Supply Chain Integration and SME Survival: Evidence from Botswana
This study examines how supply chain embeddedness may contribute to SME survival in Botswana, focusing on the mechanisms through which network participation generates survival-enhancing capabilities and on when and to what extent SMEs engage in supply chain integration. Grounded in Network Theory, the study adopts a qualitative phenomenological design. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 30 SME owners and managers, supply chain professionals, and business incubators in Botswana, with data analysed thematically.
The findings identify seven mechanisms through which supply chain embeddedness may support SME survival: market access and expansion; collaboration and partnerships; technology and innovation; risk management and resilience; financial stability and investment access; operational efficiency and performance; and sustainability and ethical practices. However, supply chain integration remains insufficiently emphasized and relatively slow among SMEs. The findings suggest that earlier and more deliberate network engagement may strengthen SMEs’ ability to access relational resources and develop survival-enhancing capabilities.
The study develops a survival-oriented analytical framework and extends Network Theory by identifying the timing and strategic emphasis placed on network embeddedness as important conditions shaping SMEs’ access to and benefits from network resources in a developing-economy context.
© The Author(s) 2026. Published by RITHA Publishing. This article is distributed under the terms of the license CC-BY 4.0., which permits any further distribution in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited maintaining attribution to the author(s) and the title of the work, journal citation and URL DOI.
Article’s history: Received 21st of June, 2026; Revised 31st of July, 2026; Accepted for publication 19th of August, 2026; Available online: 23rd of August, 2026; Published as research article in Volume II, Issue 2(4), 2026.
Mukonyo, A. (2026) Supply Chain Integration and SME Survival: Evidence from Botswana. Applied Journal of Economics, Law and Governance, Volume II, Issue 2(4), 185-206. https://doi.org/10.57017/ajelg.v2.i2(4).01
CRediT Authorship Contribution Statement: Mukonyo, A.: Conceptualization; Methodology; Investigation; Data curation; Formal analysis; Writing – original draft; Writing – review & editing.
Acknowledgments: The author gratefully acknowledges Prof. David Pooe for his supervision and academic guidance during the PhD research from which this study was developed, as well as all participants who contributed their time and experiences to the study. The author received no specific external funding for this research.
Funding: The authors received no specific external funding for this research.
Conflict of Interest Statement: The author declares no conflicts of interest related to the research, authorship, or publication of this article.
Data Availability Statement: The qualitative data generated during this study are not publicly available due to participant confidentiality and privacy considerations. Anonymized data may be made available by the corresponding author upon reasonable request, subject to ethical and confidentiality restrictions.
Ethical Approval Statement: Participation in the study was voluntary, and participants were informed about the purpose of the research. Confidentiality and appropriate handling of participant information were maintained throughout the study.
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