and are in danger of closing their operations due to plummeting demand and difficulties in accessing raw materials (ITC, 2020).

In maintaining their business amidst the Covid-19 pandemic, SME leaders need to make efforts to balance health and economic priorities. They need to adapt their business operations while trying to innovate and discover new opportunities. Internally, SME leaders must pay attention to the required health protocols/measures to prevent the spread of Covid-19. Economically, they must also seek new opportunities by learning to adapt to the external environment, digitally transforming businesses, and creating innovative products to make money in this limited circumstance.

These are challenges that are not easy for SME leaders to face. In response to this, there are several important factors that are integrated with business survival, namely organizational mindfulness, social learning, and opportunistic behavior. However, unfortunately, the relationship between these factors has not been fully explored. Therefore, a group of authors conducted a study aimed at testing and understanding the relationship between organizational mindfulness, social learning, and opportunistic behavior of SME leaders during the Covid-19 pandemic. This research is expected to help SMEs act appropriately and successfully survive the pandemic. The process and the results of the research were written into a journal article entitled “The Effect of Small Business Leaders’ Organizational Mindfulness and Social Learning on Opportunistic Behavior to Survive the Covid-19 Pandemic” by Luluk Lusiantoro, Bernardinus Maria Purwanto, and Rokhima Rostiani.

Before discussing the research further, what is meant by organizational mindfulness itself comes from a Western perspective on the concept of mindfulness, namely a flexible state of mind in which we are actively engaged, paying attention, and sensitive to the current situation. Organizational mindfulness focuses on interactions between individuals in order to mindfully coordinate their actions and emphasizes the important role of leaders to actively stimulate mindful actions in response to changing environments.

Apart from that, learning is also an important aspect of business and is one of the key reasons why new businesses with new opportunities continue to exist. The social learning factor, one of the variables in the research, comes from a theory that argues that individuals can learn new information and behaviors by observing other individuals. Social learning happens through external interactions and its role is very essential when unexpected disruptions occur such as the COVID-19 pandemic.

Research on the relationship between these factors was conducted using interviews and online surveys. The online survey was conducted on 291 participants which consist of owners and managers of SMEs in Indonesia. Meanwhile, the semi-structured online interviews were conducted with 6 SME leaders from various business sectors related to the topic of business continuity amid a pandemic to better grasp this phenomenon. The data were then analyzed using regression on the SmartPLS 3.0 software.

The results of this study suggest that organizational mindfulness and social learning have positive and significant associations with the ability of SME leaders to discover and exploit opportunities. This research also shows the important roles of organizational mindfulness and social learning as unique internal and external capabilities in dealing with disruptions such as the Covid-19 pandemic. Moreover, this research has succeeded in contributing by unraveling the relationship between organizational mindfulness, social learning, and opportunistic behavior for the first time in the context of SMEs facing the Covid-19 pandemic.

Developing organizational mindfulness and social learning can be an alternative way of efficient crisis management for SMEs, the majority of which are vulnerable to crisis. Based on the research, the application of organizational mindfulness is of paramount importance during this COVID-19 pandemic by unraveling hidden opportunities while also ensuring the overall health of the organization and avoiding the wider spread of the virus.

Not only that, but the results of the study also state that SME leaders need to proactively learn from their social environment. In this pandemic situation, information is everywhere and very quickly updated. In order to survive, SME leaders should be able to keep moving forward by always discovering and exploiting any opportunities to stay in business.

—

Paper Author: Luluk Lusiantoro, Bernardinus Maria Purwanto, and Rokhima Rostiani
Published on Journal of Small Business and Enterprise Development, Vol. ahead-of-print No. ahead-of-print.
Link https://doi.org/10.1108/JSBED-02-2021-0061

Views: 388

Related Posts

FEB Perkuat Dampak Bagi Masyarakat Melalui RDSI

FEB UGM Holds National Seminar and Local Government Digital Transformation Performance Ranking

News Friday, 29 August 2025

Efforts to accelerate digital transformation at the district/city local government level face various challenges. Although the Electronic-Based Government System (SPBE) regulation has been in effect since 2018, its implementation has not been optimal due to gaps in ICT infrastructure, inconsistencies between central and regional policies, minimal use of big data, and uneven digital literacy among the public.

In response to these challenges, the Faculty of Economics and Business, Gadjah Mada University (FEB UGM), through the Centre for Information Systems Studies (PKSI), is once again holding a National Seminar and Award Ceremony for the Gadjah Mada Digital Transformation Governance Index (GM-DTGI) for District/City Local Governments in 2025.

Gadjah Mada Business Case Club

FEB UGM Launches GMBCC, the First Student Case Club in Indonesia

News Friday, 29 August 2025

The Faculty of Economics and Business, Universitas Gadjah Mada (FEB UGM), through the Career and Student Development Unit (CSDU), officially launched the Gadjah Mada Business Case Club (GMBCC).

Pelepasan Wiudawan Program Sarjana

FEB UGM Graduates 207 Undergraduate Students in the 2024/2025 Academic Year Period IV

Graduation Friday, 29 August 2025

The Faculty of Economics and Business, Universitas Gadjah Mada (FEB UGM), officially graduated 207 undergraduate students (S1) in the 2024/2025 Academic Year, Period IV, on Wednesday (August 27) at the FEB UGM Plaza.

Donor Darah FEB 2025

FEB UGM Holds Blood Donation and Free Health Check-up Ahead of its 70th Anniversary

News Thursday, 28 August 2025

The Faculty of Economics and Business, Gadjah Mada University (FEB UGM) held a blood donation and free health check-up event called ‘DOREMI’ or Economic Blood Donation for all academics and professional staff on Thursday, 28 August 2025, at the FEB UGM Hall.

The Vice Dean of FEB UGM for Academic and Student Affairs, Bayu Sutikno, S.E., M.S.M., Ph.D., said that the blood donation and free health check-up activities were a form of FEB’s concern for the health of the campus community and the wider community.

Latest News

  • FEB UGM Holds National Seminar and Local Government Digital Transformation Performance Ranking
    29 August, 2025
  • FEB UGM Launches GMBCC, the First Student Case Club in Indonesia
    29 August, 2025
  • FEB UGM Graduates 207 Undergraduate Students in the 2024/2025 Academic Year Period IV
    29 August, 2025
  • FEB UGM Holds Blood Donation and Free Health Check-up Ahead of its 70th Anniversary
    28 August, 2025
  • FEB UGM Launches Book on Management Accounting
    28 August, 2025

Related Article

  • FEB UGM Holds National Seminar and Local Government Digital Transformation Performance Ranking
    29 August, 2025
  • FEB UGM Launches GMBCC, the First Student Case Club in Indonesia
    29 August, 2025
  • FEB UGM Graduates 207 Undergraduate Students in the 2024/2025 Academic Year Period IV
    29 August, 2025
  • FEB UGM Holds Blood Donation and Free Health Check-up Ahead of its 70th Anniversary
    28 August, 2025
  • FEB UGM Launches Book on Management Accounting
    28 August, 2025
Universitas Gadjah Mada

Universitas Gadjah Mada
Faculty of Economics and Business

Jln. Sosio Humaniora No.1, Bulaksumur, Yogyakarta, Indonesia 55281

Map & Direction
More Contact Information

Faculty Directory

  • Public Information
  • Room Management
  • Asset Management
  • Cemetery Management

Student

  • Student Community
  • Student Services
  • Career Development
  • International Exposure
  • Scholarships
  • Internships

Alumni

  • Alumni Community
  • Alumni Services
  • Tracer Study
  • Jobs & Internships
  • Scholarships

Social Media

© 2025 Faculty of Economics and Business UGM

DisclaimerSite Map

💬 Need help?
1
FEB UGM Official WhatsApp
Hello 👋
Can we help you?
Open chat
[EN] We use cookies to help our viewer get the best experience on our website. -- [ID] Kami menggunakan cookie untuk membantu pengunjung kami mendapatkan pengalaman terbaik di situs web kami.I Agree / Saya Setuju