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The study investigated the impact of supply chain management (SCM) practices on supply chain robustness (SCR) and financial performance (FP) in the freight logistics sector in South Africa post-COVID-19 era. Employing a survey research design and quantitative methodology, the research utilised a purposive sampling technique to recruit 500 professionals specialising in supply chain, operations, and finance from freight logistics firms across the Gauteng, North-West, and Mpumalanga provinces of South Africa. The study assessed various SCM practices, specifically focusing on capacity and skills management (CSM), customer relationship management (CRM), and supplier relationship management (SRM) as independent variables. The mediating variable was SCR, with FP being the outcome variable. Hypotheses were tested using Partial Least Squares structural equation modelling (PLS-SEM).  In the findings, both CRM and SRM demonstrated significant positive impacts on SCR, while CSM was statistically insignificant.  Furthermore, SCR was found to have a significant positive effect on FP. A significant mediating effect of SCR on the association of CRM and SRM on FP was observed. The study is a groundbreaking attempt to provide insights into which SCM factors deserve attention when attempting to strengthen the robustness and FP of freight logistics supply chains.

Crises are inevitable in the business environment, and the effects can vary widely across small and large businesses. Depending on its severity, crisis can threaten the continuity of businesses, especially small and medium enterprises (SMEs). For instance, the recent COVID-19 pandemic saw the discontinuation of several businesses. Thus, it is essential to investigate the survival strategies that can be adopted to facilitate business continuity. This study performs a literature review to investigate the strategies that can be adopted by SMEs to foster business continuity amidst crises. Considering SMEs crucial contribution to global economic development, employment creation and poverty alleviation, it is crucial to identify strategies that facilitate business continuity among SMEs. The findings of this literature review indicate that technological innovation, business agility, organizational resilience, innovative marketing strategies and the retrenchment strategy can facilitate business continuity among SMEs. This research contributes to the literature on crisis management in business and highlight strategies that can be implemented for business continuity in SMEs. Future research should empirically investigate the adoption of these strategies in SMEs, and ways to overcome the challenges hindering their adoption and implementation for sustainable business continuity.