Chapter 1: The Systemic Competitiveness of Latin American MSMEs Under COVID-19

Competitiveness has become essential to business survival. Accordingly, the purpose of this chapter is to study the competitiveness of micro-, small-, and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs) in Latin America under the systemic competitiveness model under COVID-19. Documentary research was conducted, based on reports from the Inter-American Development Bank, the Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean, the World Bank, and the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, among others. The main findings reveal an alarming deterioration at the macro, meso, and meta levels, which requires the design of public policies that consider the situation of MSMEs as essential for reducing poverty and unemployment affecting the region. Although MSMEs hold some advantages at the micro level, they need to receive direct support to enable them to stay afloat and make productive and technological investments.