MJAMR

Relationship Between Access to Credit and Business Expansion: A Case Study of Women Entrepreneurs in Mbale City

Irumba Alex, Ojok Alex


Abstract

Access to credit remained a critical determinant of business growth and sustainability, particularly for women entrepreneurs in developing economies. In Mbale City, women constituted a significant portion of small and medium enterprise owners, yet faced unique challenges in accessing financial resources necessary for business expansion. This study examined the relationship between access to credit and business expansion among women entrepreneurs in Mbale City, conducted between September 2023 and February 2024. Women entrepreneurs in Mbale operated across diverse sectors including retail trade, agriculture, hospitality, and manufacturing, contributing substantially to the local economy and employment generation. Despite their economic importance, these women frequently encountered barriers including lack of collateral, limited financial literacy, gender biases in lending institutions, and restrictive household responsibilities that constrained their ability to secure and effectively utilize credit facilities. The study employed a descriptive correlational research design using mixed methods to comprehensively investigate the relationship between credit access and business expansion. The target population comprised 1,847 registered womenowned businesses in Mbale City. Using Krejcie and Morgan's sampling table, a sample size of 320 respondents was determined and selected through stratified random sampling across four business sectors: retail (35%), agriculture (28%), hospitality (22%), and manufacturing (15%). Data collection utilized structured questionnaires containing both closed and open-ended questions, supplemented by key informant interviews with 12 microfinance institution managers and 8 commercial bank officials. The questionnaire demonstrated high reliability with a Cronbach's Alpha coefficient of 0.862. Data analysis employed SPSS version 27, utilizing descriptive statistics, Pearson correlation analysis, and multiple regression to establish relationships between variables. Business expansion was measured using indicators including revenue growth, employee numbers, asset accumulation, market reach, and product diversification. Findings revealed that 58.7% of women entrepreneurs had accessed some form of credit, with microfinance institutions being the primary source (64.2%), followed by SACCOs (23.5%) and commercial banks (12.3%). Access to credit demonstrated a strong positive correlation with business expansion (r=0.781, p

Keywords

Access to credit business expansion women entrepreneurs Mbale City financial inclusion microfinance entrepreneurship development gender and finance
Metropolitan Journal of Academic Multidisciplinary Research

Cite This Article

Irumba Alex & Ojok Alex (2026). Relationship Between Access to Credit and Business Expansion: A Case Study of Women Entrepreneurs in Mbale City. Metropolitan Journal of Academic Multidisciplinary Research, 5(3). https://journals.miu.ac.ug/pages/article.php?article_id=301

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