Women Micro-Enterprises Performance, Role of Social Capital, Locus of Control and Institutional Support on Entrepreneurial Orientation Nexus. A Conceptual Perspective

Abstract

This research proposed a framework for the interactive effect of Social Capital, Locus of Control, and Institutional Support on the nexus of entrepreneurial orientation (EO) and micro-enterprises performance. As the level of empirical research is lacking on the elements identified in a single study, this study used the uni-dimension of EO encompassing the proactiveness, innovativeness, and the risk-taking proclivity of women micro-enterprises in developing novel jobs towards narrowing the economic disparities of people. The incorporated variables like Social Capital, the entrepreneur’s internal locus of control and Institutional Support relate to entrepreneurship as per extant literature. A quantitative research method will be utilised and with the help of the G-Power to establish the acceptable minimum sample size suitable for the study. Data will be obtained via a purposive sampling technique and then analysed using the Smart PLS-SEM software. The findings would provide vital value on the significance of the antecedent variables on the perceived financial and non-financial performance indicators of women micro-entrepreneurs. The study will be anchored on the model of strategic entrepreneurship, organisational learning and learning organisation theories, stressing how their adoption by women micro-entrepreneurs could enhance optimal sustainable performance. The implications of these findings would be of great significance to women micro-entrepreneurs' performance, enabling them to compete well in this competitive business environment and evolve into SMEs and large businesses that will find their presence in the international market. Further, findings would provide direction for educators, policymakers and future research to enhance the optimal sustainable performance of women micro-entrepreneurs in Malaysia.