Towards a Gender Perspective: Examining Entrepreneurial Resilience and SME Success in Nigeria
Keywords:
entrepreneurship, resilience, SMEs, gender perspective
Abstract
Purpose
Ability to pull through and rebound to business is significant for entrepreneurs after failures and setbacks. While resilience is widely acknowledged as a crucial factor in explaining firms’ outcomes, limited research has explored its gendered dimensions, especially in the Nigerian context. This study explores the relationship between entrepreneurial resilience and SME success, with a particular focus on gender as a moderating variable.
Design/methodology/approach
The study used a survey research design. Data were collected from 350 SME owners across Nigeria, of which 238 valid responses were analysed. Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale (CD-RISC) was used to evaluate resilience across three dimensions: hardiness, resourcefulness, and optimism. Regression analysis was used to examine the direct and moderated effect on entrepreneurial success.
Findings
The findings revealed a significant positive association between entrepreneurial resilience and SME success. Resilience dimensions collectively explain 32.1% of the variance in entrepreneurial success (R² = 0.321, F = 38.428, p < 0.001), with all predictor variables; hardiness (t = 3.763), resourcefulness (t = 3.379), and optimism (t = 1.998) having significant impacts (p < 0.05). Including gender as a moderating variable, also reports a significant improvement in explanatory power (R² = 0.328, F = 58.747, p < 0.001), indicating that gender stimulate the strength of the association between resilience and success.
Originality/value
The study fills a critical gap in literature by highlighting the gendered nature of entrepreneurial resilience in SME success in Nigeria. The findings offer practical implications for policy development and support systems tailored to strengthen resilience among male and female entrepreneurs, thereby enhancing SME sustainability and growth.
Downloads
Download data is not yet available.
References
Adeosun, O. T., & Shittu, A. I. (2022). Small–medium enterprise formation and Nigerian economic growth. Review of Economics and Political Science, 7(4), 286–301. https://doi.org/10.1108/REPS-07-2020-0089
Adeniran, T., & Johnston, K. (2012). Investigating the dynamic capabilities and competitive advantage of South African SMEs. African Journal of Business Management, 6(11), 4088–4099.
Alsos, G. A., Hytti, U., & Ljunggren, E. (2016). Gendered networks and entrepreneurial success. International Journal of Gender and Entrepreneurship, 8(3), 227–244.
Alsos, G. A., Ljunggren, E., & Hytti, U. (2019). Gender and innovation: State of the art and a research agenda. International Journal of Gender and Entrepreneurship, 11(2), 145–169.
Amon Simba, E., Kalu, E. U., Onodugo, V., Okoyeuzu, C. R., & Ogundana, O. M. (2022). Women entrepreneurs in Nigeria. In Women Entrepreneurs in Sub-Saharan Africa (ISBN: 978-3-030-98965-1).
Ayala, J. C., & Manzano, G. (2014). The resilience of the entrepreneur: Influence on the success of the business. A longitudinal analysis. Journal of Economic Psychology, 42, 126–135.
Bakas, F. E. (2017). Female entrepreneurship and community resilience: Evidence from rural contexts. Entrepreneurship and Regional Development, 29(5–6), 578–600
Bernard, B. (1995). Fostering resilience in kids: Protective factors in the family, school, and community. Psychology Today, 28(2), 57–61.
Bernard, M. J., & Barbosa, S. D. (2016). Resilience and entrepreneurship: A dynamic and biographical approach to the entrepreneurial act. Management, 19, 89–121.
Bernard, A. B., & Barbosa, S. D. (2016). Resilience and the gendered entrepreneurial culture. In Resilience: A new paradigm of entrepreneurial education (pp. 95–118). Springer.
Brush, C. G. (2018). Entrepreneurship, gender, and policy: Current status and future directions. Entrepreneurship Theory and Practice, 42(3), 405–425.
Bullough, A., & Renko, M. (2013). Entrepreneurial resilience during challenging times. Business Horizons, 56(3), 343–350.
Buang, N. A. (n.d.). Entrepreneurs’ resilience measurement. Retrieved June 4, 2018, from http://cdn.intechopen.com/pdfs/31846/InTech-Entrepreneurs_resilience_measurement.pdf
Cardon, M. S., Mitteness, C., & Sudek, R. (2020). An entrepreneurship research agenda for the sharing economy. Entrepreneurship Theory and Practice, 44(1), 4–24.
Chandler, G. N., & Lyon, D. W. (2001). Issues of research design and construct measurement in entrepreneurship research: The past decade. Entrepreneurship Theory and Practice, 25(4), 101–113.
Chen, H. Y., & Wu, S. C. (2019). Resilience and small business performance: Dynamic capabilities as a mediator and industry as a moderator. Journal of Business Venturing, 34(6), 105945.
Danes, S. M., Lee, H. S., Amarapurkar, S. S., Stafford, K., Haynes, G., & Brewton, K. E. (2009). Family-owned business resilience: Influences on firm and family outcomes. Journal of Small Business Management, 45(2), 167–190.
Danes, S. M., Stafford, K., & Loy, J. T. (2007). Family-owned business from a social capital perspective: A synthesis of existing research. Journal of Family Business Strategy, 1(4), 163–181.
De Vries, H., & Shields, M. (2006). Towards a theory of entrepreneurial resilience: A case study analysis of New Zealand SME owner-operators. Applied Research Journal, 5(1), 3–33.
Fatoki, O. (2018). The impact of entrepreneurial resilience on the success of small and medium enterprises in South Africa. Sustainability, 10(7), 2527.
Fletcher, D., & Sarkar, M. (2013). Psychological resilience: A review and critique of definitions, concepts and theory. European Psychologist, 18(1), 12–23.
Hayward, M. L., Forster, W. R., Sarasvathy, S. D., & Fredrickson, B. L. (2010). Beyond hubris: How highly confident entrepreneurs rebound to venture again. Journal of Business Venturing, 25(6), 569–578.
Heider, F. (1958). The psychology of interpersonal relations. John Wiley & Sons.
Hedner, T., Abouzeedan, A., & Klofsten, M. (2011). Entrepreneurial resilience. Annals of Innovation and Entrepreneurship, 2(1), 1–11. https://doi.org/10.3402/aie.v2i1.6002
Hisrich, R. D., Peters, M. P., & Shepherd, D. A. (2017). Entrepreneurship (10th ed.). McGraw-Hill Education.
Lawal, F. A., Worlu, R. E., & Ayoade, O. E. (2016). Critical success factors for sustainable entrepreneurship in SMEs: Nigerian perspective. Mediterranean Journal of Social Sciences, 7(3 S1), 338.
Luthans, F., Youssef, C. M., & Avolio, B. J. (2007). Psychological capital: Developing the human competitive edge. Oxford University Press.
Marlow, S., van der Sijde, P., & Paterson, S. (2018). Embedded genderedness and entrepreneurship: Insights from narratives of women business owners in Norway and Scotland. International Small Business Journal, 36(6), 613–637.
Mariana, P., & Joana, C. (2021). Entrepreneurial resilience and gender: Are they connected? Contributions toward entrepreneurship policy-package. Industrial Engineering and Operations Management.
Morisse, M., & Ingram, C. (2016). A mixed blessing: Resilience in the entrepreneurial socio-technical system of Bitcoin. Journal of Information Systems and Technology Management, 13, 3–26.
Mwobobia, F. M. (2012). Role of business management into the success and survival of small business: The case of Star Learning Centre in Botswana. International Journal of Business Administration, 3(1), 93–112.
Obi, J. N. (2015). The role of small-scale enterprises in the achievement of economic growth in Nigeria. International Journal of Social Sciences and Humanities, 3(1), 1.
Ogechukwu, A. D. (2010). Entrepreneurial developments and small scale industry contribution to Nigerian national development—a marketing interface. Information Management and Business Review, 1(2), 51–68.
Ogunmuyiwa, M. S., & Okunleye, B. A. (2019). Small and medium enterprises and sustainable economic development in Nigeria. Izvestiya Journal of Varna University of Economics, 63(3), 171–182.
Olughor, R., & Oke, M. (2014). The relationship between organizational survival and employee mental ability. International Journal of Business and Social Science,5(6), 205–212.
Olughor R. J. (2015). Role of Leadership styles and Entrepreneurial Orientation on Business performance. ACU Journal of Social and Management Sciences Vol 1(1) pp 94-112
Osayi, A. (2021, October). Unsung heroes: SMEs as backbone of the Nigerian economy. BusinessDay. https://businessday.ng/columnist/article/unsung-heroes-smes-as-backbone-of-the-nigerian-economy/
Oyegbami, A. (2022, July 28). Investing in SMEs in Nigeria to support economic growth. ThisDayLive. https://www.thisdaylive.com/index.php/2022/07/28/investing-in-smes-in-nigeria-to-support-economic-growth/
Pethokoukis, J. (2014). A lost decade for small business. American Enterprise Institute, AEI Economic Perspectives, 6(3), 1–13.
Pidduck, F. D., & Clark, M. E. (2021). Unpacking resilient entrepreneurial outcomes: The influence of affect on SME owner-managers. Journal of Small Business Management, 59(1), 241–265.
Pittz, T. G., & Liguori, E. W. (2020). Effectuation, resilience, and small business owner well-being. Journal of Business Venturing Insights, 14, e00200.
Rachael, W., & Stephen, M. (2021). From attention to action: Entrepreneurial networks and performance of women-owned enterprises: A theoretical review. International Journal of Business and Management, 16(2).
Shepherd, D. A. (2020). "It's a wonderful life": Entrepreneurship and the pandemic. Journal of Business Venturing Insights, 14, e00185.
Singh, S., & Ogbolu, M. E. (2015). Small and medium-scale enterprises (SMEs) and growth in Nigeria: An empirical assessment. International Journal of Business and Social Science, 6(3), 58–65.
Tonis, R. (2015). SMEs’ role in achieving sustainable development. Journal of Economic Development, Environment and People, 4, 41–50.
Tugade, M. M., & Fredrickson, B. L. (2004). Resilient individuals use positive emotions to bounce back from negative emotional experiences. Journal of personality and social psychology, 86(2), 320.
Ufua, D. E., Olujobi, O. J., Ogbari, M. E., Dada, J. A., & Edafe, O. D. (2020). Operations of small and medium enterprises and the legal system in Nigeria. Humanities and Social Sciences Communications, 7, 1–12. https://doi.org/10.1057/s41599-020-00583-y
Werner, E. E., Bierman, J. M., & French, F. E. (1971). The children of Kauai. University of Hawaii Press.
Windle, G. (2011). What is resilience? A review and concept analysis. Reviews in Clinical Gerontology, 21(2), 152–169.
Wilson, D. E., & Zimmerer, T. W. (2009). Small business management: Launching and growing entrepreneurial ventures. South-Western Cengage Learning.
Zoltan, J. (2006). Entrepreneurship in transition economies. Journal of Small Business and Enterprise Development, 13(4), 598–611.
Adeniran, T., & Johnston, K. (2012). Investigating the dynamic capabilities and competitive advantage of South African SMEs. African Journal of Business Management, 6(11), 4088–4099.
Alsos, G. A., Hytti, U., & Ljunggren, E. (2016). Gendered networks and entrepreneurial success. International Journal of Gender and Entrepreneurship, 8(3), 227–244.
Alsos, G. A., Ljunggren, E., & Hytti, U. (2019). Gender and innovation: State of the art and a research agenda. International Journal of Gender and Entrepreneurship, 11(2), 145–169.
Amon Simba, E., Kalu, E. U., Onodugo, V., Okoyeuzu, C. R., & Ogundana, O. M. (2022). Women entrepreneurs in Nigeria. In Women Entrepreneurs in Sub-Saharan Africa (ISBN: 978-3-030-98965-1).
Ayala, J. C., & Manzano, G. (2014). The resilience of the entrepreneur: Influence on the success of the business. A longitudinal analysis. Journal of Economic Psychology, 42, 126–135.
Bakas, F. E. (2017). Female entrepreneurship and community resilience: Evidence from rural contexts. Entrepreneurship and Regional Development, 29(5–6), 578–600
Bernard, B. (1995). Fostering resilience in kids: Protective factors in the family, school, and community. Psychology Today, 28(2), 57–61.
Bernard, M. J., & Barbosa, S. D. (2016). Resilience and entrepreneurship: A dynamic and biographical approach to the entrepreneurial act. Management, 19, 89–121.
Bernard, A. B., & Barbosa, S. D. (2016). Resilience and the gendered entrepreneurial culture. In Resilience: A new paradigm of entrepreneurial education (pp. 95–118). Springer.
Brush, C. G. (2018). Entrepreneurship, gender, and policy: Current status and future directions. Entrepreneurship Theory and Practice, 42(3), 405–425.
Bullough, A., & Renko, M. (2013). Entrepreneurial resilience during challenging times. Business Horizons, 56(3), 343–350.
Buang, N. A. (n.d.). Entrepreneurs’ resilience measurement. Retrieved June 4, 2018, from http://cdn.intechopen.com/pdfs/31846/InTech-Entrepreneurs_resilience_measurement.pdf
Cardon, M. S., Mitteness, C., & Sudek, R. (2020). An entrepreneurship research agenda for the sharing economy. Entrepreneurship Theory and Practice, 44(1), 4–24.
Chandler, G. N., & Lyon, D. W. (2001). Issues of research design and construct measurement in entrepreneurship research: The past decade. Entrepreneurship Theory and Practice, 25(4), 101–113.
Chen, H. Y., & Wu, S. C. (2019). Resilience and small business performance: Dynamic capabilities as a mediator and industry as a moderator. Journal of Business Venturing, 34(6), 105945.
Danes, S. M., Lee, H. S., Amarapurkar, S. S., Stafford, K., Haynes, G., & Brewton, K. E. (2009). Family-owned business resilience: Influences on firm and family outcomes. Journal of Small Business Management, 45(2), 167–190.
Danes, S. M., Stafford, K., & Loy, J. T. (2007). Family-owned business from a social capital perspective: A synthesis of existing research. Journal of Family Business Strategy, 1(4), 163–181.
De Vries, H., & Shields, M. (2006). Towards a theory of entrepreneurial resilience: A case study analysis of New Zealand SME owner-operators. Applied Research Journal, 5(1), 3–33.
Fatoki, O. (2018). The impact of entrepreneurial resilience on the success of small and medium enterprises in South Africa. Sustainability, 10(7), 2527.
Fletcher, D., & Sarkar, M. (2013). Psychological resilience: A review and critique of definitions, concepts and theory. European Psychologist, 18(1), 12–23.
Hayward, M. L., Forster, W. R., Sarasvathy, S. D., & Fredrickson, B. L. (2010). Beyond hubris: How highly confident entrepreneurs rebound to venture again. Journal of Business Venturing, 25(6), 569–578.
Heider, F. (1958). The psychology of interpersonal relations. John Wiley & Sons.
Hedner, T., Abouzeedan, A., & Klofsten, M. (2011). Entrepreneurial resilience. Annals of Innovation and Entrepreneurship, 2(1), 1–11. https://doi.org/10.3402/aie.v2i1.6002
Hisrich, R. D., Peters, M. P., & Shepherd, D. A. (2017). Entrepreneurship (10th ed.). McGraw-Hill Education.
Lawal, F. A., Worlu, R. E., & Ayoade, O. E. (2016). Critical success factors for sustainable entrepreneurship in SMEs: Nigerian perspective. Mediterranean Journal of Social Sciences, 7(3 S1), 338.
Luthans, F., Youssef, C. M., & Avolio, B. J. (2007). Psychological capital: Developing the human competitive edge. Oxford University Press.
Marlow, S., van der Sijde, P., & Paterson, S. (2018). Embedded genderedness and entrepreneurship: Insights from narratives of women business owners in Norway and Scotland. International Small Business Journal, 36(6), 613–637.
Mariana, P., & Joana, C. (2021). Entrepreneurial resilience and gender: Are they connected? Contributions toward entrepreneurship policy-package. Industrial Engineering and Operations Management.
Morisse, M., & Ingram, C. (2016). A mixed blessing: Resilience in the entrepreneurial socio-technical system of Bitcoin. Journal of Information Systems and Technology Management, 13, 3–26.
Mwobobia, F. M. (2012). Role of business management into the success and survival of small business: The case of Star Learning Centre in Botswana. International Journal of Business Administration, 3(1), 93–112.
Obi, J. N. (2015). The role of small-scale enterprises in the achievement of economic growth in Nigeria. International Journal of Social Sciences and Humanities, 3(1), 1.
Ogechukwu, A. D. (2010). Entrepreneurial developments and small scale industry contribution to Nigerian national development—a marketing interface. Information Management and Business Review, 1(2), 51–68.
Ogunmuyiwa, M. S., & Okunleye, B. A. (2019). Small and medium enterprises and sustainable economic development in Nigeria. Izvestiya Journal of Varna University of Economics, 63(3), 171–182.
Olughor, R., & Oke, M. (2014). The relationship between organizational survival and employee mental ability. International Journal of Business and Social Science,5(6), 205–212.
Olughor R. J. (2015). Role of Leadership styles and Entrepreneurial Orientation on Business performance. ACU Journal of Social and Management Sciences Vol 1(1) pp 94-112
Osayi, A. (2021, October). Unsung heroes: SMEs as backbone of the Nigerian economy. BusinessDay. https://businessday.ng/columnist/article/unsung-heroes-smes-as-backbone-of-the-nigerian-economy/
Oyegbami, A. (2022, July 28). Investing in SMEs in Nigeria to support economic growth. ThisDayLive. https://www.thisdaylive.com/index.php/2022/07/28/investing-in-smes-in-nigeria-to-support-economic-growth/
Pethokoukis, J. (2014). A lost decade for small business. American Enterprise Institute, AEI Economic Perspectives, 6(3), 1–13.
Pidduck, F. D., & Clark, M. E. (2021). Unpacking resilient entrepreneurial outcomes: The influence of affect on SME owner-managers. Journal of Small Business Management, 59(1), 241–265.
Pittz, T. G., & Liguori, E. W. (2020). Effectuation, resilience, and small business owner well-being. Journal of Business Venturing Insights, 14, e00200.
Rachael, W., & Stephen, M. (2021). From attention to action: Entrepreneurial networks and performance of women-owned enterprises: A theoretical review. International Journal of Business and Management, 16(2).
Shepherd, D. A. (2020). "It's a wonderful life": Entrepreneurship and the pandemic. Journal of Business Venturing Insights, 14, e00185.
Singh, S., & Ogbolu, M. E. (2015). Small and medium-scale enterprises (SMEs) and growth in Nigeria: An empirical assessment. International Journal of Business and Social Science, 6(3), 58–65.
Tonis, R. (2015). SMEs’ role in achieving sustainable development. Journal of Economic Development, Environment and People, 4, 41–50.
Tugade, M. M., & Fredrickson, B. L. (2004). Resilient individuals use positive emotions to bounce back from negative emotional experiences. Journal of personality and social psychology, 86(2), 320.
Ufua, D. E., Olujobi, O. J., Ogbari, M. E., Dada, J. A., & Edafe, O. D. (2020). Operations of small and medium enterprises and the legal system in Nigeria. Humanities and Social Sciences Communications, 7, 1–12. https://doi.org/10.1057/s41599-020-00583-y
Werner, E. E., Bierman, J. M., & French, F. E. (1971). The children of Kauai. University of Hawaii Press.
Windle, G. (2011). What is resilience? A review and concept analysis. Reviews in Clinical Gerontology, 21(2), 152–169.
Wilson, D. E., & Zimmerer, T. W. (2009). Small business management: Launching and growing entrepreneurial ventures. South-Western Cengage Learning.
Zoltan, J. (2006). Entrepreneurship in transition economies. Journal of Small Business and Enterprise Development, 13(4), 598–611.
Published
2025-07-10
How to Cite
OLUGHOR, R. J., OLADELE, M. S., & OLADEJO, D. A. (2025). Towards a Gender Perspective: Examining Entrepreneurial Resilience and SME Success in Nigeria. GPH-International Journal of Business Management, 8(6), 54-68. https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.15853374
Section
Articles
Copyright (c) 2025 GPH International Journals
The authors and co-authors warrant that the article is their original work, does not infringe any copyright, and has not been published elsewhere. By submitting the article to GPH-International Journal of Business Management, the authors agree that the journal has the right to retract or remove the article in case of proven ethical misconduct.
