WOMEN ENTREPRENEURSHIP AND SUSTAINABILITY OF SMALL SCALE ENTERPRISES IN IMO STATE

Abstract

This study investigates the relationship between women entrepreneurship and sustainability of small-scale enterprises in Imo State, Nigeria. Specifically, it explores how three core entrepreneurial traits—innovativeness, proactivity, and risk-taking—among women entrepreneurs influence key sustainability indicators: efficiency, productivity, and commitment. The study adopted a survey research design, with a population of 293 employees from ten selected small-scale enterprises in Imo State. A sample size of 169 was determined using the Taro Yamane formula, with proportional allocation guided by Bowley’s formula. Data was collected using a structured, validated, and reliable questionnaire, and analyzed using mean statistics, bar charts, and the Pearson Product Moment Correlation Coefficient, aided by SPSS version 25.0. Findings reveal moderate to high positive correlations between women innovativeness and the three performance indicators, with the highest being with commitment (r = 0.643). The study concludes by recommending targeted interventions, including innovation training, proactive business planning tools, risk-sensitive funding models, and gender-sensitive policies, to empower female entrepreneurs and promote sustainable economic growth in the region.