Social Networks as Drivers of Entrepreneurial Performance: A Quantitative Univariate Assessment of Women Entrepreneurs in the Punjab, Pakistan

Abstract

Increasingly, women's entrepreneurship has emerged as a relevant contributor to household stability, income diversification, and local economic activity in Pakistan, particularly in Punjab. Within this landscape, social networks lie at the heart of shaping the entrepreneurial outcomes for women. Based on Social Capital Theory and Effectuation Theory, this paper presents a quantitative, univariate analysis that explores how network size influences entrepreneurial performance among women entrepreneurs. This study leans on descriptive data collected through a survey of 480 women entrepreneurs across several districts of Punjab. The univariate results reveal that women tend to largely use close-knit networks-family connections, friends, neighbors, and repeat clients-which help them to sustain and expand their business ventures. Network size has been seen to reflect pathways to customer acquisition, the identification of new opportunities, supply access, and service referrals. Indicators of entrepreneurial performance suggest that women recognize improvements in business stability, increasing customers, and financial stability, all largely influenced by strengthened social contacts. Even though this study does not use any form of inferential analysis, the descriptive insights support past literature regarding the centrality of social ties in entrepreneurial growth in resource-constrained contexts. Findings provide a basic evidence base for an understanding of how network-driven support mechanisms shape women's business performance and offer some directions for subsequent research, policy, and capacity-building initiatives.

Keywords: Women Entrepreneurs; Social Networks; Network Size; Entrepreneurial Performance; Social Capital Theory; Effectuation Theory; Punjab; Quantitative Univariate Analysis