The role of business in poverty eradication programme implementation: A lesson from pandemic

Abstract

The rapid emergence of COVID-19 has led to an increase in poverty rates all across the globe. This situation has led governments all around the world to develop rehabilitation strategies to help people in need. However, several firms develop their programmes to help the less fortunate. The current paper examined the existing literature on corporate programmes or strategies for alleviating poverty caused by pandemics. We conducted a systematic review of high-quality journal databases, namely Web of Science and Scopus, with some additional databases, namely Emerald Insight and Wiley Online Library. We identified 24 related articles using the PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis). A closer investigation of these articles revealed several key findings, particularly on the role of business in poverty alleviation during the present pandemic. Our analysis found that the role of business in reducing poverty is crucial as the government concentrates on the health system, which is becoming more immobilized owing to the inflow of COVID-19 patients. This study uses a comprehensive assessment of empirical data to the current literature on how businesses manage their social obligation to the community during the COVID-19 pandemic. Furthermore, and more objectively, this study makes broader conclusions about several studies than individual study and provides ideas for future research endeavours. The findings of this study are significant for researchers, professionals, and regulators involved in the execution of poverty reduction support.