Community resilience through rural entrepreneurship: the case of Tribal Textiles

Abstract Rural communities in developing regions are increasingly vulnerable to economic and social shocks, particularly where institutional support is limited. Through a focused case study of Tribal Textiles in rural Zambia during the COVID-19 pandemic, we adopt a deductive thematic approach to examine how social enterprises can strengthen community resilience during crises. We draw on (1) interviews with entrepreneurs and leadership, (2) field observations, and (3) relevant documentation; we find that effective community resilience emerges through the interaction of two mechanisms—embedded organizational values and adaptive creativity. These operate across four dimensions: resource mobilization, mental outlook, community networks, and economic investment, representing the elements of the community resilience framework that were most strongly evidenced in our data. Using these insights, we develop a framework that demonstrates how social enterprises can bridge institutional gaps while preserving cultural heritage in rural communities. This study advances theory by challenging the view that rural constraints are merely barriers to overcome. Instead, we reveal how deeply embedded social enterprises can transform apparent limitations into sources of community resilience. Our framework offers practical guidance for policymakers and development practitioners seeking to strengthen rural economic ecosystems through culturally authentic, socially embedded enterprise development.