Investigating the Role of Governmental Supports in the Formation of Knowledge-based Enterprises Strategies in Dealing with the COVID-19 Implications

Although the COVID-19 crisis has devastated many companies worldwide, some firms have implemented effective strategies to make their way into growth and development. Governments also provide these companies with various supports about their need. Because of the strategic importance of knowledge-based enterprises for Iran, we have investigated how government supports influence the development of prospective strategies of ten knowledge-based enterprises facing COVID-19 pandemic using a qualitative approach and multiple case study process. Data of this study were collected through semi-structured interviews with CEOs of these ten companies. To verify this data, we used the data triangulation method of interviews, vice-presidential documents for science and technology, and Iran National Innovation Fund documents as its three sides. Analyzing the qualitative content of produced and collected documents through the research process suggests that the main drivers of various companies' prospective strategies during the COVID-19 crisis are increased demand in their businesses and firms because of their technologies and resources, and relying on government support exploited these opportunities. Besides, evidence suggests that the government has provided a variety of financial and non-financial support tools to support these firms. However, in defining these prospective strategies, we cannot find government support to be a substitute for market attractiveness, though most of these companies were unable to execute their strategies without government support. Therefore, besides market attractiveness, we need to find government support as a vital complement to the creation of prospective knowledge-based enterprise strategies facing the COVID-19 outbreak.