Surviving a pandemic: lessons from COVID

The COVID-19 pandemic had, and still has a major impact on the restaurant industry due to the limited opening hours authorised by the Dutch government. In addition, many businesses were not prepared for a pandemic causing a late reaction from their side.

Daphne Roorda will soon graduate from Hotelschool The Hague with a thesis on resilience and response among restaurant entrepreneurs in The Hague who have survived the crisis caused by COVID-19 so far. She has developed an article based on the outcomes of her research and relevant literature to advise restaurants about preparation for a future pandemic, and useful characteristics and skills in these situations.

Restaurant owners and managers from The Hague showed that they had faith in the internal locus of control and that they have been adapting to the changing circumstances This article explains how adaptability can be trained if not possessed, and includes a list with optional elements for a business continuity plan. This can help restaurants to create a competitive advantage during a pandemic as it contributes to minimising the disruption of a business.

The full article is published in Dutch on the website of De RestaurantKrant:

More information: research@hotelschool.nl.