This paper examines microfinance intervention in rural poverty reduction in Ghana by surveying 100 rural women farmer-entrepreneurs. The findings reveal that microfinance interventions that emphasize both credit provision and social intermediation improve access to credit, improve business performance, and contribute to a higher standard of living for female farmer-entrepreneurs and their families. The results show that the microfinance scheme has been successful due to a strong social network and group relationships among the farmers. An implication of the study is that poverty reduction programs in developing countries need to emphasize social and human development components in microfinancing policies.

Purpose: This paper posits, develops and tests the effects of general environmental awareness factors on consumers’ intentions in the Environmental Awareness Purchasing Intention Model. Environmental awareness is tested within the context of purchasing vehicles and, thus, vehicle relevant factors (perceived quality and self-image) are also included. Further, the purpose of this paper is to explain the relative contribution of general environmental awareness factors on purchasing intentions compared to quality and self-image. Design/methodology/approach: The main thrust of the research involved a survey of 248 young automobile buyers from a large public university in Texas, USA. The data were analyzed using both multiple regression and partial least square-structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM). Findings: Environmental attitude has a positive impact on purchasing intention, while perceived control toward environmentally responsible behavior has a negative impact. Results also show a positive impact of quality and self-image on intention to purchase environmentally friendly cars. Furthermore, the results reveal that environmental awareness factors explain less variance than perceived quality. At the same time, the results show that environmental factors, relatively, explain more variance in the decision-making process than self-image. Originality/value: This is the first study to examine the relationship between general environmental awareness and the intention to purchase an environmentally friendly car. This study contributes to sustainable consumption literature in operations management. The paper also provides insights for developing managerial guidelines for car manufacturers based on the understanding of factors influencing environmentally friendly car purchasing intentions.

Using social identity theory and social capital theory as a backdrop to understand the context of subsistence marketplaces, this study investigates how rural micro and small businesses engage in marketing practices and how poverty reduction policies affect micro and small business activities and growth. The results show that rural micro and small businesses weave morality and religiosity into their commercial activities and survive in a competitive subsistence marketplace by engaging with social networks, relationships with customers, and relationships with staff. The interdependence among these relationships contributes to the competitive positioning of the business and its intelligence gathering. Despite the existence of government programs to fund micro and small business startups, most owner-managers use social networks to initially fund and grow their businesses. The paper ends with implications and future research directions.

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to understand the direct impact of social capital and the influence of market-based capabilities as intervening variables on the export performance of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in Ghana. Design/methodology/approach: Questionnaire-based survey was used to collect data from top executives and senior managers of exporting companies in Ghana. Data obtained were analysed using the structural equation modelling. Findings: The findings revealed that social capital of SMEs exert the greatest influence on their export performance. Innovation and marketing capabilities are also key drivers of export performance among SMEs as they fully mediate the social capital–export performance relationship. Notwithstanding, marketing capabilities appear to exert a greater influence than innovation capabilities on the export performance of SMEs. Research limitations/implications: The study used perceptual measures of international performance by managers of SMEs in the Ghanaian exporting sector making it difficult to determine respondent bias. Practical implications: Managers of exporting firms should build stronger relationships with their customers and suppliers who contribute significantly to their export performance. SMEs would also have to hone their innovation and marketing skills as strategic components in enhancing their export performance. Social implications: Market-based resources such as marketing and innovation should not be taken for granted by SMEs in the export business. Originality/value: The study offers some lessons on how small firms can sharpen their marketing and innovation capabilities to derive export performance benefits from social capital. Theoretically, while the findings offer strong evidence reinforcing the DC theory, an exploration of the nexus of the theories brings to the fore the need to reassess the resource-based view and SC theories.