Entrepreneurial Resilience and the Survival of Micro-Businesses in Eke Onuwa Market, Owerri, Imo State, Nigeria

Abstract

This study examined the relationship between entrepreneurial resilience and micro-business survival in Eke Onuwa Market, Owerri, with social capital as a moderating factor. Guided by the Resource-Based View, Resilience Theory, and Psychological Capital Theory, data were collected from 328 of the 2,000 registered operators using stratified random sampling. Resilience proxies included optimism, adaptability, persistence, risk tolerance, self-efficacy, and innovativeness, while survival was measured by continuity, profitability, and sales growth. Using correlation, ANOVA, and multiple regression analyses, findings showed that resilience significantly predicts survival, with adaptability, persistence, and self-efficacy as the strongest drivers. Social capital also strengthened this relationship by improving resource access and networking. The study concludes that resilience and social capital are vital for sustaining micro-businesses in volatile markets and recommends targeted capacity-building programs for entrepreneurs.