Shallone Munongo, David Pooe, Dr Watson Munyanyi
Abstract
This study investigates the systemic and capacity-based constraints affecting the growth trajectories of women-owned Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) in Zimbabwe. Although women constitute more than half of the country’s MSME owners, they remain underrepresented among growth-oriented enterprises. Grounded in the Resource-Based View and Institutional theory, the study employs cross-sectional survey data from 246 women entrepreneurs operating across key sectors in Zimbabwe’s ten provinces. Data from a cross-sectional survey were used in a logistic regression model to test the predictive influence of entrepreneurial orientation, innovation capability, strategic planning, and access to finance on the likelihood of business growth. The findings reveal that innovation capability and entrepreneurial orientation are the most significant predictors of enterprise growth, while access to finance provides a modest but statistically meaningful contribution. Strategic planning also emerges as a critical internal enabler. On the other hand, MSME growth is hindered by gendered cultural norms, adverse regulatory conditions, and marital status-related limitations. The study highlights the need for integrated interventions that combine systemic reforms with targeted capability development. It concludes by offering policy recommendations, including gender-responsive financial instruments, capacity-building programs, and expanding support networks for women entrepreneurs. The study contributes to the gendered entrepreneurship literature by presenting a multidimensional, empirically grounded model of enterprise growth in emerging economies.