The Role of Family Support and Social Networks in Shaping The Entrepreneurial Attitudes and Behaviours of Tribal Women

Abstract

Purpose

                Entrepreneurship among tribal women is a key driver of economic empowerment and social transformation; however, these women face significant barriers such as limited financial resources, socio-cultural constraints, and restricted market access. This study, grounded in the Resource-Based View (RBV) model, explores how family support and social networks function as valuable, rare, inimitable, and non-substitutable (VRIN) resources in shaping their entrepreneurial attitudes and behaviors.

Methods/Measures

                A quantitative research approach was employed, using Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) to examine the relationships between family support, social networks, entrepreneurial attitudes, and entrepreneurial behavior. Data was collected from tribal women entrepreneurs through a structured questionnaire utilizing a five-point Likert scale.

Findings

                The results indicate that family support and social networks significantly influence entrepreneurial attitudes, which, in turn, positively impact entrepreneurial behavior. Financial assistance, emotional support, and skill-sharing from families enhance self-efficacy and risk-taking, while social networks provide mentorship, market access, and financial linkages, fostering business sustainability and innovation.

Originality

                This study contributes to entrepreneurship literature by highlighting the crucial role of intangible resources in tribal women’s business success. By applying the RBV framework, it offers new insights into how family and social capital drive entrepreneurship, providing policy implications for financial inclusion, capacity-building programs, and gender-focused entrepreneurial development.