International Journal of Business and Management; Vol. 16, No. 8; 2021 ISSN 1833-3850 E-ISSN 1833-8119 Published by Canadian Center of Science and Education 21 Assessment of Some Basic Strategies towards Managing COVID-19 Crisis in Micro/Small Sized Businesses Damiete Onyema Lawrence 1 & Sir Anthony Wakwe Lawrence 2 1 Rivers State University, Port Harcourt, Nigeria 2 Sustainable Development and Management Research, Community Inter-Relations and Conciliation Initiative (CIRCI), Port Harcourt, Nigeria Correspondence: Damiete Onyema Lawrence, 7 All Saints’ Street, UPE Sandfill, Borikiri, Port Harcourt, Nigeria. E-mail: damietelawrence@gmail.com Received: April 4, 2021 Accepted: May 7, 2021 Online Published: June 26, 2021 doi:10.5539/ijbm.v16n8p21 URL: https://doi.org/10.5539/ijbm.v16n8p21 Abstract This research is aimed at finding out if micro/small sized business owners/managers apply business planning processes and how they survived the impact of COVID-19 in Port Harcourt, Nigeria. We interviewed 568 enterprise units covering 11 classes of businesses that represent most of the micro and small-sized businesses. We applied statistical and graphical methods to analyse the data obtained. Businesses adopted creative measures like online advertisement, online marketing and home delivery where possible to remain afloat after the restrictions imposed by government. Some diversified their businesses into other areas where the market is flourishing like selling sanitizers and face masks. We also observed that a good number of these micro-sized business owners/managers do not adopt structured business plans, review the performances of their businesses, have guiding policies and do not understand the importance of having such policies. These are weak links towards sustainable growth of such businesses. Businesses that do not plan and do not know if their businesses are performing well and if they are beginning to make profit from what was invested is groping in the dark and that is not safe places for businesses to be. Based on the findings/discussions/conclusions, it will be needful to embark on further research to identify the specific business skill gaps among micro and small-sized businesses and develop appropriate interventions to bridge such capacity gaps. Finally, we recommended a 9 points model as a tool for micro and small size businesses in assessing and managing crisis. Keywords: micro-sized, small-sized, coronavirus-pandemic, business-plans, business-policy, performance monitoring, capacity-gaps 1. Introduction The spread of Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) has already affected over 200 countries in a matter of months. Even though containment measures in China had reduced new cases by more than 90%, this reduction is not the case elsewhere, as the US, Spain and Italy had come worse-off by the spread of the virus, and there had been serious concern regarding the national health systems' capacity around the world and Africa, in particular, to effectively respond to the needs of infected patients, who require intensive care for the COVID-19 illness. As at March 2021, the effort to fast-track vaccination has given hope to those countries where the impact is most severe. COVID-19 pandemic in every ramification is a crisis situation in a large scale impacting many nations and all facets of lives. Micro and small-sized businesses already face many challenges including lack of adequate finance to run and expand business, their exposure to bankruptcy with any little challenge. These small businesses were set up mainly to get funds for survival and may not prioritise the operationalization of business planning and performance monitoring which are required for business survival and growth. Desai (2000) notes that, business must undertake strategic intentions because their environments are constantly and increasingly becoming complex and unstable; suggesting that planning creates a viable link between a business' mission, vision, goals, objectives, strategic choices and its resources. Hence, strategic intention encourages the clarification of business goals, systematic gathering of information, unity in team work and corporate behaviour; which will position a business strategically, by striking a balance between how it operates and the requirements of the environment (Sandada, Pooe, & Dhurup, 2015). No matter how small a business is, it must therefore plan,