Resilience and confidence in entrepreneurial self-efficacy
Evidence from rural women entrepreneurs in Oman
Bibliographic Data
| ID | 7515005 |
|---|---|
| Authors | Suhail Mohammad Ghouse (Dhofar University, corresponding author), Gerard Mcelwee (0000-0001-6905-4443, York St John University) |
| Year | 2026 |
| Volume | 124 |
| Pages | 104114 |
| Publication date | 2026-05-01 |
| Peer Reviewed | Yes |
| Open Access | Yes |
| Type | ARTICLE |
| Venue | Journal of Rural Studies (JOURNAL) |
| Journal identifiers | ISSN: 0743-0167 • E-ISSN: 1873-1392 |
| Publisher | Elsevier BV (PUBLISHER) |
| DOI | 10.1016/j.jrurstud.2026.104114 |
| OpenAlex | W7133519218 |
| Language | EN |
| References cited | 41 |
This study examines the psychological and institutional determinants of entrepreneurial self-efficacy (ESE) among rural women entrepreneurs in Oman, using a cross-sectional survey of 190 respondents analysed through Structural Equation Modelling (SEM). The findings show that resilience is the strongest predictor of ESE and also mediates the relationship between confidence in business decisions and ESE. Confidence itself has a positive direct effect, highlighting the importance of internal psychological resources in shaping entrepreneurial capability. In contrast, social support, institutional support, and perceived business skills mastery show no significant direct influence, pointing to persistent structural gaps and the limited reach of formal and informal support mechanisms in rural settings. By demonstrating the central role of resilience and decision-making confidence under institutional voids, the study extends Bandura's Self-Efficacy Theory to a rural, gendered context. Practical implications include designing resilience-building and confidence-enhancing training programmes and developing policies that address the structural constraints faced by rural women entrepreneurs. The study contributes to global debates on women's entrepreneurship in underserved regions and offers insights for inclusive rural development. • Rural women entrepreneurs in Oman contribute significantly to local economic development and community resilience. • Resilience and decision-making confidence are the strongest psychological drivers of entrepreneurial self-efficacy in resource-constrained rural settings. • Institutional and social support show limited influence on self-efficacy, underscoring persistent structural barriers in rural entrepreneurial ecosystems. • Strengthening psychological capabilities is essential for advancing women's entrepreneurship and supporting Oman's Vision 2040 goals on inclusive growth. • Tailored policy interventions that address rural realities can enhance entrepreneurial ecosystems and promote more equitable regional development
Entrepreneurship · Female entrepreneurs · Psychological resilience · Resilience (materials science · Self-confidence · Women entrepreneurs · Entrepreneurship Studies and Influences · Job Satisfaction and Organizational Behavior · Resilience and Mental Health
Women entrepreneurs in sub-Saharan Africa
Research on Women Entrepreneurs
The competitiveness of small and medium enterprises
Entrepreneurial Perceptions and Intentions
Social Networks and Entrepreneurship
Entrepreneurship in and around institutional voids
Entrepreneurial self-efficacy
Measuring entrepreneurial passion
The pervasive effects of family on entrepreneurship
Resilience and entrepreneurship
Danger Zone Entrepreneurs
Development of a new resilience scale
Common method biases in behavioral research
When to use and how to report the results of PLS-SEM
Evaluating Structural Equation Models with Unobservable Variables and Measurement Error
Family support and entrepreneurial passion
A gender‐aware framework for women's entrepreneurship
Motivations and behaviours of rural women entrepreneurs in Oman
Experience of entrepreneurial training for female farmers to stimulate entrepreneurship in Uganda
Constrained rural entrepreneurship
Empowering rural women through gender and nutrition education amid the Covid-19 crisis
Networks and knowledge
Farm adaptive business strategies in crisis management
Women's empowerment and the will to change
Resourcefulness of locally-oriented social enterprises
Back-Translation for Cross-Cultural Research
| Citation velocity | historical |
|---|---|
| Highly cited | No |