Social Partnership With Multinational Enterprises (MNEs), and Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) in Post-COVID Times in an Emerging Economy Like India – Integrating Volunteering and Social Entrepreneurship as Newer Strategic Healthcare Model

The COVID-19 pandemic exposed critical weaknesses in economic and healthcare systems, affecting India due to structural inequities and limited healthcare infrastructure. This study examines the role of Multinational Enterprises (MNEs) and Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) in strengthening healthcare systems through volunteering and social entrepreneurship, contributing to Sustainable Development Goal 3 (SDG-3): ensuring healthy lives and well-being for all. Adopting a mixed-methods approach, the research integrates systematic secondary analysis with primary data collection from 150 structured surveys and 25 in-depth interviews with healthcare and MSME stakeholders. Findings indicate that MSMEs played a critical role in maintaining healthcare supply chains, while volunteer-driven engagement models helped counter misinformation and enhance community resilience. This study advances the understanding of MSME-driven healthcare resilience during crises, filling a gap in research on corporate social entrepreneurship and public-private synergies in pandemic response. It underscores the need for structured public-private partnerships, institutionalized social entrepreneurship, and expanded digital health integration to strengthen pandemic resilience.