{"id":"https://openalex.org/W7204771023","doi":"https://doi.org/10.59413/ajocs/v7.i5.1","title":"Support Network Utilisation and Business Sustainability among Women Entrepreneurs: Evidence from Kabwe District, Zambia","display_name":"Support Network Utilisation and Business Sustainability among Women Entrepreneurs: Evidence from Kabwe District, Zambia","publication_year":2026,"publication_date":"2026-08-31","ids":{"openalex":"https://openalex.org/W7204771023","doi":"https://doi.org/10.59413/ajocs/v7.i5.1"},"language":"en","primary_location":{"id":"doi:10.59413/ajocs/v7.i5.1","doi":"https://doi.org/10.59413/ajocs/v7.i5.1","is_oa":true,"landing_page_url":"https://doi.org/10.59413/ajocs/v7.i5.1","pdf_url":"https://ijcsacademia.com/index.php/journal/article/download/683/572","source":{"id":"https://openalex.org/S4387292217","display_name":"African Journal of Commercial Studies","issn_l":"2958-2326","issn":["2958-2326"],"is_oa":true,"is_in_doaj":false,"is_core":false,"listed_in":[],"host_organization":null,"host_organization_name":null,"host_organization_lineage":[],"host_organization_lineage_names":[],"type":"journal"},"license":"cc-by-nc-nd","license_id":"https://openalex.org/licenses/cc-by-nc-nd","version":"publishedVersion","is_accepted":true,"is_published":true,"raw_source_name":"African Journal of Commercial Studies","raw_type":"journal-article"},"volume":null,"type":"article","is_traditional":true,"indexed_in":["crossref"],"open_access":{"is_oa":true,"oa_status":"diamond","oa_url":"https://ijcsacademia.com/index.php/journal/article/download/683/572","any_repository_has_fulltext":false},"authorships":[{"author_position":"first","author":{"id":"https://openalex.org/A5148793900","display_name":"Mirriam Mwela","orcid":null,"observed_orcids":[]},"institutions":[{"id":"https://openalex.org/I28046988","display_name":"Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology","ror":"https://ror.org/00cb23x68","country_code":"GH","type":"education","lineage":["https://openalex.org/I28046988"]},{"id":"https://openalex.org/I4210132509","display_name":"Kwame Nkrumah University","ror":"https://ror.org/02ykdz073","country_code":"ZM","type":"education","lineage":["https://openalex.org/I4210132509"]}],"countries":["GH","ZM"],"is_corresponding":false,"raw_author_name":"Mirriam Mwela","raw_affiliation_strings":["Kwame Nkrumah University"],"raw_orcid":null,"affiliations":[{"raw_affiliation_string":"Kwame Nkrumah University","institution_ids":["https://openalex.org/I28046988","https://openalex.org/I4210132509"]}]},{"author_position":"middle","author":{"id":"https://openalex.org/A5133593756","display_name":"Regina Muduli","orcid":"https://orcid.org/0009-0003-6874-7530","observed_orcids":["https://orcid.org/0009-0003-6874-7530"]},"institutions":[{"id":"https://openalex.org/I4210132509","display_name":"Kwame Nkrumah University","ror":"https://ror.org/02ykdz073","country_code":"ZM","type":"education","lineage":["https://openalex.org/I4210132509"]}],"countries":["ZM"],"is_corresponding":false,"raw_author_name":"Regina Muduli","raw_affiliation_strings":["Kwame Nkrumah University , Zambia"],"raw_orcid":null,"affiliations":[{"raw_affiliation_string":"Kwame Nkrumah University , Zambia","institution_ids":["https://openalex.org/I4210132509"]}]},{"author_position":"middle","author":{"id":"https://openalex.org/A5133564764","display_name":"Simasiku Mwiya Mufalali","orcid":"https://orcid.org/0009-0001-7173-6328","observed_orcids":["https://orcid.org/0009-0001-7173-6328"]},"institutions":[{"id":"https://openalex.org/I28046988","display_name":"Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology","ror":"https://ror.org/00cb23x68","country_code":"GH","type":"education","lineage":["https://openalex.org/I28046988"]},{"id":"https://openalex.org/I4210132509","display_name":"Kwame Nkrumah University","ror":"https://ror.org/02ykdz073","country_code":"ZM","type":"education","lineage":["https://openalex.org/I4210132509"]}],"countries":["GH","ZM"],"is_corresponding":false,"raw_author_name":"Simasiku Mwiya Mufalali","raw_affiliation_strings":["Kwame Nkrumah University"],"raw_orcid":"https://orcid.org/0009-0001-7173-6328","affiliations":[{"raw_affiliation_string":"Kwame Nkrumah University","institution_ids":["https://openalex.org/I28046988","https://openalex.org/I4210132509"]}]},{"author_position":"last","author":{"id":"https://openalex.org/A5048685593","display_name":"Bruce Mwiya","orcid":"https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6570-4637","observed_orcids":["https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6570-4637"]},"institutions":[{"id":"https://openalex.org/I28046988","display_name":"Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology","ror":"https://ror.org/00cb23x68","country_code":"GH","type":"education","lineage":["https://openalex.org/I28046988"]},{"id":"https://openalex.org/I4210132509","display_name":"Kwame Nkrumah University","ror":"https://ror.org/02ykdz073","country_code":"ZM","type":"education","lineage":["https://openalex.org/I4210132509"]}],"countries":["GH","ZM"],"is_corresponding":false,"raw_author_name":"Bruce Mwiya","raw_affiliation_strings":["Kwame Nkrumah University"],"raw_orcid":"https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6570-4637","affiliations":[{"raw_affiliation_string":"Kwame Nkrumah University","institution_ids":["https://openalex.org/I28046988","https://openalex.org/I4210132509"]}]}],"institutions":[],"countries_distinct_count":2,"institutions_distinct_count":2,"corresponding_author_ids":[],"corresponding_institution_ids":[],"apc_list":null,"apc_paid":null,"fwci":0.0,"has_fulltext":true,"cited_by_count":0,"citation_normalized_percentile":{"value":0.58313051,"is_in_top_1_percent":false,"is_in_top_10_percent":false},"cited_by_percentile_year":null,"biblio":{"volume":"7","issue":"5","first_page":"1","last_page":"9"},"is_retracted":false,"is_paratext":false,"is_xpac":false,"primary_topic":{"id":"https://openalex.org/T10058","display_name":"Entrepreneurship Studies and Influences","score":0.9994999766349792,"subfield":{"id":"https://openalex.org/subfields/1405","display_name":"Management of Technology and Innovation"},"field":{"id":"https://openalex.org/fields/14","display_name":"Business, Management and Accounting"},"domain":{"id":"https://openalex.org/domains/2","display_name":"Social Sciences"}},"topics":[{"id":"https://openalex.org/T10058","display_name":"Entrepreneurship Studies and Influences","score":0.9994999766349792,"subfield":{"id":"https://openalex.org/subfields/1405","display_name":"Management of Technology and Innovation"},"field":{"id":"https://openalex.org/fields/14","display_name":"Business, Management and Accounting"},"domain":{"id":"https://openalex.org/domains/2","display_name":"Social Sciences"}},{"id":"https://openalex.org/T10987","display_name":"Microfinance and Financial Inclusion","score":0.00019999999494757503,"subfield":{"id":"https://openalex.org/subfields/2002","display_name":"Economics and Econometrics"},"field":{"id":"https://openalex.org/fields/20","display_name":"Economics, Econometrics and Finance"},"domain":{"id":"https://openalex.org/domains/2","display_name":"Social Sciences"}},{"id":"https://openalex.org/T12693","display_name":"Migration, Ethnicity, and Economy","score":9.999999747378752e-05,"subfield":{"id":"https://openalex.org/subfields/3312","display_name":"Sociology and Political Science"},"field":{"id":"https://openalex.org/fields/33","display_name":"Social Sciences"},"domain":{"id":"https://openalex.org/domains/2","display_name":"Social Sciences"}}],"keywords":[{"id":"https://openalex.org/keywords/women-entrepreneurs","display_name":"women entrepreneurs","score":0.9980000257492065},{"id":"https://openalex.org/keywords/corporate-sustainability","display_name":"corporate sustainability","score":0.9570000171661377},{"id":"https://openalex.org/keywords/social-capital-theory","display_name":"social capital theory","score":0.8399999737739563},{"id":"https://openalex.org/keywords/informal-support-networks","display_name":"informal support networks","score":0.8270000219345093},{"id":"https://openalex.org/keywords/peer-networks","display_name":"peer networks","score":0.9179999828338623},{"id":"https://openalex.org/keywords/access-to-finance","display_name":"access to finance","score":0.8090000152587891},{"id":"https://openalex.org/keywords/gender-discrimination","display_name":"gender discrimination","score":0.8240000009536743},{"id":"https://openalex.org/keywords/women-owned-businesses","display_name":"women-owned businesses","score":0.753000020980835}],"concepts":[{"id":"https://openalex.org/C66204764","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q219416","display_name":"Sustainability","level":2,"score":0.6539999842643738},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C84309077","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q3908516","display_name":"Entrepreneurship","level":2,"score":0.6194999814033508},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C144133560","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q4830453","display_name":"Business","level":0,"score":0.5956000089645386},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C74196892","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q7781188","display_name":"Thematic analysis","level":3,"score":0.527999997138977},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C68062652","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q214693","display_name":"Social capital","level":2,"score":0.4916999936103821},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C85973986","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q1091731","display_name":"Exploratory research","level":2,"score":0.48489999771118164},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C50522688","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q189833","display_name":"Economic growth","level":1,"score":0.444599986076355},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C2776854237","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q6031064","display_name":"Information sharing","level":2,"score":0.4169999957084656},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C51575053","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q72468","display_name":"Bureaucracy","level":3,"score":0.4099000096321106},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C190248442","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q839486","display_name":"Qualitative research","level":2,"score":0.3978999853134155},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C194943564","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q1129049","display_name":"Participant observation","level":2,"score":0.39419999718666077},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C39549134","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q133080","display_name":"Public relations","level":1,"score":0.3822000026702881},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C83646750","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q193893","display_name":"Capital (architecture)","level":2,"score":0.3278999924659729},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C2778087770","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q2297111","display_name":"Social support","level":2,"score":0.32030001282691956},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C112947039","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q2360816","display_name":"Business networking","level":4,"score":0.31290000677108765},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C64089585","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q944235","display_name":"Informal sector","level":2,"score":0.30970001220703125},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C87156501","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q7268708","display_name":"Qualitative property","level":2,"score":0.30880001187324524},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C2777973936","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q1109680","display_name":"Small business","level":2,"score":0.29429998993873596},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C44750222","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q1897397","display_name":"Financial capital","level":3,"score":0.2653000056743622},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C4727928","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q17164759","display_name":"Social network (sociolinguistics)","level":3,"score":0.26170000433921814},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C2781094116","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q1569083","display_name":"Peer support","level":2,"score":0.2554999887943268},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C199776023","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q202875","display_name":"Negotiation","level":2,"score":0.2524999976158142},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C121017731","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q11661","display_name":"Information technology","level":2,"score":0.25220000743865967},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C2780198215","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q361428","display_name":"Informal learning","level":2,"score":0.25200000405311584},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C2776604539","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q6423395","display_name":"Knowledge sharing","level":2,"score":0.2506999969482422}],"mesh":[],"locations_count":1,"locations":[{"id":"doi:10.59413/ajocs/v7.i5.1","doi":"https://doi.org/10.59413/ajocs/v7.i5.1","is_oa":true,"landing_page_url":"https://doi.org/10.59413/ajocs/v7.i5.1","pdf_url":"https://ijcsacademia.com/index.php/journal/article/download/683/572","source":{"id":"https://openalex.org/S4387292217","display_name":"African Journal of Commercial Studies","issn_l":"2958-2326","issn":["2958-2326"],"is_oa":true,"is_in_doaj":false,"is_core":false,"listed_in":[],"host_organization":null,"host_organization_name":null,"host_organization_lineage":[],"host_organization_lineage_names":[],"type":"journal"},"license":"cc-by-nc-nd","license_id":"https://openalex.org/licenses/cc-by-nc-nd","version":"publishedVersion","is_accepted":true,"is_published":true,"raw_source_name":"African Journal of Commercial Studies","raw_type":"journal-article"}],"best_oa_location":{"id":"doi:10.59413/ajocs/v7.i5.1","doi":"https://doi.org/10.59413/ajocs/v7.i5.1","is_oa":true,"landing_page_url":"https://doi.org/10.59413/ajocs/v7.i5.1","pdf_url":"https://ijcsacademia.com/index.php/journal/article/download/683/572","source":{"id":"https://openalex.org/S4387292217","display_name":"African Journal of Commercial Studies","issn_l":"2958-2326","issn":["2958-2326"],"is_oa":true,"is_in_doaj":false,"is_core":false,"listed_in":[],"host_organization":null,"host_organization_name":null,"host_organization_lineage":[],"host_organization_lineage_names":[],"type":"journal"},"license":"cc-by-nc-nd","license_id":"https://openalex.org/licenses/cc-by-nc-nd","version":"publishedVersion","is_accepted":true,"is_published":true,"raw_source_name":"African Journal of Commercial Studies","raw_type":"journal-article"},"sustainable_development_goals":[{"id":"https://metadata.un.org/sdg/8","display_name":"Decent work and economic growth","score":0.9211000204086304},{"id":"https://metadata.un.org/sdg/1","display_name":"No poverty","score":0.8928999900817871},{"id":"https://metadata.un.org/sdg/5","display_name":"Gender equality","score":0.7461000084877014},{"id":"https://metadata.un.org/sdg/10","display_name":"Reduced inequalities","score":0.5676000118255615},{"id":"https://metadata.un.org/sdg/9","display_name":"Industry, innovation and infrastructure","score":0.4943999946117401}],"study_designs":[],"awards":[],"funders":[],"has_content":{"grobid_xml":true,"pdf":true},"content_urls":{"pdf":"https://content.openalex.org/works/W7204771023.pdf","grobid_xml":"https://content.openalex.org/works/W7204771023.grobid-xml"},"referenced_works_count":7,"referenced_works":["https://openalex.org/W1964383457","https://openalex.org/W2004081932","https://openalex.org/W2087765149","https://openalex.org/W2124672530","https://openalex.org/W3025287711","https://openalex.org/W4318707239","https://openalex.org/W7154272205"],"related_works":["https://openalex.org/W7116978157","https://openalex.org/W7217656526","https://openalex.org/W4409661570","https://openalex.org/W6930778554","https://openalex.org/W4416006664","https://openalex.org/W4392575761","https://openalex.org/W7130508974","https://openalex.org/W3159581199","https://openalex.org/W7162319642","https://openalex.org/W6911974376"],"abstract_inverted_index":{"Women":[0],"entrepreneurs":[1,46,76,102],"play":[2],"a":[3],"critical":[4],"role":[5],"in":[6,23,47],"promoting":[7,238],"household":[8],"welfare,":[9],"employment":[10],"creation":[11],"and":[12,25,41,80,95,117,141,166,195,225,242],"local":[13],"economic":[14],"development.":[15],"However,":[16],"many":[17],"women-owned":[18,205],"enterprises":[19,82,206],"face":[20],"persistent":[21],"challenges":[22],"accessing":[24],"effectively":[26,221],"utilising":[27],"business":[28,42,85,153,162],"support":[29,38,107,124,149,165,214,236,252],"networks":[30,150,179,246],"necessary":[31],"for":[32],"long-term":[33],"sustainability.":[34],"This":[35],"study":[36,57,63,145,199],"explored":[37],"network":[39],"utilisation":[40,121],"sustainability":[43,154,203],"among":[44],"women":[45,75,101],"Kabwe":[48],"District,":[49],"Zambia.":[50],"Guided":[51],"by":[52,155],"Social":[53],"Capital":[54],"Theory,":[55],"the":[56,173,202,211],"adopted":[58],"an":[59,181],"exploratory":[60],"qualitative":[61],"case":[62],"design.":[64],"Data":[65],"were":[66],"collected":[67],"through":[68],"semi-structured":[69],"interviews":[70],"with":[71],"ten":[72],"purposively":[73],"selected":[74],"representing":[77],"both":[78,223],"informal":[79,106,226],"semi-formal":[81],"across":[83],"diverse":[84],"sectors.":[86],"Thematic":[87],"analysis":[88],"was":[89,172],"employed":[90],"to":[91,152,160,220],"identify":[92],"recurring":[93],"patterns":[94],"themes.":[96],"The":[97,144,198],"findings":[98],"revealed":[99],"that":[100,148,201],"relied":[103],"predominantly":[104],"on":[105,210,217],"networks,":[108],"including":[109],"family":[110],"members,":[111],"friends,":[112],"church":[113],"groups,":[114],"savings":[115],"groups":[116],"fellow":[118],"entrepreneurs,":[119],"while":[120],"of":[122,129,175,187,204,213,250],"formal":[123,224],"mechanisms":[125],"remained":[126],"limited":[127],"because":[128],"inadequate":[130],"information":[131,232],"dissemination,":[132,233],"bureaucratic":[133],"procedures,":[134],"gender":[135],"discrimination,":[136],"financial":[137],"constraints,":[138],"time":[139],"limitations":[140],"trust":[142],"deficits.":[143],"further":[146],"established":[147],"contribute":[151],"enhancing":[156],"resilience,":[157],"facilitating":[158],"access":[159],"finance,":[161],"information,":[163],"emotional":[164],"productive":[167],"resources.":[168],"A":[169],"notable":[170],"finding":[171],"emergence":[174],"organically":[176],"developed":[177],"peer":[178,245],"as":[180,247],"under-recognised":[182],"yet":[183],"highly":[184],"effective":[185],"source":[186],"entrepreneurial":[188],"support,":[189],"fostering":[190],"collaborative":[191],"learning,":[192],"knowledge":[193],"sharing":[194],"collective":[196],"resilience.":[197],"concludes":[200],"depends":[207],"not":[208],"merely":[209],"existence":[212],"programmes":[215],"but":[216],"entrepreneurs'":[218],"ability":[219],"mobilise":[222],"social":[227],"capital.":[228],"It":[229],"recommends":[230],"strengthening":[231],"simplifying":[234],"institutional":[235],"mechanisms,":[237],"gender-inclusive":[239],"entrepreneurship":[240,251],"policies":[241],"recognising":[243],"community-based":[244],"complementary":[248],"components":[249],"systems.":[253]},"counts_by_year":[],"updated_date":"2026-11-04T10:54:05.112534","created_date":"2026-09-01T00:00:00"}
