Empowering Change: Factors Influencing the Success of Women-Led Social Enterprise Projects in Pakistan
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.37435/nbr.v7i2.127Keywords:
dsfAbstract
Purpose: Women entrepreneurs in Pakistan face cultural constraints, mobility, and a lack of access to resources. Whereas, women-led social enterprises projects are significant to communities’ development, there is little research on them especially the application of Social Cognitive Theory (SCT) which is aimed at identifying what makes them successful in South Asia. This paper compares the role of creativity, access to finance, entrepreneurial self-efficacy and previous social engagement in the development and sustainability of women-led social business in Pakistan
Design/Methodology: The analysis was conducted using the Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM) to examine direct and indirect relationships. Data was collected from 331 respondents using the entrepreneurial intention as a mediator and perceived social support as a moderator.
Findings: These findings indicate that financial availability and social activism play crucial business roles in enterprise success, and high entrepreneurial self-efficacy could provoke cultural opposition, decreasing performance. It was not creativity that had direct effect. Entrepreneurial intention was found to be a powerful mediator variable, but social support did not have any significant moderator role.
Originality: The paper presents the SCT-oriented model to suit patriarchal settings and provides practical recommendations in designing gender-sensitive training, financing schemes, and support systems. Future studies will do research on the impacts of lasting and compare other similar environments in South Asia.
References
AKHTER, A., HOSSAIN, M. U., & Al ASHEQ, A. (2020). Influential factors of social entrepreneurial intention in Bangladesh. The Journal of Asian Finance, Economics and Business (JAFEB), 7(8), 645-651.
Ates, S., & Altuner Çoban, G. S. (2022). A Validity and Reliability Study on Developing a Scale for Assessing Classroom Teachers' Attitudes towards Illustrated Children's Books. Educational Policy Analysis and Strategic Research, 17(3), 222-237.
Ambad, S. N. A., Rosnan, H., & Samat, M. F. (2024). The Effect of Empathy, Self-Efficacy, and Perceived Social Support on Social Entrepreneurial Intention among Youth in Malaysia. Journal of Entrepreneurship and Business Innovation, 11(2), 1-1.
Azam, O., Zulfiqar, H., & Lillah, Z. I. (2022). An ethnographic study on female entrepreneurship in patriarchal structure: motivation and challenges. Pakistan Journal of Social Issues, XIII, 108-118.
Abbas, A., & Hafeez, M. H. (2023) Exploring the Barriers to Women Entrepreneurship: An Empirical Study of Women Entrepreneurs in Pakistan. Journal of Law & Social Studies (JLSS), 5(3), 574-587.
Ahmed, T., Wasim, J., Usman, M. and Akhtar, M.W. (2025), "Female entrepreneurial vocational training and entrepreneurial behavior: a longitudinal study", Journal of Asia Business Studies, Vol. ahead-of-print No. ahead-of-print. https://doi.org/10.1108/JABS-03-2024-0172.
Alwaely, S. A., Abusalma, A., Alamayreh, E. M., Fraihat, B. A. M., Taha, I. B., & Bani Ahmad, A. Y. (2024). The effect of emotional intelligence, and fostering creativity on entrepreneurship business administration: mediating role of innovation and intrinsic motivation.
Alkire, L., Mooney, C., Gur, F. A., Kabadayi, S., Renko, M., & Vink, J. (2020). Transformative service research, service design, and social entrepreneurship: An interdisciplinary framework advancing wellbeing and social impact. Journal of Service Management, 31(1), 24-50.
Bansal, S., Garg, I., & Sharma, G. D. (2019). Social entrepreneurship as a path for social change and driver of sustainable development: A systematic review and research agenda. Sustainability, 11(4), 1091.
Boudreaux, C. J., Nikolaev, B. N., & Klein, P. (2019). Socio-cognitive traits and entrepreneurship: The moderating role of economic institutions. Journal of Business Venturing, 34(1), 178-196.
British Council. (2016). The state of social enterprise in Pakistan. British Council. (Original report as part of “The state of social enterprise in Bangladesh, Ghana, India and Pakistan” series)
Begum, F., & Khan, N. (2025). Women Entrepreneurs In Pakistan: Navigating Finance, Networks, And Leadership for Business Success. Journal of Management & Social Science, 2(1), 266-281.
Barrera-Verdugo, G., Cadena-Echverría, J., Durán-Sandoval, D., & Villarroel-Villarroel, A. (2024). Analysing the effect of resilience and perceived social environment on university students' intention to start sustainable ventures. Plos one, 19(4), e0301178.
Barberá-Tomás, D., Castelló, I., De Bakker, F. G., & Zietsma, C. (2019). Energizing through visuals: How social entrepreneurs use emotion-symbolic work for social change. Academy of Management Journal, 62(6), 1789-1817.
Bullough, A., Guelich, U., Manolova, T. S., & Schjoedt, L. (2022). Women’s entrepreneurship and culture: gender role expectations and identities, societal culture, and the entrepreneurial environment. Small Business Economics, 58(2), 985-996.
Bandura, A. (1986). Social foundations of thought and action: A social cognitive theory. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice-Hall.
The British Council. (2016). The state of social enterprise in Pakistan.
The British Council. (2017). Social Enterprise and Women's Empowerment in Pakistan.
Darwish, S., Alzayed, S., & Ahmed, U. (2020). How women in science can boost women’s entrepreneurship: Review and highlights. International Journal of Innovation Creativity and Change, 14(1), 453-470.
Derkaoui, A., & Zemzami, I. (2025). Family Support and Nascent Entrepreneurship: A Systematic Review of Forms, Contexts, and Implications (2014–2024). Contexts, and Implications (2014–2024).
Dinar, H. (2020). Women-led businesses: an ethnographic study of gendered entrepreneurship in Gilgit-Baltistan, Pakistan. Journal of South Asian Development, 15(3), 398-414.
Ephrem, A. N., Namatovu, R., & Basalirwa, E. M. (2019). Perceived social norms, psychological capital and entrepreneurial intention among undergraduate students in Bukavu. Education+ Training, 61(7/8), 963-983.
Faiz, M. (2022). Importance of shared workspaces for women entrepreneurs in Textile sector of Pakistan. Business & Economic Review, 14(2), 79-112.
Gupta, V. K., Wieland, A. M., & Turban, D. B. (2019). Gender characterizations in entrepreneurship: A multi‐level investigation of sex‐role stereotypes about high‐growth, commercial, and social entrepreneurs. Journal of Small Business Management, 57(1), 131-153.
Gohar, M., Abrar, A., & Khan, M. A. (2018). A Narrative Case Study of the Lived Experiences of Women Social Entrepreneur (s) in Pukhtoon Context Peshawar, Pakistan. Abasyn University Journal of Social Sciences (AJSS), 11(Special Issue-AiCTBM).
Gomes, C., & Wisenthige, K. (2025). How social media impact social entrepreneurial intentions: the serial mediation roles of risk propensity and entrepreneurial self-efficacy. Cogent Business & Management, 12(1), 2548358.
Henseler, J., Ringle, C. M., & Sinkovics, R. R. (2009). The use of partial least squares path modeling in international marketing. In New challenges to international marketing. Emerald Group Publishing Limited.
Haram, H., Gohar, M., & Abrar, A. (2025). The rising appeal of creative industry for women entrepreneurs: an exploratory study of rural Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. Journal of Entrepreneurship in Emerging Economies.
Hafiz, N., Mohiuddin, M. F., Abdul Latiff, A. S., Yasin, I. M., Abd Wahab, S., & Abdul Latiff, A. R. (2023). Scaling social impact in women-led social enterprises in developing countries: a knowledge-based perspective. Management Decision, 61(7), 1998-2028.
Henry, C., Coleman, S., Orser, B., & Foss, L. (2022). Women’s entrepreneurship policy and access to financial capital in different countries: an institutional perspective. Entrepreneurship Research Journal, 12(3), 227-262.
Halsall, J. P., Snowden, M., Clegg, P., Mswaka, W., Alderson, M., Hyams-Ssekasi, D., ... & Winful, E. C. (2022). Social enterprise as a model for change: mapping a global cross-disciplinary framework. Entrepreneurship Education, 5(4), 425-446.
Hassan, R., Afzal, R., & Parveen, S. (2011). 04 Motivational Orientation and Perceived Social Support among Pakistani Female Entrepreneurs in Attock District. Journal of Gender and Social Issues, 10(2).
Hossain, M. U., Arefin, M. S., & Yukongdi, V. (2021). Personality traits, social self-efficacy, social support, and social entrepreneurial intention: The moderating role of gender. Journal of Social Entrepreneurship, 1-21.
Hair, J. F., Hult, G. T. M., Ringle, C. M., & Sarstedt, M. (2017). A Primer on Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications
Hair, J. F., Risher, J. J., Sarstedt, M., & Ringle, C. M. (2019). When to use and how to report the results of PLS-SEM. European business review, 31(1), 2-24.
Hair, J. F., et al. (2013). A primer on partial least squares structural equation modeling. In Long Range Planning., 46(1–2), 184.
Hair, J. F., Hult, G. T. M., Ringle, C., Sarstedt, M., Danks, N., & Ray, S. (2021). Partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) using R: A workbook. In Springer.
Hair, J., & Alamer, A. (2022). Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM) in second language and education research: Guidelines using an applied example. Research Methods in Applied Linguistics, 1(3), 100027.
Herrero, J., & Gracia, E. (2007). Measuring perceived community support: Factorial structure, longitudinal invariance, and predictive validity of the PCSQ
(Perceived Community Support Questionnaire). Journal of Community Psychology, 35(2), 197-217.
Hussain, N. (2020). Challenges faced by Pakistani Women Social Entrepreneurs in War against Terrorism affected Areas. European Journal of Business and Management ISSN, 2222-1905.
Hmieleski, K. M., & Sheppard, L. D. (2019). The Yin and Yang of entrepreneurship: Gender differences in the importance of communal and agentic characteristics for entrepreneurs' subjective well-being and performance. Journal of Business Venturing, 34(4), 709-730.
Huang, M., Wang, J., & Su, X. (2024). The impact of social support on entrepreneurial well-being: the role of entrepreneurial passion and entrepreneurial efficacy. Sage Open, 14(4), 21582440241297232.
Jenssen, J. I. (2001). Social networks, resources and entrepreneurship. The International Journal of Entrepreneurship and Innovation, 2(2), 103-109.
Javed, S., & Obaid, Z. (2025). The Role Played by Social Enterprises in the Empowerment of Female Social Entrepreneurs: The Case of Pakistan. Business & Economic Review, 17(2), 57-74.
Jalil, M. F., Ali, A., & Kamarulzaman, R. (2023). The influence of psychological capital and social capital on women entrepreneurs’ intentions: the mediating role of attitude. Humanities and Social Sciences Communications, 10(1), 1-14.
Jenssen, J. I., & Koenig, H. F. (2002). The effect of social networks on resource access and business start-ups. European planning studies, 10(8), 1039-1046.
Klyver, K., & Schenkel, M. T. (2013). From resource access to use: Exploring the impact of resource combinations on nascent entrepreneurship. Journal of Small Business Management, 51(4), 539-556.
Kurniawan, Pahrijal, R., Maulana, A., Maminirina Fenitra, R., Budiman, D., & Supriandi. (2025). Beyond boundaries: fostering women entrepreneurs’ success through culture, family, and entrepreneurship. Frontiers in Sociology, 10, 1513345.
Kocalevent, R. D., Berg, L., Beutel, M. E., Hinz, A., Zenger, M., Härter, M., Nater U., Brähler E., & Brähler, E. (2018). Social support in the general population: standardization of the Oslo social support scale (OSSS-3). BMC psychology, 6, 1-8.
Kristiansen, S., & Indarti, N. (2004). Entrepreneurial intention among Indonesian and Norwegian students. Journal of Enterprising Culture, 12(01), 55-78.
Khayru, R. K., Nichen, N., Chairunnas, A., Safaruddin, S., & Tahir, M. (2021). Study on the relationship between social support and entrepreneurship intention experienced by adolescents. Journal of Social Science Studies (JOS3), 1(2), 47-51.
Krueger Jr, N. F., Reilly, M. D., & Carsrud, A. L. (2000). Competing models of entrepreneurial intentions. Journal of business venturing, 15(5-6), 411-432.
Liñán, F. & Chen, Y. (2009). Development & Cross-Cultural Application of a Specific Instrument to Measure Entrepreneurial Intentions, Entrepreneurship: Theory & Practice, 33(3):593-617.
Li, C., Murad, M., & Ashraf, S. F. (2023). The influence of women’s green entrepreneurial intention on green entrepreneurial behavior through university and social support. Sustainability, 15(13), 10123.
Li, Y., Cao, K., & Jenatabadi, H. S. (2023). Effect of entrepreneurial education and creativity on entrepreneurial intention in college students: mediating entrepreneurial inspiration, mindset, and self-efficiency. Frontiers in psychology, 14, 1240910.
Lenz, A. K., Muskat, B., & de Brito, R. P. (2025). Peer support and value creation among women entrepreneurs. Small Business Economics, 1-38.
Mai, Y., Wu, Y. J., & Huang, Y. (2021). What type of social support is important for student resilience during COVID-19? A latent profile analysis. Frontiers in psychology, 12, 646145.
Magno, F., Cassia, F., & Ringle, C. M. (2024). A brief review of partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) use in quality management studies. The TQM Journal, 36(5), 1242-1251.
Muhammad, S., & Ximei, K. (2022). Does it matter where you live? Rural–urban context among women entrepreneurs in Pakistan. Frontiers in psychology, 13, 827634.
Mueller, S. L., & Dato-On, M. C. (2008). Gender-role orientation as a determinant of entrepreneurial self-efficacy. Journal of developmental Entrepreneurship, 13(01), 3-20.
Mozumdar, L., Hagelaar, G., van der Velde, G., & Omta, S. W. F. (2020). Determinants of the business performance of women entrepreneurs in the developing world context. J, 3(2), 17.
Mozahem, N. A. (2022). Social cognitive theory and women’s career choices: an agent—based model simulation. Computational and Mathematical Organization Theory, 28(1), 1-26.
Munir, H., Nauman, S., Ali Shah, F., & Zahid, U. (2024). Attitude towards entrepreneurship education and entrepreneurial intentions among generation Z: unleashing the roles of entrepreneurial self-efficacy and social norms in Pakistani context. Journal of Entrepreneurship and Public Policy, 13(2), 255-277.
Miranda, F. J., Chamorro-Mera, A., & Rubio, S. (2017). Academic entrepreneurship in Spanish universities: An analysis of the determinants of entrepreneurial intention. European research on management and business economics, 23(2), 113-122.
Munir, H., Nauman, S., Ali Shah, F., & Zahid, U. (2024). Attitude towards entrepreneurship education and entrepreneurial intentions among
generation Z: unleashing the roles of entrepreneurial self-efficacy and social norms in Pakistani context. Journal of Entrepreneurship and Public Policy, 13(2), 255-277.
Msimango-Galawe, J., & Mazonde, N. (2024). The mediating effect of entrepreneurial selfefficacy on business experience and performance of women owned enterprises.
Mehmood, A., Pervez, M. S., Mughal, A., & Shahzad, F. (2024). Impact of entrepreneurship education, need for achievement, and entrepreneurial intention on entrepreneurial self-efficacy among students in Pakistan. Journal of Social & Organizational Matters, 3(4), 290–306. https://doi.org/10.56976/jsom.v3i4.135
Nwibe, K. J., & Ogbuanya, T. C. (2024). Emotional intelligence and entrepreneurial intention among university undergraduates in Nigeria: exploring the mediating roles of self-efficacy domains. Journal of Innovation and Entrepreneurship, 13(1), 13.
Nawaz, S. M., Napolano, E., Batool, E., Gul, K., & Mukhtar, B. (2023). Understanding the Barriers and Challenges Faced by The Women-preneurs of Karachi, Pakistan. Pakistan Business Review, 25(3), 315-340.
Pickernell, D., Packham, G., Jones, P., Miller, C., & Thomas, B. (2011). Graduate entrepreneurs are different: they access more resources?. International Journal of Entrepreneurial Behavior & Research, 17(2), 183-202.
Phelan, J. E., & Rudman, L. A. (2010). Prejudice toward female leaders: Backlash effects and women’s impression management dilemma. Social and Personality Psychology Compass, 4(10), 807-820.
Pham, V. H., Nguyen, T. K. C., Nguyen, T. B. L., Tran, T. T. T., & Nguyen, T. V. N. (2023). Subjective norms and entrepreneurial intention: A moderated-serial mediation model. Journal of Entrepreneurship, Management and Innovation, 19(1), 113-140.
Rawhouser*, H., Villanueva, J., & Newbert, S. L. (2017). Strategies and tools for entrepreneurial resource access: A cross‐disciplinary review and typology. International Journal of Management Reviews, 19(4), 473-491.
Rizvi, S. A. A., Qureshi, M. A., & Ansari, J. (2025). Promoting Women Entrepreneurship For Gender Equality, Social Inclusion And Sustainability In Pakistan. Journal of Entrepreneurship and Business Venturing, 5(1).
Ringle, C. M., Sarstedt, M., Mitchell, R., & Gudergan, S. P. (2020). Partial least squares structural equation modeling in HRM research. The international journal of human resource management, 31(12), 1617-1643.
Rehman, D., & Qamar, U. (2024). Examining the Influence of Cultural and Societal Factors on Networking and Socializing Challenges: A Study of Female Entrepreneurs in Pakistan. Journal of Management and Research, 11(2), 53-89.
Rizvi, S. A. A., Shah, S. J., Qureshi, M. A., Wasim, S., Aleemi, A. R., & Ali, M. (2023). Challenges and motivations for women entrepreneurs in the service sector of Pakistan. Future Business Journal, 9(1), 71.
Rehman, D., & Qamar, U. (2024). Examining the Influence of Cultural and Societal Factors on Networking and Socializing Challenges: A Study of Female Entrepreneurs in Pakistan. Journal of Management and Research, 11(2), 53-89.
Raza, M., & Leghari, I. U. (2020). Lived experiences of women entrepreneurs regarding socio-cultural constraints in entrepreneurship in Southern Punjab, Pakistan. Global Social Sciences Review, 5(3), 10-20.
Rizvi, S. A. A., Shah, S. J., Qureshi, M. A., Wasim, S., Aleemi, A. R., & Ali, M. (2023). Challenges and motivations for women entrepreneurs in the service sector of Pakistan. Future Business Journal, 9(1), 71.
Ringle, C. M., Sarstedt, M., Sinkovics, N., & Sinkovics, R. R. (2023). A perspective on using partial least squares structural equation modelling in data articles. Data in Brief, 48, 109074.
Sajjad, M., Kaleem, N., Chani, M. I., & Ahmed, M. (2020). Worldwide role of women entrepreneurs in economic development. Asia Pacific Journal of Innovation and Entrepreneurship, 14(2), 151- 160.
Sarfraz, F. (2018). Society, social enterprise, and women empowerment. Aga Khan Rural Support Programme (AKRSP).
State Bank of Pakistan. (2016). State of financial inclusion of women in Pakistan. State Bank of Pakistan & Pakistan Microfinance Network.
Santos, S. C., & Liguori, E. W. (2020). Entrepreneurial self-efficacy and intentions: Outcome expectations as mediator and subjective norms as moderator. International Journal of Entrepreneurial Behavior & Research, 26(3), 400-415.
Shaheen, N., Ahmad, N., & Hussain, S. (2022). Women entrepreneurship and empowerment in Pakistan: Gender, culture, education and policy in broader perspective. International Research Journal of Education & Social Sciences, 1(1), 25-36.
Shahid, Z., Abbas, J., & Arshad, R. (2024). Against all Odds: Intangible Resources Driving Social Value Creation Among Women Entrepreneurs in Pakistan. Review of Applied Management and Social Sciences, 7(4), 649-669.
Sahid, S., Norhisham, N. S., & Narmaditya, B. S. (2024). Interconnectedness between entrepreneurial self-efficacy, attitude, and business creation: A serial mediation of entrepreneurial intention and environmental factor. Heliyon, 10(9).
Saleem, F., Asif, M., & Lodhi, M. S. (2024). Fostering Women’s Entrepreneurial Success: The Significance of Informal Institutional support in Venture Creation. Journal of Entrepreneurship and Business Venturing, 4(1).
Sarwar, A., Ahsan, Q., & Rafiq, N. (2021). Female entrepreneurial intentions in Pakistan: A theory of planned behavior perspective. Frontiers in Psychology, 12, 553963.
To, C. K., Martinez, J. M. G., Orero-Blat, M., & Chau, K. P. (2020). Predicting motivational outcomes in social entrepreneurship: Roles of entrepreneurial self-efficacy and situational fit. Journal of Business Research, 121, 209-222.
Taye, D., Semela, T., & Assefa, S. (2025). Confirmatory Factor Analysis and Propensity to Cheat Scale Validation in the Ethiopian Public Higher Education Institutions. F1000Research, 13, 955.
Tien, N. H., Minh, H. T. T., Mai, N. P., & Thuc, T. D. (2020). Social entrepreneurship and corporate sustainable development. Evidence from Vietnam. Cogent Business & Management, 7(1), 1-17.
Ud Din, A., Farooq, S. H., Riviezzo, A., & Khan, F. (2025). Investigating the relationship between social enterprise sustainability dimensions and collaborative social program management resources. Piccola Impresa Small Business, (2). https://doi.org/10.14596/pisb.4566
UN Women Pakistan. (2023). National report on the status of women in Pakistan, 2023 – A summary. National Commission on the Status of Women. https://pakistan.unwomen.org
Vu, T. D., Bui, L. P., Vu, P. A., Dang-Van, T., Le, B. N., & Nguyen, N. (2025). Understanding female students’ entrepreneurial intentions: gender inequality perception as a barrier and perceived family support as a moderator. Journal of Entrepreneurship in Emerging Economies, 17(1), 142-163.
Worthington, R. L., & Whittaker, T. A. (2006). Scale development research: A content analysis and recommendations for best practices. The counseling psychologist, 34(6), 806-838.
Warner, A., & Khalil, S. (2025). Women’s paid work in Pakistan. PPE Research Assistant & Assistant Professor of Economics.
World Bank. (2023). Women’s economic empowerment in Pakistan: An evidence-guided toolkit for more inclusive policies. South Asia Gender Innovation Lab (SAR GIL).
World Economic Forum. (2025). Global Gender Gap Report 2025. https://www.weforum.org/publications/gender-gap-report-2025/
World Bank. (2024). Women’s economic empowerment in Pakistan: An evidence-guided toolkit for more inclusive policies. The World Bank Group.
Yunis, M. S., Hashim, H., & Anderson, A. R. (2018). Enablers and constraints of female entrepreneurship in Khyber Pukhtunkhawa, Pakistan: Institutional and feminist perspectives. Sustainability, 11(1), 27.
Younis, A., Xiaobao, P., Nadeem, M. A., Kanwal, S., Pitafi, A. H., Qiong, G., & Yuzhen, D. (2021). Impact of positivity and empathy on social entrepreneurial
intention: The moderating role of perceived social support. Journal of Public Affairs, 21(1), e2124.
Yunis, M. S., Hashim, H., & Anderson, A. R. (2018). Enablers and constraints of female entrepreneurship in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan: Institutional and feminist perspectives. Sustainability, 11(1), 27.
Yunis, M. S., & Hashim, H., Sajida (2020). The gendering of context: A fresh perspective of women social enterprise in Pakistan. Business & Economic Review, 12(1), 25-48.
Zhang, Y., Wang, H., Zheng, K., & Yang, W. (2025). Empowering women's entrepreneurship: The role of green knowledge, innovation, and family support. Journal of Innovation & Knowledge, 10(1), 100639.
