In this P-Talk hsoted by the Asian Productivity Organization, Prof. Shandre Mugan Thangavelu, Vice President and Professor, Jeffrey Cheah Institute on Southeast Asia, Sunway University, Malaysia, will examine the role of SMEs in the global value chain (GVC) and how it has been impacted by COVID-19. He will discuss the influence of digitalization and automation in postpandemic recovery and policy implications for human capital, SME resilience, and productivity. Supply chains and traditional business models have been significantly disrupted by restrictions on human and product movements caused by the pandemic. SMEs are among the most vulnerable in this crisis and remain in a precarious position in the GVC despite recovery measures and progress in some countries. Prof. Thangavelu will discuss the factors that could enhance the participation of SMEs in the GVC.