Female entrepreneurship in restrictive environments: a conditional model based on conservation of resources theory

Purpose This study investigates how the cultural acceptance of women’s active participation in the economy influences entrepreneurial success and how this relationship is mediated by social support and moderated by technological proficiency and policy frameworks. Design/methodology/approach A three-wave time-lagged survey was administered to 320 female entrepreneurs in Lahore, Pakistan. At Time 1, measures of cultural acceptance, technological proficiency, policy framework restrictiveness and demographics were collected. At Time 2, social support was assessed and at Time 3, entrepreneurial success was measured. Moderated mediation analyses were conducted using PROCESS macro models 1, 4 and 7. Findings Cultural acceptance influences entrepreneurial success through social support. This indirect effect is stronger when entrepreneurs have higher technological proficiency, suggesting that digital capability facilitates access to and use of support. In contrast, when policy frameworks are less restrictive, the role of informal support is reduced, potentially weakening the conversion of legitimacy into performance. These findings highlight the need to align sociocultural, individual and institutional factors to improve entrepreneurial outcomes. Originality/value This study advances conservation of resources theory by framing cultural acceptance as a conditional, mobilizable resource rather than a static contextual factor and extends feminist institutionalism by showing how institutional reforms may produce both enabling and disruptive effects in gendered contexts. The findings provide an integrated model linking sociocultural legitimacy, personal capabilities and institutional arrangements, offering practical insights for policymakers, development agencies and female entrepreneurs in resource-constrained settings.