Accessibility to industrial factors and business performance: a case study of female entrepreneurs in Sri Lanka

Abstract

This study aims to examine the impact of accessing industrial factors in enhancing business performance with special reference to Muslim women entrepreneurs in Sri Lanka. Industrial factors are industrial resources available to Muslim women entrepreneurs in Sri Lanka and it was measured using the dimensions of resource accessibility and government and non-governmental support. A structured questionnaire was used to collect data from 260 women entrepreneurs from the Muslim community who are registered with the chamber of commerce in the three districts of the Eastern province of Sri Lanka, using a simple random sampling technique. Structural Equation Modeling with AMOS was used as the data analysis technique. The structural model showed that resource accessibility had a significant and positive relationship with business performance, whereas government and non-governmental support did not significantly influence business performance. Especially, Muslim women entrepreneurs in Sri Lanka do not show interest in getting support such as finance, training, and other necessities from government and non-government organizations as well as business development support agencies. Trade chambers and decision-making authorities may use this finding to gain insights and develop strategies to enhance the business performance of women entrepreneurs.