Support Network Utilisation and Business Sustainability among Women Entrepreneurs: Evidence from Kabwe District, Zambia

Abstract

Women entrepreneurs play a critical role in promoting household welfare, employment creation and local economic development. However, many women-owned enterprises face persistent challenges in accessing and effectively utilising business support networks necessary for long-term sustainability. This study explored support network utilisation and business sustainability among women entrepreneurs in Kabwe District, Zambia. Guided by Social Capital Theory, the study adopted an exploratory qualitative case study design. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews with ten purposively selected women entrepreneurs representing both informal and semi-formal enterprises across diverse business sectors. Thematic analysis was employed to identify recurring patterns and themes. The findings revealed that women entrepreneurs relied predominantly on informal support networks, including family members, friends, church groups, savings groups and fellow entrepreneurs, while utilisation of formal support mechanisms remained limited because of inadequate information dissemination, bureaucratic procedures, gender discrimination, financial constraints, time limitations and trust deficits. The study further established that support networks contribute to business sustainability by enhancing resilience, facilitating access to finance, business information, emotional support and productive resources. A notable finding was the emergence of organically developed peer networks as an under-recognised yet highly effective source of entrepreneurial support, fostering collaborative learning, knowledge sharing and collective resilience. The study concludes that the sustainability of women-owned enterprises depends not merely on the existence of support programmes but on entrepreneurs' ability to effectively mobilise both formal and informal social capital. It recommends strengthening information dissemination, simplifying institutional support mechanisms, promoting gender-inclusive entrepreneurship policies and recognising community-based peer networks as complementary components of entrepreneurship support systems.