Promoting sustainability in microfinance through the moderating role of relationship quality between non-financial services and client loyalty

Promoting sustainability in microfinance through the moderating role of relationship quality between non-financial services and client loyalty | Research Square window.SnipcartSettings = { analytics: { enabled: false } }; (function() { var accessVector = localStorage.getItem('access_vector') || ''; window.dataLayer = window.dataLayer || []; if (accessVector) { window.dataLayer.push({ user: { profile: { profileInfo: { snid: accessVector } } } }); } })(); (function(w,d,s,l,i){w[l]=w[l]||[];w[l].push({'gtm.start':new Date().getTime(),event:'gtm.js'});var f=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0],j=d.createElement(s),dl=l!='dataLayer'?'&l='+l:'';j.async=true;j.src='https://www.googletagmanager.com/gtm.js?id='+i+dl;f.parentNode.insertBefore(j,f);})(window,document,'script','dataLayer','GTM-K279D39R'); Browse Preprints In Review Journals COVID-19 Preprints AJE Video Bytes Research Tools Research Promotion AJE Professional Editing AJE Rubriq About Preprint Platform In Review Editorial Policies Our Team Advisory Board Help Center Sign In Submit a Preprint Cite Share Download PDF Research Article Promoting sustainability in microfinance through the moderating role of relationship quality between non-financial services and client loyalty Amani Gration Tegambwage, Pendo Shukrani Kasoga This is a preprint; it has not been peer reviewed by a journal. https://doi.org/ 10.21203/rs.3.rs-7471850/v1 This work is licensed under a CC BY 4.0 License Status: Posted Version 1 posted You are reading this latest preprint version Abstract This research investigates the role of non-financial services in enhancing customer loyalty within microfinance institutions (MFIs) in Tanzania, focusing on business skill development and business support, and the moderating effect of relationship quality. Guided by social exchange theory, a cross-sectional survey of 387 entrepreneurial clients was analyzed using PLS-SEM. Findings reveal that business support services significantly improve customer loyalty, while business skill development trainings do not. Relationship quality positively influences loyalty but does not moderate the link between non-financial services and client loyalty. This highlights that MFIs should prioritize practical business support such as mentorship and market linkages over training programs, as these yield stronger loyalty outcomes. Policymakers are advised to provide incentives, including subsidies or performance-based grants, to enable MFIs to strengthen non-financial service delivery. The study emphasizes the strategic importance of customer loyalty for the sustainability and poverty reduction role of MFIs in competitive markets. Customer loyalty microenterprises microfinance non-financial services relationship quality Figures Figure 1 Figure 2 Figure 3 Figure 4 1. Introduction Customer loyalty (CL) has become increasingly important for microfinance institutions (MFIs) as the industry continues to mature and competition intensifies (Tegambwage & Kasoga, 2025 ). The competition is driving MFIs to improve their CL in order to boost efficiency. Churchill and Halpern ( 2001 ) contend that higher CL leads to lower operating costs and better financial performance, both of which are critical for enhancing the outreach and sustainability of MFIs. MFI sustainability leads to a decrease in poverty (Kasoga & Tegambwage, 2022 ). This means that customer defection significantly affects the outreach and long-term sustainability of microfinance institutions (MFIs), highlighting the importance of cultivating customer loyalty (CL) as a key marketing strategy to achieve their goal of poverty reduction. Despite its importance, the drivers of CL in microfinance particularly from the perspective of non-financial services (NFS) remain largely unexplored. Tanzanian MFIs have worked hard to develop CL by offering cutting-edge financial services and products to draw in new customers as well as keeping current ones (Tegambwage & Kasoga, 2024 ). However, because of switching patterns, CL has continued to be a difficult problem for MFIs in Tanzania. Kasoga and Tegambwage ( 2021 ) point out that because of the fierce competition from a wide range of competitors and the low switching costs, customers frequently switch between MFIs in Tanzania. Therefore, the goal is not just to provide novel financial goods and services to microenterprises but also to raise switching costs by providing NFS attributes like business support and business skill development. Abebe and Kegne (2023) point out that MFIs should assist and teach the impoverished microentrepreneurs how to achieve business successful, in addition to lending them microloans. Lack of knowledge about business management is among the factors behind microenterprises’ failure in developing countries like Tanzania (Endris & Kassegn, 2022 ). Accordingly, MFIs often offer NFS like business skill development and business support to improve the clients’ capacity to succeed in their businesses (Mishra & Choudhury, 2025 ). According to social exchange theory (SET) by Blau ( 1964 ), MFI clients may reciprocate the valuable MFI’s NFS with loyalty. Few studies have looked at CL in microfinance (Fangue et al., 2020 ; Tegambwage, 2025 ; (Tegambwage & Kasoga, 2024 , 2025 ). These studies, however, focused on how financial services and aspects of service delivery affected CL. While MFIs offer non-financial services to improve microenterprises’ business performance and growth (Abebe & Kegne, 2023a ), little is known about how these services shape loyalty in microfinance settings. As such, this work offers a unique endeavor to explore the potential direct influences of NFS on CL in microfinance. Since NFS may predict loyalty based on SET, failure to account for them in loyalty models may severely limit the capacity of MFIs to use them to promote CL. Therefore, tying NFS and CL together may improve the diagnostics for understanding, managing, and enhancing CL in microfinance. Additionally, due to intense competition in the Tanzanian microfinance sector (Tegambwage & Kasoga, 2025 ), no-financial services alone may not be enough to sustain CL among MFI clients. In business-to-business relationships (B2B) like that between MFIs and microenterprises, strong reciprocal interactions help solve problems and build ties (Berenguer-Contri et al., 2024 ). When mutual expectations aren’t met, it can lead to switching behavior. Therefore, adding value through reciprocal exchange is key to strengthening relationship quality (RQ) and hence loyalty (Tegambwage & Kasoga, 2025 ). Since prior studies have reported a significant effect of RQ on CL in the banking sector (Ndubisi, 2007; Tegambwage & Kasoga, 2022 ; Tegambwage & Kasoga, 2023 ; Wijaya et al., 2023 ) and in microfinance (Tegambwage, 2025 ; Tegambwage & Kasoga, 2024 ; Tegambwage & Kasoga, 2025 ), MFIs can use RQ to sustain CL by moderating the effect of NFS on CL. This argument is based on SET, in that clients reciprocate meaningful benefits with loyalty. That is, the strength or direction of the effect of NFS on loyalty may depend on the microenterprise’s perception of beneficial relationships with the MFI. When microenterprises perceive strong-beneficial relationships with the MFI, they may fully engage with the non-financial services offered by the MFI. This in turn may increase the perceived value and usefulness of non-services, resulting into greater loyalty. Conversely, a weak MFI-microenterprise relationship may discourage microenterprises to engage with the non-financial services offered, perceiving less value, thereby resulting into minimal or negative effects on loyalty. Without strong RQ, even well-designed non-financial services may fail to produce significant loyalty. Nevertheless, little is known about how RQ interacts with non-financial services to shape loyalty in microfinance settings. In other words, the role of RQ as a moderator remains underexplored. Hence, it is essential to examine moderation role of RQ in the NFS-CL connection, particularly in microfinance which relies on relationships as intangible collateral (Tegambwage & Kasoga, 2022 b). Therefore, the purpose of this research is: to investigate the influence of NFS, namely business support and skill development, on CL and the moderation effect of RQ between NFS and CL in Tanzania's microfinance industry. Theoretically, this study offers a theoretical framework that connects non-financial services, RQ, and CL, providing a NFS-based explanation for CL in microfinance. This is among the first studies to look at CL in microfinance from a NFS perspective. Practically, this study will benefit policymakers and MFIs by enabling them to leverage NFS to maximize CL. 2. Theoretical framework According to social exchange theory (SET) (Blau, 1964 ), partners will stay in a relationship as long as the expected advantages outweigh the expected costs. Stated differently, SET promotes doing good deeds in the hopes of earning rewards down the road. In line with this notion, MFIs develop CL through client retention to lower expenses and demand uncertainty. According to SET, a series of reciprocal transactions between people or parties that result in a pattern of obligations toward one another are what give rise to social exchange relationships (Blau, 1964 ). Put otherwise, all benefits obtained result in debts that can only be paid off by reciprocation. As a result, the degree of CL to the MFI can be ascertained by continuously contrasting the social and economic results of MFI-microenterprise interactions, and with the alternatives. Because MFI-microenterprise interactions can be viewed as social transactions that result in CL to the MFI, SET is ideal for this study. Since the SET establishes mutual obligations between the microenterprise and the MFI, it sheds light on the suggested benefits of NFS for CL. In essence, a microenterprise may show its devotion to the MFI in reaction to the advantageous NFS that the MFI provides, and vice versa. With regard to the moderation effect of RQ between non-financial services and CL, when microenterprises perceive high RQ with the MFI, they are more likely to fully engage with the NFS offered, enhancing the perceived value and usefulness of these services and ultimately increasing CL, as explained by SET. Conversely, if RQ is low, microenterprises may distrust the MFI’s intentions, leading to lower engagement with NFS and a diminished or even negative effect of non-financial services on loyalty. 3. Hypotheses development 3.1 Influence of business skill development on CL Wong and Sohal ( 2003 ) maintain that CL happens when consumers buy a good or service again and again while maintaining positive opinions about the good or service or the business that provides it. Drawing on Wong and Sohal ( 2003 ), CL in this study is associated with the probability that a microentrepreneur will return to the MFI, recommend the MFI, provide positive word-of-mouth, provide references and exposure for the MFI, and repay its loans promptly. CL is essential to the sustainability and outreach of MFIs (Kasoga & Tegambwage, 2022 ). Setting up efficient programs for entrepreneurship education is one way to boost the number of people participating in entrepreneurial endeavors (Dabic et al., 2012 ). Business skill training is an essential component of MFIs because the majority of their clients in Tanzania and other developing nations are impoverished microentrepreneurs who have low levels of education and face other forms of discrimination from society (Tegambwage & Kasoga, 2025 ). Through business skill training, microentrepreneurs can acquire the necessary skills needed for business success. Studies with empirical data show a clear connection between business skills and enterprise performance ( Carter et al., 2003 ; Isidore, 2011 ; Thaher et al., 2021 ). As a result, MFI's business skill training program has a big impact on how well its clients build their enterprises, which may help CL based on SET. Therefore, according to SET, if an MFI assists microenterprises by offering them training in business skill development, they are more likely to repay the MFI by remaining loyal. When microenterprises believe that the MFI is looking out for their best interests and is providing them with training to help them succeed in business, they will act in a favorable manner toward the MFI. As per SET, any benefits obtained result in debts that can only be paid back by reciprocation (Blau, 1964 ); therefore, being devoted to the MFI is one method for microenterprises to return the favor. According to Tegambwage ( 2025 ) and Tegambwage and Kasoga ( 2023 ), the cornerstone of CL is reciprocal behavior. In light of this discussion, the following hypothesis is proposed: H1 . Business skill development is positively and significantly related to CL in microfinance. 3.2 Influence of business support on CL Microenterprises possessing a broad or numerous networks of connections can establish links with various segments of a societal structure and provide access to information channels that are not available to microenterprises with a limited number of direct network connections (Abebe & Kegne, 2023b ). According to Thaher et al. ( 2021 ), the performance of enterprises is favorably correlated with business support services such as psychological support, business incentives, and marketing links. Consequently, it is important to support MFIs in strengthening and growing their clientele’s access to business support services. Business support services have the potential to improve CL based on SET (Blau, 1964 ) since they are closely linked to the survival and growth of businesses. Therefore, if the MFI assists microenterprises by offering business support services, the microenterprises are more likely to repay the MFI by remaining loyal, in line with SET. Put differently, when microenterprises believe that the MFI is looking out for their best interests and is providing them with business support services to help them succeed, they will act in a way that benefits the MFI. As per SET, any benefits obtained result in reciprocal duties (Blau, 1964 ); therefore, being devoted to the MFI is one method for microenterprises to return the favor. According to Tegambwage and Kasoga ( 2022 a, b), reciprocity is the cornerstone of CL. Therefore, the suggested impact of business support services on CL is explained by SET. In light of this: H2 . Business support is positively related to CL in microfinance. 3.3 Influence of relationship quality on CL MFI-microenterprise RQ consists of three dimensions: trust, respect, and reciprocity (Hani et al., 2024 ). Microenterprises are inspire to grow and add value by MFIs through reciprocal, trustful, and respectful interactions (Tegambwage & Kasoga, 2025 ). According to (Hani et al., 2024 ), trust is the perception of MFI’s credibility, caring, and customization of relational exchanges; respect is the perception of the exchange partner’s value and inherent worth, while reciprocity is the perception of the MFI’s community support, enjoyment, and information empowerment. Building on the SET (Blau, 1964 ), when microenterprises grow and add value as a result of high RQ with the MFI, they are likely to remain loyal. This argument is supported by several empirical studies in the banking sector (Ndubisi, 2007; Tegambwage & Kasoga, 2022 ; Tegambwage & Kasoga, 2023 ; Wijaya et al., 2023 ) and in microfinance sector in particular (Tegambwage, 2025 ; Tegambwage & Kasoga, 2024 ). However, these empirical studies were conducted from a business-to-customer (B2C) rather than a B2B perspective, which is a focus of the current study. One study, known to the researchers, which focused on the B2B perspective in microfinance is that of Tegambwage and Kasoga ( 2025 ). It reported mixed findings in respect of the influence of the individual dimensions of RQ on CL in that respect significantly influenced CL, whereas trust and reciprocity insignificantly influenced CL. In light of the above: H3 . RQ is positively and significantly related to CL in microfinance. 3.4 Moderation effect of RQ between NFS and CL According to SET (Blau, 1964 ), when clients feel they are receiving value in an exchange relationship, they reciprocate favorably towards the firm. Building on this, a solid MFI-microenterprise RQ may encourage microenterprises to fully engage with the NFS offered by the MFI. This engagement may increase the perceived value and usefulness of NFS, resulting into greater CL. Conversely, a weak MFI-microenterprise RQ may discourage microenterprises to engage with the NFS offered, perceiving less value in the support provided by the MFI, resulting into minimal or negative effects of NFS on CL. Prior studies discovered significant direct effects between RQ and CL in the banking sector (Ndubisi, 2007; Tegambwage & Kasoga, 2022 ; Tegambwage & Kasoga, 2023 ; Wijaya et al., 2023 ) and in microfinance (Tegambwage, 2025 ; Tegambwage & Kasoga, 2024 ). In light of the aforementioned theoretical and empirical grounds, RQ is expected to sustain microenterprise loyalty by strengthening the influence of NFS (business skill development and business support) on CL, as postulated below: H4. RQ significantly moderates the association between business skill development and CL. H5. RQ significantly moderates the association between business support and CL. 4. Methods 4.1 Data collection Using a cross-sectional research design, a field survey of MFI clients (microenterprises) in Tanzania's commercial cities of Dar es Salaam and Mwanza was utilized to collect data. Majority of Tanzanian microenterprises are found in these two cities (Rwamuhuru & Tegambwage, 2021 ; Ringo et al., 2022 ; 2023 , 2024 ). The convenience sampling method was used for this survey, as it was administered to microenterprises that voluntarily chose to participate. Microentrepreneurs who had visited the MFI and were waiting to be served were given questionnaires. The questionnaire completion time was eight to ten minutes on average. It took two months to gather 400 filled-out questionnaires. Every completed questionnaire was reviewed for accuracy and assigned a code. Of the 400 questionnaires collected, 13 had missing values. Therefore, 387 questionnaires were used in data analysis. 4.2 Ethical compliance and consent procedures Prior to participation, all respondents were provided with a detailed information sheet outlining the study’s objectives, procedures, and intended use of the data. They were assured that all information would be treated with strict confidentiality and anonymity. Written informed consent was obtained from each participant before the beginning of data collection. Although the study did not involve experiments on humans or the use of human tissue samples, it adhered fully to established ethical research standards and received approval from the Institutional Research Review Ethical Committee of the University of Dodoma, Tanzania. All methods were carried out in accordance with relevant guidelines and procedures. Throughout the research process, rigorous ethical safeguards were maintained to ensure voluntary participation, anonymity, and confidentiality. Participants were also informed of their right to withdraw from the study at any stage without penalty. All necessary measures were taken to uphold the privacy, rights, and dignity of participants. 4.2 Measurement The two components of NFS (business skill development and business support) were measured using items derived from Abebe and Kegne ( 2023b ), MFI-microenterprise RQ was measured using items adapted from (Hani et al., 2024 ), whereas CL was measured using items adapted from Tegambwage and Kasoga ( 2024 ). More precisely, the study’s tool for gathering data was a questionnaire containing closed-ended questions with a five-point Likert scale, ranging from strongly disagree (1) to strongly agree (5). Two sections of the questionnaire were designated for background information and the study variables, respectively. A professor from the University of Dodoma and two loan officers from one MFI in Dodoma city were involved in the development of the questionnaire to ensure accurate measurement. A pilot test of the questionnaire with 30 MFI clients (microenterprises) in the same city was conducted before the final version was decided upon. All of the elements were deemed appropriate for the study and understandable for the typical microenterprise. As a result, no recommendations for changing or adding items were provided. Table 2 shows all the measurement items applied in the questionnaire along with their statistical properties. 4.3 Data analysis In this research, data was analyzed using the SmartPLS4. Specifically, the partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) was used to evaluate both the measurement and structural models. PLS-SEM examines relationships between latent variables by integrating multiple indicators and interactions among them, and it also allows for testing moderation effects (Hair et al., 2024 ). It is an efficient data analysis technique which does not heavily rely on sample size and the normality of data distribution (Hair et al., 2024 ). 5. Results 5.1 Demographic profile of respondents The majority of participants were female (79.8%) and married (80.6%). According to Kasoga and Tegambwage ( 2024 ), women make up the majority of MFI clients in Tanzania. The most prevalent age group was 26–35 (51.2%), followed by the 36–50 age group (43.7%) and the 18–25 age group (5.1%). Regarding educational attainment, the majority (50.4%) completed primary school. Only 7.2% had a tertiary-level education (see Table 1 ). Table 1 Demographic characteristics (N = 387) Variable Description Frequency Percent Gender Male 78 20.2 Female 309 79.8 Age 18–25 20 5.1 26–35 198 51.2 36–50 169 43.7 Marital status Single 61 15.8 Married 312 80.6 Divorced 14 3.6 Education Primary 195 50.4 Secondary 164 42.4 Tertiary 28 7.2 Source: Authors 5.2 Measurement model analysis The measurement model was evaluated to ensure the reliability and validity of the measurements. For PLS-SEM analysis, evaluation of the measurement model includes examining Cronbach’s alpha reliability (α), composite reliability (CR), convergent validity, and discriminant validity (Hair et al., 2024 ). According to the results in Table 2 , all α and CR scores exceed the 0.7 cut-off threshold, confirming internal consistency and reliability (Hair et al., 2024 ). As indicated in Table 2 , all indicators except one (BS1) had acceptable outer loadings of more than 0.7 (Cheung et al., 2024 ), and the AVE for each variable exceeded the minimum required value of 0.5 (Hair et al., 2024 ), confirming convergent validity. The discriminant validity was examined using the Heterotrait-Monotrait ratio (HTMT) and the Fornell-Larcker criterion. Discriminant validity was attained since HTMT values do not exceed 0.850 (Table 3 ) and the square roots of AVE exceed the constructs’ correlations (Table 4 ) (Fornell & Larcker, 1981 ). Table 2 Measurement model assessment Construct/Indicators Code Loading AVE α CR Business skill development (BSD) 0.799 0.911 0.952 Initiatives for skill development enhance proper record-keeping BSD1 0.971 The skill-building courses help me develop a saving culture BSD2 0.914 The skill-building initiatives help me raise my financial literacy BSD3 0.700 There are plenty skill development programs available BSD4 0.955 Business support (BS) 0.852 0.940 0.962 The business support services helped my business to overcome experience-based barriers during startup BS1 0.974 The business support services enhanced my business performance BS2 0.961 I was able to increase my business operational efficiency thanks to the business support services BS3 0.779 The business support services increased my business market access BS4 0.965 Relationship quality (RQ) 0.723 0.870 0.958 The promises made by MFI are reliable RQ1 0.945 The MFI has policies that favor my best interest RQ2 0.960 The MFI keeps my dealing with them confidential RQ3 0.961 The MFI respects me as an important customer RQ4 0.889 The MFI wants to hear my comment and opinion RQ5 0.887 The information provided by the MFI is helpful RQ6 0.768 The MFI’s weekly meetings are interesting RQ7 0.710 Customer loyalty (CL) 0.980 0993 0.993 Spread good word about the MFI to others CL1 0.983 Suggest the MFI to someone who is looking for guidance CL2 0.993 Urge loved ones to make use of the MFI services CL3 0.992 In the coming years, give the MFI top priority CL4 0.992 Source : Authors Table 3 Heterotrait-Monotrait Ratio Construct BSD BS RQ CL RQ*BSD RQ*BS Business skill development (BSD) Business support (BS) 0.058 Relationship quality (RQ) 0.095 0.773 Customer loyalty (CL) 0.072 0.206 0.094 RQ*BSD 0.042 0.037 0.043 0.070 RQ*BS 0.024 0.256 0.048 0.041 0.137 Source : Authors Table 4 Fornell-Larcker test Construct Mean SD BSD BS RQ CL Business skill development (BSD) 3.313 0.596 0.894 Business support (BS) 3.535 0.542 0.052 0.923 Relationship quality (RQ) 3.545 0.561 0.086 0.681 0.850 Customer loyalty (CL) 3.416 0.034 0.060 0.172 0.097 0.990 Notes: Diagonal elements are the square roots of AVE between the constructs and their measures. Source : Authors 5.3 Descriptive analysis Descriptive results in Table 4 show moderate mean scores for business skill development (3.313), business support (3.535), relationship quality (3.545), and customer loyalty (3.416) among microfinance clients in Tanzania. These findings suggest that while clients value non-financial services and generally perceive their relationships with MFIs positively, there is still room to enhance service relevance and impact. 5.4 Structural model analysis The structural model was assessed using key PLS-SEM metrics (Hair et al., 2024 ). The coefficient of determination (R²) of 0.992 (Fig. 2 ), suggests an excellent model fit (Hair et al., 2024 ). The effect sizes (f²) ranged from 0.009 to 2.798 (Table 6 ). The wide range implies that some predictors are dominant in influencing the dependent variables, while others contribute minimally (Cohen, 2016 ). The model’s predictive relevance (Q² = 0.879) demonstrates very strong predictive power (Henseler et al., 2016 ). This supports the practical utility of the model, especially in contexts like behavioral prediction in microfinance or psychology. The predictive accuracy of the model was assessed using Root Mean Square Error (RMSE) and Mean Absolute Error (MAE) (Hair et al., 2024 ). According to the results in Table 5 , the RMSE was 0.350, implying relatively low error, supporting good model performance (Hair et al., 2024 ). Again, the MAE value of 0.264 confirms strong model performance (Hair et al., 2024 ). These values together reinforce the model’s practical usefulness. Multicollinearity was assessed using the Variance Inflation Factor (VIF). Table 6 shows VIF values less than 5 for each explanatory variable, suggesting non-existence of multicollinearity (Hair et al., 2024 ). Collectively, these metrics confirm both the statistical rigor and practical relevance of the model in explaining loan repayment behavior. Table 5 PLSpredict LV summary Construct Q 2 predict RMSE MAE Customer loyalty 0.879 0.350 0.264 Source : Authors 5.5 Checking for common method bias To examine common method bias (CMB), Harman’s single-factor check was conducted (Podsakoff et al., 2003 ). The primary factor explained only 29.2% of the total variance, well below 50%. This indicates that CMB is not a worry in this research. 5.6 Testing the research hypotheses Figure 2 and Table 6 present the results of the direct and moderation hypotheses testing conducted with path analysis using PLS-SEM. Path analysis seeks to quantify the relationships between sets of variables in order to determine their causation (Henseler et al., 2016 ). The H1 was not confirmed by the statistically insignificant effect of BSD on CL (β = 0.060, p > 0.05). However, H2 was confirmed by the statistically significant effect of BS on CL (β = 0.275, p < 0.05), indicating that a unit increase in BS was associated a substantial increase of 27.5% in CL. Similarly, H3 was confirmed by the statistically significant effect of RQ on CL (β = 0.734, p 0.05), suggesting that RQ insignificantly moderated the relationship between BSD and CL. The corresponding simple slope plot (Fig. 3 ) showed nearly parallel lines across different RQ levels, further supporting the absence of moderation. As a consequence, H4 is not confirmed. Moreover, the interaction term BS*RQ was statistically insignificant (β = -0.121, p > 0.05). This suggests that RQ insignificantly moderated the relationship between BS and CL. The corresponding simple slope plot (Fig. 4 ) showed nearly parallel lines across different RQ levels, further supporting the absence of moderation. Hence, H5 is not confirmed. These findings collectively indicate that RQ does not significantly moderate the relationships between BS, BSD, and CL. Table 6 Structural model assessment Path Original sample (O) Sample mean (M) SD t-value p-value f 2 VIF LLCI ULCI H1. BSD→ CL 0.060 0.063 0.053 1.127 0.260 0.009 1.009 -0.033 0.173 H2. BS → CL 0.275 0.268 0.059 4.680 0.000 0.195 1.976 0.153 0.377 H3. RQ→ CL 0.734 0.739 0.030 24.246 0.000 2.798 1.765 0.672 0.790 H3. BSD*RQ → CL -0.142 -0.151 0.076 1.866 0.062 0.036 1.022 -0.308 -0.017 H4. BS*RQ → CL -0.121 -0.112 0.084 1.452 0.147 0.027 1.080 -0.263 0.057 Source : Authors 6. Discussion The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of non-financial services, namely business skill development and business support, on CL in microfinance. Additionally, the study examined how MFI-microenterprise relationship quality moderates the relationship between business skill development, business support, and customer loyalty in microfinance. The influence of business skill development on CL was statistically insignificant (Table 6 ). This suggests that simply providing business skill development training is not sufficient to enhance loyalty among microfinance clients in Tanzania. A possible explanation is that while training can improve knowledge, it may not translate into immediate perceived benefits or satisfaction that foster loyalty. In other words, business skill development may be perceived as abstract or future-oriented, reducing its ability to generate immediate loyalty responses. The result differs from earlier studies ( Carter et al., 2003 ; Isidore, 2011 ; Thaher et al., 2021 ) that show a direct correlation between business skill training and business performance. The effect of business support on customer loyalty was statistically significant (Table 6 ). These results suggest that tangible, hands-on support matters more than skill training in driving loyalty within Tanzanian microfinance. A possible explanation is that Tanzanian microfinance clients value immediate, practical assistance over theoretical or classroom-style training that takes time to apply. This resonates with social exchange theory (Blau, 1964 ), which predicts that clients reciprocate more strongly when rewards are clear, salient, and practically beneficial. The finding also aligns with prior research (Carter et al., 2003 ; Thaher et al., 2021 ) that demonstrated a direct and noteworthy influence of business support services on business success. Specifically, these studies show that business support services like management and financial advisory, business planning, marketing guidance, and market linkages enable microenterprises to formalize operations, access information, and connect with larger businesses. These services help entrepreneurs overcome experience-related barriers, achieve sustainable growth, and build profitable ventures, ultimately driving customer loyalty. Therefore, MFIs should integrate such business support services into their loyalty strategies. Relationship quality positively and significantly predicted CL in microfinance’s B2B context (see Table 6 ). This aligns with SET (Blau, 1964 ), which suggests that individuals assess relationships based on costs and benefits and are likely to continue relationships that they perceive as equitable and rewarding. The result also aligns with prior studies highlighting a strong impact of interpersonal (B2C) relationships on loyalty in a Tanzanian microfinance setting (Tegambwage, 2025 ; Tegambwage & Kasoga, 2024 ). The significant influence of RQ on CL highlights need to invest in staff training focused on client engagement, trust, respect, and reciprocity, alongside core service delivery. However, the result is inconsistent with Tegambwage and Kasoga ( 2025 ) who found statistically insignificant effects of reciprocity and trust on CL in B2C context of the Tanzanian microfinance sector. These findings indicate that relationship quality may influence loyalty differently in B2C versus B2B contexts within microfinance, possibly because contextual or economic challenges such as widespread low income and low financial literacy diminish the importance of B2C relationships in developing economies like Tanzania (Tegambwage & Kasoga, 2022 b). Additionally, relationship quality did not significantly moderate the impact of business skill development and business support on loyalty (Table 6 , Figs. 3 & 4 ), meaning their effects were consistent regardless of the strength of the MFI–microenterprise relationships. This suggests that clients view business skill development and business support services as transactional services rather than relational ones. In this context, the influence relationship quality may not interact meaningfully with such services. Further, in Tanzanian MFIs, non-financial services are fragmented or underdeveloped (Kasoga and Tegambwage, 2021 ), which could limit the potential of relationship quality to moderate their effects. Thus, MFIs should ensure that non-financial services such as business skill development and support are well-integrated into broader relationship management, with improved consistency and follow-up to help clients perceive these services as part of a valuable, ongoing relationship. 7. Conclusion This research investigated the relationship between NFS namely business skill development and business support and CL in microfinance, with a particular focus on the moderation effect of RQ. In support of the study’s conceptualization based on SET, the results indicate that business support has a positive and significant direct effect on CL. However, business skill development has an insignificant effect on CL. This suggests that in low-income, low-financial literacy, and stressful business environments, practical and immediate benefits like business support services foster stronger reciprocal behavior in terms of loyalty than business skill development training which may be seen as abstract, slower in payoff, or poorly adapted. In other words, contextual factors, particularly the distinction between tangible support and abstract training may affect how non-financial services translate into loyalty. Moreover, the results show that relationship quality independently predicts CL but does not strengthen the influence of NFS on CL. This suggests that these two pathways may function independently in clients’ minds. MFIs should thus enhance both the quality of relationships and the delivery of non-financial services, but not assume they automatically reinforce each other. The findings suggest that while social exchange theory is useful for framing MFI–microenterprise interactions, it may have limited applicability in contexts where clients prioritize transactional benefits over relational ones. In resource-constrained environments, such as subsistence-level microenterprises in developing countries, tangible and immediate support, particularly business support services matter more to clients than relationship quality. This calls for a contextualized adaptation of social exchange theory that accounts for economic vulnerability and survival-driven decision-making. Additionally, the study highlights the need to differentiate non-financial services in theoretical models, as not all forms exert equal influence on customer loyalty. Business support services have a stronger impact than skill development initiatives. Finally, the lack of a significant moderating effect of relationship quality challenges its assumed universality in B2B contexts, suggesting it should be treated as context-dependent rather than a generalizable moderator. The findings suggest that MFIs should reallocate non-financial service resources to prioritize direct, hands-on business support such as mentorship, consultancy, and market linkages, which have a more immediate and meaningful impact on client loyalty, which in turn contributes to enhanced poverty reduction and the long-term sustainability of MFIs. In contrast, general skill development training may offer limited practical value unless tailored to the specific needs of microenterprise clients. Additionally, the strong effect RQ on CL underscores the importance of training staff in client engagement, trust, respect, and reciprocity, in addition to delivering core services. Business skill development and support services should be fully embedded within relationship management practices, with greater emphasis on consistency and follow-up to ensure l clients view these offerings as integral to a meaningful, long-term partnership. Policymakers should implement incentive mechanisms such as subsidies or performance-based grants to promote the provision of practical business support services by MFIs. Policy frameworks should formally recognize and integrate these services as essential components of financial inclusion. Additionally, regulations should avoid one-size-fits-all instructions for business training. Instead, they should encourage flexible, evidence-based approaches that align with clients’ specific needs and make efficient use of available resources. This study has several limitations. First, its context-specific nature limits the generalizability of the findings beyond Tanzania or similar developing economies. Second, the cross-sectional design restricts the ability to draw causal inferences between variables. Third, only a limited set of moderating variables was examined, leaving out potentially influential factors such as perceived value and cultural norms. To address these limitations and extend current knowledge, future research should explore additional moderators in the relationship between non-financial services and customer loyalty, including cultural norms and perceived value. Longitudinal studies are also recommended to assess how client loyalty and business outcomes evolve over time in response to different forms of non-financial services. Qualitative follow-up studies could provide deeper insights into l client perceptions and preferences, particularly regarding why certain business support services are more impactful. Comparative studies across countries and regions would further help evaluate the generalizability of these findings. Abbreviations B2B Business to business B2C Business to customer BS Business support BSD Business skills development RQ Relationship quality CL Customer loyalty MFIs Microfinance institutions PLS-SEM Partial least squares-structural equation modeling SET Social exchange theory Declarations Ethical Approval This study was reviewed and approved by the Institutional Research Review Ethical Committee of the University of Dodoma, Tanzania. The study complied with all established ethical research standards. The committee approval number (for animal and human studies) is not applicable. Consent to Participate All participants were provided with detailed information regarding the study’s objectives, procedures, and the intended use of the data. Written informed consent was obtained from every participant prior to data collection. Participation was voluntary, and participants were free to withdraw at any stage without consequences. Consent to Publish Participants were assured that all data would remain confidential and anonymous. As such, consent to publish anonymized data and findings derived from the study was obtained. No identifiable information is included in this manuscript. Competing interests The authors declare no competing interests. Authorship statement The corresponding author affirms that all listed authors have reviewed the manuscript, approved its final version, and agreed to be accountable for their respective contributions. Furthermore, the authors confirm that the submission complies with the journal’s policies on authorship and author responsibilities. Funding No funding was received for this research. Author Contribution “AGT conceptualized the introduction, reviewed the literature, and wrote the conclusion. PSK collected the data, analyzed the data, discussed the findings, and proofread the paper. All authors read and approved the final manuscript. Acknowledgement The authors sincerely thank the Editor of this Journal for initiating the desk review and coordinating a rigorous blind peer review process. The authors also extend gratitude to the anonymous reviewers for their valuable and constructive feedback, which contributed to the revision, enhancement, and refinement of the paper. Additionally, the authors appreciate the support of colleagues and assistant researchers who played a crucial role in completing this work. Data Availability Availability of data and materials: Available upon request. References Abebe A, Kegne M. The role of microfinance institutions on women’s entrepreneurship development. J Innov Entrepreneurship. 2023a;12(1):17. Abebe A, Kegne M. The role of microfinance on women’s entrepreneurship development in Western Ethiopia evidence from a structural equation modeling: Non-financial service is the way forward. Cogent Bus Manage. 2023b;10(3):2256079. 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J Serv Mark. 2003;17(5):495–513. Additional Declarations No competing interests reported. Cite Share Download PDF Status: Posted Version 1 posted You are reading this latest preprint version Research Square lets you share your work early, gain feedback from the community, and start making changes to your manuscript prior to peer review in a journal. As a division of Research Square Company, we’re committed to making research communication faster, fairer, and more useful. We do this by developing innovative software and high quality services for the global research community. Our growing team is made up of researchers and industry professionals working together to solve the most critical problems facing scientific publishing. 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2","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"figure","size":137091,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"\u003cp\u003eStructural model\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eSource: \u003c/strong\u003eSMARTPLS4 Output\u003c/p\u003e","description":"","filename":"2.png","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-7471850/v1/d3f734c8444983df4c0f1e77.png"},{"id":92001057,"identity":"95825665-adb3-43da-9b0c-11518ef5a42a","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2025-09-23 14:26:23","extension":"png","order_by":3,"title":"Figure 3","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"figure","size":61828,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"\u003cp\u003eSimple plot for the\u003cstrong\u003e \u003c/strong\u003emoderation effect of RQ between BSD and CL\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eSource\u003c/strong\u003e: SMARTPLS4 Output\u003c/p\u003e","description":"","filename":"3.png","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-7471850/v1/c6f9f9fb2e700c2cef073e66.png"},{"id":91999885,"identity":"98962f5f-7193-4951-8f26-d57c888af89c","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2025-09-23 14:18:23","extension":"png","order_by":4,"title":"Figure 4","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"figure","size":30250,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"\u003cp\u003eSimple plot for the\u003cstrong\u003e \u003c/strong\u003emoderation effect of RQ between BS and CL\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eSource\u003c/strong\u003e: SMARTPLS4 Output\u003c/p\u003e","description":"","filename":"floatimage7.png","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-7471850/v1/6198fe9f684cac74a6fdd022.png"},{"id":96821814,"identity":"c212a5e0-83cf-4fe0-9693-56dd05c0dd43","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2025-11-26 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Introduction","content":"\u003cp\u003eCustomer loyalty (CL) has become increasingly important for microfinance institutions (MFIs) as the industry continues to mature and competition intensifies (Tegambwage \u0026amp; Kasoga, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR35\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2025\u003c/span\u003e). The competition is driving MFIs to improve their CL in order to boost efficiency. Churchill and Halpern (\u003cspan citationid=\"CR8\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2001\u003c/span\u003e) contend that higher CL leads to lower operating costs and better financial performance, both of which are critical for enhancing the outreach and sustainability of MFIs. MFI sustainability leads to a decrease in poverty (Kasoga \u0026amp; Tegambwage, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR21\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2022\u003c/span\u003e). This means that customer defection significantly affects the outreach and long-term sustainability of microfinance institutions (MFIs), highlighting the importance of cultivating customer loyalty (CL) as a key marketing strategy to achieve their goal of poverty reduction. Despite its importance, the drivers of CL in microfinance particularly from the perspective of non-financial services (NFS) remain largely unexplored.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eTanzanian MFIs have worked hard to develop CL by offering cutting-edge financial services and products to draw in new customers as well as keeping current ones (Tegambwage \u0026amp; Kasoga, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR22\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2024\u003c/span\u003e). However, because of switching patterns, CL has continued to be a difficult problem for MFIs in Tanzania. Kasoga and Tegambwage (\u003cspan citationid=\"CR20\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2021\u003c/span\u003e) point out that because of the fierce competition from a wide range of competitors and the low switching costs, customers frequently switch between MFIs in Tanzania. Therefore, the goal is not just to provide novel financial goods and services to microenterprises but also to raise switching costs by providing NFS attributes like business support and business skill development. Abebe and Kegne (2023) point out that MFIs should assist and teach the impoverished microentrepreneurs how to achieve business successful, in addition to lending them microloans. Lack of knowledge about business management is among the factors behind microenterprises\u0026rsquo; failure in developing countries like Tanzania (Endris \u0026amp; Kassegn, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR11\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2022\u003c/span\u003e). Accordingly, MFIs often offer NFS like business skill development and business support to improve the clients\u0026rsquo; capacity to succeed in their businesses (Mishra \u0026amp; Choudhury, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR23\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2025\u003c/span\u003e). According to social exchange theory (SET) by Blau (\u003cspan citationid=\"CR4\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e1964\u003c/span\u003e), MFI clients may reciprocate the valuable MFI\u0026rsquo;s NFS with loyalty.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eFew studies have looked at CL in microfinance (Fangue et al., \u003cspan citationid=\"CR13\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2020\u003c/span\u003e; Tegambwage, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR35\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2025\u003c/span\u003e; (Tegambwage \u0026amp; Kasoga, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR22\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2024\u003c/span\u003e, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR35\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2025\u003c/span\u003e). These studies, however, focused on how financial services and aspects of service delivery affected CL. While MFIs offer non-financial services to improve microenterprises\u0026rsquo; business performance and growth (Abebe \u0026amp; Kegne, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR1\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2023a\u003c/span\u003e), little is known about how these services shape loyalty in microfinance settings. As such, this work offers a unique endeavor to explore the potential direct influences of NFS on CL in microfinance. Since NFS may predict loyalty based on SET, failure to account for them in loyalty models may severely limit the capacity of MFIs to use them to promote CL. Therefore, tying NFS and CL together may improve the diagnostics for understanding, managing, and enhancing CL in microfinance.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eAdditionally, due to intense competition in the Tanzanian microfinance sector (Tegambwage \u0026amp; Kasoga, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR35\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2025\u003c/span\u003e), no-financial services alone may not be enough to sustain CL among MFI clients. In business-to-business relationships (B2B) like that between MFIs and microenterprises, strong reciprocal interactions help solve problems and build ties (Berenguer-Contri et al., \u003cspan citationid=\"CR3\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2024\u003c/span\u003e). When mutual expectations aren\u0026rsquo;t met, it can lead to switching behavior. Therefore, adding value through reciprocal exchange is key to strengthening relationship quality (RQ) and hence loyalty (Tegambwage \u0026amp; Kasoga, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR35\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2025\u003c/span\u003e). Since prior studies have reported a significant effect of RQ on CL in the banking sector (Ndubisi, 2007; Tegambwage \u0026amp; Kasoga, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR21\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2022\u003c/span\u003e; Tegambwage \u0026amp; Kasoga, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR33\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2023\u003c/span\u003e; Wijaya et al., \u003cspan citationid=\"CR37\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2023\u003c/span\u003e) and in microfinance (Tegambwage, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR35\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2025\u003c/span\u003e; Tegambwage \u0026amp; Kasoga, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR22\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2024\u003c/span\u003e; Tegambwage \u0026amp; Kasoga, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR35\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2025\u003c/span\u003e), MFIs can use RQ to sustain CL by moderating the effect of NFS on CL.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThis argument is based on SET, in that clients reciprocate meaningful benefits with loyalty. That is, the strength or direction of the effect of NFS on loyalty may depend on the microenterprise\u0026rsquo;s perception of beneficial relationships with the MFI. When microenterprises perceive strong-beneficial relationships with the MFI, they may fully engage with the non-financial services offered by the MFI. This in turn may increase the perceived value and usefulness of non-services, resulting into greater loyalty. Conversely, a weak MFI-microenterprise relationship may discourage microenterprises to engage with the non-financial services offered, perceiving less value, thereby resulting into minimal or negative effects on loyalty. Without strong RQ, even well-designed non-financial services may fail to produce significant loyalty. Nevertheless, little is known about how RQ interacts with non-financial services to shape loyalty in microfinance settings. In other words, the role of RQ as a moderator remains underexplored. Hence, it is essential to examine moderation role of RQ in the NFS-CL connection, particularly in microfinance which relies on relationships as intangible collateral (Tegambwage \u0026amp; Kasoga, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR21\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2022\u003c/span\u003eb).\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eTherefore, the purpose of this research is: to investigate the influence of NFS, namely business support and skill development, on CL and the moderation effect of RQ between NFS and CL in Tanzania's microfinance industry. Theoretically, this study offers a theoretical framework that connects non-financial services, RQ, and CL, providing a NFS-based explanation for CL in microfinance. This is among the first studies to look at CL in microfinance from a NFS perspective. Practically, this study will benefit policymakers and MFIs by enabling them to leverage NFS to maximize CL.\u003c/p\u003e"},{"header":"2. Theoretical framework","content":"\u003cp\u003eAccording to social exchange theory (SET) (Blau, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR4\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e1964\u003c/span\u003e), partners will stay in a relationship as long as the expected advantages outweigh the expected costs. Stated differently, SET promotes doing good deeds in the hopes of earning rewards down the road. In line with this notion, MFIs develop CL through client retention to lower expenses and demand uncertainty. According to SET, a series of reciprocal transactions between people or parties that result in a pattern of obligations toward one another are what give rise to social exchange relationships (Blau, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR4\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e1964\u003c/span\u003e). Put otherwise, all benefits obtained result in debts that can only be paid off by reciprocation. As a result, the degree of CL to the MFI can be ascertained by continuously contrasting the social and economic results of MFI-microenterprise interactions, and with the alternatives. Because MFI-microenterprise interactions can be viewed as social transactions that result in CL to the MFI, SET is ideal for this study. Since the SET establishes mutual obligations between the microenterprise and the MFI, it sheds light on the suggested benefits of NFS for CL. In essence, a microenterprise may show its devotion to the MFI in reaction to the advantageous NFS that the MFI provides, and vice versa.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eWith regard to the moderation effect of RQ between non-financial services and CL, when microenterprises perceive high RQ with the MFI, they are more likely to fully engage with the NFS offered, enhancing the perceived value and usefulness of these services and ultimately increasing CL, as explained by SET. Conversely, if RQ is low, microenterprises may distrust the MFI\u0026rsquo;s intentions, leading to lower engagement with NFS and a diminished or even negative effect of non-financial services on loyalty.\u003c/p\u003e"},{"header":"3. Hypotheses development","content":"\u003cdiv id=\"Sec4\" class=\"Section2\"\u003e\u003ch2\u003e3.1 Influence of business skill development on CL\u003c/h2\u003e\u003cp\u003eWong and Sohal (\u003cspan citationid=\"CR38\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2003\u003c/span\u003e) maintain that CL happens when consumers buy a good or service again and again while maintaining positive opinions about the good or service or the business that provides it. Drawing on Wong and Sohal (\u003cspan citationid=\"CR38\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2003\u003c/span\u003e), CL in this study is associated with the probability that a microentrepreneur will return to the MFI, recommend the MFI, provide positive word-of-mouth, provide references and exposure for the MFI, and repay its loans promptly. CL is essential to the sustainability and outreach of MFIs (Kasoga \u0026amp; Tegambwage, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR21\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2022\u003c/span\u003e). Setting up efficient programs for entrepreneurship education is one way to boost the number of people participating in entrepreneurial endeavors (Dabic et al., \u003cspan citationid=\"CR10\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2012\u003c/span\u003e). Business skill training is an essential component of MFIs because the majority of their clients in Tanzania and other developing nations are impoverished microentrepreneurs who have low levels of education and face other forms of discrimination from society (Tegambwage \u0026amp; Kasoga, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR35\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2025\u003c/span\u003e). Through business skill training, microentrepreneurs can acquire the necessary skills needed for business success.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eStudies with empirical data show a clear connection between business skills and enterprise performance ( Carter et al., \u003cspan citationid=\"CR5\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2003\u003c/span\u003e; Isidore, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR19\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2011\u003c/span\u003e; Thaher et al., \u003cspan citationid=\"CR36\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2021\u003c/span\u003e). As a result, MFI's business skill training program has a big impact on how well its clients build their enterprises, which may help CL based on SET. Therefore, according to SET, if an MFI assists microenterprises by offering them training in business skill development, they are more likely to repay the MFI by remaining loyal. When microenterprises believe that the MFI is looking out for their best interests and is providing them with training to help them succeed in business, they will act in a favorable manner toward the MFI. As per SET, any benefits obtained result in debts that can only be paid back by reciprocation (Blau, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR4\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e1964\u003c/span\u003e); therefore, being devoted to the MFI is one method for microenterprises to return the favor. According to Tegambwage (\u003cspan citationid=\"CR35\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2025\u003c/span\u003e) and Tegambwage and Kasoga (\u003cspan citationid=\"CR33\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2023\u003c/span\u003e), the cornerstone of CL is reciprocal behavior. In light of this discussion, the following hypothesis is proposed:\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eH1\u003c/em\u003e. Business skill development is positively and significantly related to CL in microfinance.\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv id=\"Sec5\" class=\"Section2\"\u003e\u003ch2\u003e3.2 Influence of business support on CL\u003c/h2\u003e\u003cp\u003eMicroenterprises possessing a broad or numerous networks of connections can establish links with various segments of a societal structure and provide access to information channels that are not available to microenterprises with a limited number of direct network connections (Abebe \u0026amp; Kegne, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR2\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2023b\u003c/span\u003e). According to Thaher et al. (\u003cspan citationid=\"CR36\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2021\u003c/span\u003e), the performance of enterprises is favorably correlated with business support services such as psychological support, business incentives, and marketing links. Consequently, it is important to support MFIs in strengthening and growing their clientele\u0026rsquo;s access to business support services. Business support services have the potential to improve CL based on SET (Blau, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR4\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e1964\u003c/span\u003e) since they are closely linked to the survival and growth of businesses. Therefore, if the MFI assists microenterprises by offering business support services, the microenterprises are more likely to repay the MFI by remaining loyal, in line with SET. Put differently, when microenterprises believe that the MFI is looking out for their best interests and is providing them with business support services to help them succeed, they will act in a way that benefits the MFI. As per SET, any benefits obtained result in reciprocal duties (Blau, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR4\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e1964\u003c/span\u003e); therefore, being devoted to the MFI is one method for microenterprises to return the favor. According to Tegambwage and Kasoga (\u003cspan citationid=\"CR21\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2022\u003c/span\u003ea, b), reciprocity is the cornerstone of CL. Therefore, the suggested impact of business support services on CL is explained by SET. In light of this:\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eH2\u003c/em\u003e. Business support is positively related to CL in microfinance.\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv id=\"Sec6\" class=\"Section2\"\u003e\u003ch2\u003e3.3 Influence of relationship quality on CL\u003c/h2\u003e\u003cp\u003eMFI-microenterprise RQ consists of three dimensions: trust, respect, and reciprocity (Hani et al., \u003cspan citationid=\"CR16\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2024\u003c/span\u003e). Microenterprises are inspire to grow and add value by MFIs through reciprocal, trustful, and respectful interactions (Tegambwage \u0026amp; Kasoga, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR35\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2025\u003c/span\u003e). According to (Hani et al., \u003cspan citationid=\"CR16\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2024\u003c/span\u003e), trust is the perception of MFI\u0026rsquo;s credibility, caring, and customization of relational exchanges; respect is the perception of the exchange partner\u0026rsquo;s value and inherent worth, while reciprocity is the perception of the MFI\u0026rsquo;s community support, enjoyment, and information empowerment. Building on the SET (Blau, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR4\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e1964\u003c/span\u003e), when microenterprises grow and add value as a result of high RQ with the MFI, they are likely to remain loyal. This argument is supported by several empirical studies in the banking sector (Ndubisi, 2007; Tegambwage \u0026amp; Kasoga, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR21\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2022\u003c/span\u003e; Tegambwage \u0026amp; Kasoga, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR33\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2023\u003c/span\u003e; Wijaya et al., \u003cspan citationid=\"CR37\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2023\u003c/span\u003e) and in microfinance sector in particular (Tegambwage, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR35\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2025\u003c/span\u003e; Tegambwage \u0026amp; Kasoga, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR22\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2024\u003c/span\u003e). However, these empirical studies were conducted from a business-to-customer (B2C) rather than a B2B perspective, which is a focus of the current study. One study, known to the researchers, which focused on the B2B perspective in microfinance is that of Tegambwage and Kasoga (\u003cspan citationid=\"CR35\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2025\u003c/span\u003e). It reported mixed findings in respect of the influence of the individual dimensions of RQ on CL in that respect significantly influenced CL, whereas trust and reciprocity insignificantly influenced CL. In light of the above:\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eH3\u003c/em\u003e. RQ is positively and significantly related to CL in microfinance.\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv id=\"Sec7\" class=\"Section2\"\u003e\u003ch2\u003e3.4 Moderation effect of RQ between NFS and CL\u003c/h2\u003e\u003cp\u003eAccording to SET (Blau, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR4\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e1964\u003c/span\u003e), when clients feel they are receiving value in an exchange relationship, they reciprocate favorably towards the firm. Building on this, a solid MFI-microenterprise RQ may encourage microenterprises to fully engage with the NFS offered by the MFI. This engagement may increase the perceived value and usefulness of NFS, resulting into greater CL. Conversely, a weak MFI-microenterprise RQ may discourage microenterprises to engage with the NFS offered, perceiving less value in the support provided by the MFI, resulting into minimal or negative effects of NFS on CL. Prior studies discovered significant direct effects between RQ and CL in the banking sector (Ndubisi, 2007; Tegambwage \u0026amp; Kasoga, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR21\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2022\u003c/span\u003e; Tegambwage \u0026amp; Kasoga, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR33\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2023\u003c/span\u003e; Wijaya et al., \u003cspan citationid=\"CR37\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2023\u003c/span\u003e) and in microfinance (Tegambwage, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR35\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2025\u003c/span\u003e; Tegambwage \u0026amp; Kasoga, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR22\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2024\u003c/span\u003e). In light of the aforementioned theoretical and empirical grounds, RQ is expected to sustain microenterprise loyalty by strengthening the influence of NFS (business skill development and business support) on CL, as postulated below:\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eH4. RQ significantly moderates the association between business skill development and CL.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eH5. RQ significantly moderates the association between business support and CL.\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/div\u003e"},{"header":"4. Methods","content":"\u003cdiv id=\"Sec9\" class=\"Section2\"\u003e\u003ch2\u003e4.1 Data collection\u003c/h2\u003e\u003cp\u003eUsing a cross-sectional research design, a field survey of MFI clients (microenterprises) in Tanzania's commercial cities of Dar es Salaam and Mwanza was utilized to collect data. Majority of Tanzanian microenterprises are found in these two cities (Rwamuhuru \u0026amp; Tegambwage, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR29\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2021\u003c/span\u003e; Ringo et al., \u003cspan citationid=\"CR28\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2022\u003c/span\u003e; \u003cspan citationid=\"CR26\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2023\u003c/span\u003e, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR27\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2024\u003c/span\u003e). The convenience sampling method was used for this survey, as it was administered to microenterprises that voluntarily chose to participate. Microentrepreneurs who had visited the MFI and were waiting to be served were given questionnaires. The questionnaire completion time was eight to ten minutes on average. It took two months to gather 400 filled-out questionnaires. Every completed questionnaire was reviewed for accuracy and assigned a code. Of the 400 questionnaires collected, 13 had missing values. Therefore, 387 questionnaires were used in data analysis.\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv id=\"Sec10\" class=\"Section2\"\u003e\u003ch2\u003e4.2 Ethical compliance and consent procedures\u003c/h2\u003e\u003cp\u003ePrior to participation, all respondents were provided with a detailed information sheet outlining the study\u0026rsquo;s objectives, procedures, and intended use of the data. They were assured that all information would be treated with strict confidentiality and anonymity. Written informed consent was obtained from each participant before the beginning of data collection. Although the study did not involve experiments on humans or the use of human tissue samples, it adhered fully to established ethical research standards and received approval from the Institutional Research Review Ethical Committee of the University of Dodoma, Tanzania. All methods were carried out in accordance with relevant guidelines and procedures. Throughout the research process, rigorous ethical safeguards were maintained to ensure voluntary participation, anonymity, and confidentiality. Participants were also informed of their right to withdraw from the study at any stage without penalty. All necessary measures were taken to uphold the privacy, rights, and dignity of participants.\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv id=\"Sec11\" class=\"Section2\"\u003e\u003ch2\u003e4.2 Measurement\u003c/h2\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe two components of NFS (business skill development and business support) were measured using items derived from Abebe and Kegne (\u003cspan citationid=\"CR2\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2023b\u003c/span\u003e), MFI-microenterprise RQ was measured using items adapted from (Hani et al., \u003cspan citationid=\"CR16\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2024\u003c/span\u003e), whereas CL was measured using items adapted from Tegambwage and Kasoga (\u003cspan citationid=\"CR22\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2024\u003c/span\u003e). More precisely, the study\u0026rsquo;s tool for gathering data was a questionnaire containing closed-ended questions with a five-point Likert scale, ranging from strongly disagree (1) to strongly agree (5). Two sections of the questionnaire were designated for background information and the study variables, respectively. A professor from the University of Dodoma and two loan officers from one MFI in Dodoma city were involved in the development of the questionnaire to ensure accurate measurement. A pilot test of the questionnaire with 30 MFI clients (microenterprises) in the same city was conducted before the final version was decided upon. All of the elements were deemed appropriate for the study and understandable for the typical microenterprise. As a result, no recommendations for changing or adding items were provided. Table\u0026nbsp;\u003cspan refid=\"Tab2\" class=\"InternalRef\"\u003e2\u003c/span\u003e shows all the measurement items applied in the questionnaire along with their statistical properties.\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv id=\"Sec12\" class=\"Section2\"\u003e\u003ch2\u003e4.3 Data analysis\u003c/h2\u003e\u003cp\u003eIn this research, data was analyzed using the SmartPLS4. Specifically, the partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) was used to evaluate both the measurement and structural models. PLS-SEM examines relationships between latent variables by integrating multiple indicators and interactions among them, and it also allows for testing moderation effects (Hair et al., \u003cspan citationid=\"CR15\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2024\u003c/span\u003e). It is an efficient data analysis technique which does not heavily rely on sample size and the normality of data distribution (Hair et al., \u003cspan citationid=\"CR15\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2024\u003c/span\u003e).\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/div\u003e"},{"header":"5. Results","content":"\u003cdiv id=\"Sec14\" class=\"Section2\"\u003e\u003ch2\u003e5.1 Demographic profile of respondents\u003c/h2\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe majority of participants were female (79.8%) and married (80.6%). According to Kasoga and Tegambwage (\u003cspan citationid=\"CR22\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2024\u003c/span\u003e), women make up the majority of MFI clients in Tanzania. The most prevalent age group was 26\u0026ndash;35 (51.2%), followed by the 36\u0026ndash;50 age group (43.7%) and the 18\u0026ndash;25 age group (5.1%). Regarding educational attainment, the majority (50.4%) completed primary school. Only 7.2% had a tertiary-level education (see Table\u0026nbsp;\u003cspan refid=\"Tab1\" class=\"InternalRef\"\u003e1\u003c/span\u003e).\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"gridtable\"\u003e\u003ctable float=\"Yes\" id=\"Tab1\" border=\"1\"\u003e\u003ccaption language=\"En\"\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"CaptionNumber\"\u003eTable 1\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"CaptionContent\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eDemographic characteristics (N\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;387)\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/caption\u003e\u003ccolgroup cols=\"4\"\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c1\" colnum=\"1\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c2\" colnum=\"2\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"char\" char=\".\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c3\" colnum=\"3\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"char\" char=\".\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c4\" colnum=\"4\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cthead\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eVariable\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/th\u003e\u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eDescription\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/th\u003e\u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eFrequency\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/th\u003e\u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003ePercent\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/th\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003c/thead\u003e\u003ctbody\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\" morerows=\"1\" rowspan=\"2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eGender\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eMale\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e78\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e20.2\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eFemale\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e309\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e79.8\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\" morerows=\"2\" rowspan=\"3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eAge\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e18\u0026ndash;25\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e20\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e5.1\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e26\u0026ndash;35\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e198\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e51.2\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e36\u0026ndash;50\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e169\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e43.7\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\" morerows=\"2\" rowspan=\"3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eMarital status\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eSingle\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e61\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e15.8\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eMarried\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e312\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e80.6\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eDivorced\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e14\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e3.6\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\" morerows=\"2\" rowspan=\"3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eEducation\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003ePrimary\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e195\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e50.4\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eSecondary\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e164\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e42.4\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eTertiary\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e28\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e7.2\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003c/tbody\u003e\u003c/colgroup\u003e\u003ctfoot\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd colspan=\"4\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eSource: Authors\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003c/tfoot\u003e\u003c/table\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv id=\"Sec15\" class=\"Section2\"\u003e\u003ch2\u003e5.2 Measurement model analysis\u003c/h2\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe measurement model was evaluated to ensure the reliability and validity of the measurements. For PLS-SEM analysis, evaluation of the measurement model includes examining Cronbach\u0026rsquo;s alpha reliability (α), composite reliability (CR), convergent validity, and discriminant validity (Hair et al., \u003cspan citationid=\"CR15\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2024\u003c/span\u003e). According to the results in Table\u0026nbsp;\u003cspan refid=\"Tab2\" class=\"InternalRef\"\u003e2\u003c/span\u003e, all α and CR scores exceed the 0.7 cut-off threshold, confirming internal consistency and reliability (Hair et al., \u003cspan citationid=\"CR15\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2024\u003c/span\u003e). As indicated in Table\u0026nbsp;\u003cspan refid=\"Tab2\" class=\"InternalRef\"\u003e2\u003c/span\u003e, all indicators except one (BS1) had acceptable outer loadings of more than 0.7 (Cheung et al., \u003cspan citationid=\"CR7\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2024\u003c/span\u003e), and the AVE for each variable exceeded the minimum required value of 0.5 (Hair et al., \u003cspan citationid=\"CR15\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2024\u003c/span\u003e), confirming convergent validity. The discriminant validity was examined using the Heterotrait-Monotrait ratio (HTMT) and the Fornell-Larcker criterion. Discriminant validity was attained since HTMT values do not exceed 0.850 (Table\u0026nbsp;\u003cspan refid=\"Tab3\" class=\"InternalRef\"\u003e3\u003c/span\u003e) and the square roots of AVE exceed the constructs\u0026rsquo; correlations (Table\u0026nbsp;\u003cspan refid=\"Tab4\" class=\"InternalRef\"\u003e4\u003c/span\u003e) (Fornell \u0026amp; Larcker, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR14\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e1981\u003c/span\u003e).\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"gridtable\"\u003e\u003ctable float=\"Yes\" id=\"Tab2\" border=\"1\"\u003e\u003ccaption language=\"En\"\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"CaptionNumber\"\u003eTable 2\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"CaptionContent\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eMeasurement model assessment\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/caption\u003e\u003ccolgroup cols=\"6\"\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c1\" colnum=\"1\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c2\" colnum=\"2\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"char\" char=\".\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c3\" colnum=\"3\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"char\" char=\".\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c4\" colnum=\"4\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c5\" colnum=\"5\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"char\" char=\".\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c6\" colnum=\"6\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cthead\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eConstruct/Indicators\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/th\u003e\u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eCode\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/th\u003e\u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eLoading\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/th\u003e\u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eAVE\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/th\u003e\u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eα\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/th\u003e\u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eCR\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/th\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003c/thead\u003e\u003ctbody\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eBusiness skill development (BSD)\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0.799\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0.911\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0.952\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eInitiatives\u0026nbsp;for\u0026nbsp;skill\u0026nbsp;development\u0026nbsp;enhance proper record-keeping\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eBSD1\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0.971\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe\u0026nbsp;skill-building\u0026nbsp;courses\u0026nbsp;help\u0026nbsp;me develop a saving culture\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eBSD2\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0.914\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe\u0026nbsp;skill-building\u0026nbsp;initiatives\u0026nbsp;help\u0026nbsp;me\u0026nbsp;raise\u0026nbsp;my\u0026nbsp;financial literacy\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eBSD3\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0.700\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eThere are plenty skill development programs available\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eBSD4\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0.955\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eBusiness support (BS)\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0.852\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0.940\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0.962\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe\u0026nbsp;business\u0026nbsp;support services\u0026nbsp;helped my business to overcome experience-based barriers during startup\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eBS1\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0.974\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe business\u0026nbsp;support\u0026nbsp;services enhanced my business performance\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eBS2\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0.961\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eI was\u0026nbsp;able\u0026nbsp;to\u0026nbsp;increase my business operational efficiency\u0026nbsp;thanks\u0026nbsp;to\u0026nbsp;the\u0026nbsp;business\u0026nbsp;support services\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eBS3\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0.779\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe business\u0026nbsp;support services\u0026nbsp;increased my business market access\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eBS4\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0.965\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eRelationship quality (RQ)\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0.723\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0.870\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0.958\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe promises made by MFI are reliable\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eRQ1\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0.945\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe MFI has policies that favor my best interest\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eRQ2\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0.960\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe MFI keeps my dealing with them confidential\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eRQ3\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0.961\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe MFI respects me as an important customer\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eRQ4\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0.889\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe MFI wants to hear my comment and opinion\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eRQ5\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0.887\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe information provided by the MFI is helpful\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eRQ6\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0.768\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe MFI\u0026rsquo;s weekly meetings are interesting\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eRQ7\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0.710\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eCustomer loyalty (CL)\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0.980\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0993\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0.993\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eSpread\u0026nbsp;good\u0026nbsp;word\u0026nbsp;about\u0026nbsp;the\u0026nbsp;MFI\u0026nbsp;to\u0026nbsp;others\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eCL1\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0.983\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eSuggest\u0026nbsp;the\u0026nbsp;MFI\u0026nbsp;to\u0026nbsp;someone\u0026nbsp;who\u0026nbsp;is\u0026nbsp;looking\u0026nbsp;for\u0026nbsp;guidance\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eCL2\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0.993\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eUrge\u0026nbsp;loved\u0026nbsp;ones\u0026nbsp;to\u0026nbsp;make\u0026nbsp;use\u0026nbsp;of\u0026nbsp;the\u0026nbsp;MFI\u0026nbsp;services\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eCL3\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0.992\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eIn\u0026nbsp;the\u0026nbsp;coming\u0026nbsp;years,\u0026nbsp;give\u0026nbsp;the\u0026nbsp;MFI\u0026nbsp;top\u0026nbsp;priority\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eCL4\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0.992\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003c/tbody\u003e\u003c/colgroup\u003e\u003ctfoot\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd colspan=\"6\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eSource\u003c/b\u003e: Authors\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003c/tfoot\u003e\u003c/table\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"gridtable\"\u003e\u003ctable float=\"Yes\" id=\"Tab3\" border=\"1\"\u003e\u003ccaption language=\"En\"\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"CaptionNumber\"\u003eTable 3\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"CaptionContent\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eHeterotrait-Monotrait Ratio\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/caption\u003e\u003ccolgroup cols=\"7\"\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c1\" colnum=\"1\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"char\" char=\".\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c2\" colnum=\"2\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"char\" char=\".\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c3\" colnum=\"3\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"char\" char=\".\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c4\" colnum=\"4\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"char\" char=\".\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c5\" colnum=\"5\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"char\" char=\".\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c6\" colnum=\"6\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c7\" colnum=\"7\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cthead\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eConstruct\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/th\u003e\u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eBSD\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/th\u003e\u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eBS\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/th\u003e\u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eRQ\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/th\u003e\u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eCL\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/th\u003e\u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eRQ*BSD\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/th\u003e\u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eRQ*BS\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/th\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003c/thead\u003e\u003ctbody\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eBusiness skill development (BSD)\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eBusiness support (BS)\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0.058\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eRelationship quality (RQ)\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0.095\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0.773\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eCustomer loyalty (CL)\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0.072\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0.206\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0.094\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eRQ*BSD\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0.042\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0.037\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0.043\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0.070\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eRQ*BS\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0.024\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0.256\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0.048\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0.041\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0.137\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003c/tbody\u003e\u003c/colgroup\u003e\u003ctfoot\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd colspan=\"7\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eSource\u003c/b\u003e: Authors\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003c/tfoot\u003e\u003c/table\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"gridtable\"\u003e\u003ctable float=\"Yes\" id=\"Tab4\" border=\"1\"\u003e\u003ccaption language=\"En\"\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"CaptionNumber\"\u003eTable 4\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"CaptionContent\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eFornell-Larcker test\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/caption\u003e\u003ccolgroup cols=\"7\"\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c1\" colnum=\"1\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"char\" char=\".\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c2\" colnum=\"2\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"char\" char=\".\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c3\" colnum=\"3\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"char\" char=\".\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c4\" colnum=\"4\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"char\" char=\".\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c5\" colnum=\"5\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"char\" char=\".\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c6\" colnum=\"6\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"char\" char=\".\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c7\" colnum=\"7\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cthead\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eConstruct\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/th\u003e\u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eMean\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/th\u003e\u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eSD\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/th\u003e\u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eBSD\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/th\u003e\u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eBS\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/th\u003e\u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eRQ\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/th\u003e\u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eCL\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/th\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003c/thead\u003e\u003ctbody\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eBusiness skill development (BSD)\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e3.313\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0.596\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e0.894\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eBusiness support (BS)\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e3.535\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0.542\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0.052\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e0.923\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eRelationship quality (RQ)\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e3.545\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0.561\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0.086\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0.681\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e0.850\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eCustomer loyalty (CL)\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e3.416\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0.034\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0.060\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0.172\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0.097\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e0.990\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003c/tbody\u003e\u003c/colgroup\u003e\u003ctfoot\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd colspan=\"7\"\u003eNotes: Diagonal elements are the square roots of AVE between the constructs and their measures.\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd colspan=\"7\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eSource\u003c/b\u003e: Authors\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003c/tfoot\u003e\u003c/table\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv id=\"Sec16\" class=\"Section2\"\u003e\u003ch2\u003e5.3 Descriptive analysis\u003c/h2\u003e\u003cp\u003eDescriptive results in Table\u0026nbsp;\u003cspan refid=\"Tab4\" class=\"InternalRef\"\u003e4\u003c/span\u003e show moderate mean scores for business skill development (3.313), business support (3.535), relationship quality (3.545), and customer loyalty (3.416) among microfinance clients in Tanzania. These findings suggest that while clients value non-financial services and generally perceive their relationships with MFIs positively, there is still room to enhance service relevance and impact.\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv id=\"Sec17\" class=\"Section2\"\u003e\u003ch2\u003e5.4 Structural model analysis\u003c/h2\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe structural model was assessed using key PLS-SEM metrics (Hair et al., \u003cspan citationid=\"CR15\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2024\u003c/span\u003e). The coefficient of determination (R\u0026sup2;) of 0.992 (Fig.\u0026nbsp;\u003cspan refid=\"Fig1\" class=\"InternalRef\"\u003e2\u003c/span\u003e), suggests an excellent model fit (Hair et al., \u003cspan citationid=\"CR15\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2024\u003c/span\u003e). The effect sizes (f\u0026sup2;) ranged from 0.009 to 2.798 (Table\u0026nbsp;\u003cspan refid=\"Tab6\" class=\"InternalRef\"\u003e6\u003c/span\u003e). The wide range implies that some predictors are dominant in influencing the dependent variables, while others contribute minimally (Cohen, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR9\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2016\u003c/span\u003e). The model\u0026rsquo;s predictive relevance (Q\u0026sup2; = 0.879) demonstrates very strong predictive power (Henseler et al., \u003cspan citationid=\"CR18\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2016\u003c/span\u003e). This supports the practical utility of the model, especially in contexts like behavioral prediction in microfinance or psychology.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe predictive accuracy of the model was assessed using Root Mean Square Error (RMSE) and Mean Absolute Error (MAE) (Hair et al., \u003cspan citationid=\"CR15\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2024\u003c/span\u003e). According to the results in Table\u0026nbsp;\u003cspan refid=\"Tab5\" class=\"InternalRef\"\u003e5\u003c/span\u003e, the RMSE was 0.350, implying relatively low error, supporting good model performance (Hair et al., \u003cspan citationid=\"CR15\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2024\u003c/span\u003e). Again, the MAE value of 0.264 confirms strong model performance (Hair et al., \u003cspan citationid=\"CR15\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2024\u003c/span\u003e). These values together reinforce the model\u0026rsquo;s practical usefulness. Multicollinearity was assessed using the Variance Inflation Factor (VIF). Table\u0026nbsp;\u003cspan refid=\"Tab6\" class=\"InternalRef\"\u003e6\u003c/span\u003e shows VIF values less than 5 for each explanatory variable, suggesting non-existence of multicollinearity (Hair et al., \u003cspan citationid=\"CR15\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2024\u003c/span\u003e). Collectively, these metrics confirm both the statistical rigor and practical relevance of the model in explaining loan repayment behavior.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"gridtable\"\u003e\u003ctable float=\"Yes\" id=\"Tab5\" border=\"1\"\u003e\u003ccaption language=\"En\"\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"CaptionNumber\"\u003eTable 5\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"CaptionContent\"\u003e\u003cp\u003ePLSpredict LV summary\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/caption\u003e\u003ccolgroup cols=\"4\"\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c1\" colnum=\"1\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c2\" colnum=\"2\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c3\" colnum=\"3\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c4\" colnum=\"4\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cthead\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eConstruct\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/th\u003e\u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eQ\u003csup\u003e2\u003c/sup\u003epredict\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/th\u003e\u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eRMSE\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/th\u003e\u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eMAE\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/th\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003c/thead\u003e\u003ctbody\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eCustomer loyalty\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0.879\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0.350\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0.264\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003c/tbody\u003e\u003c/colgroup\u003e\u003ctfoot\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd colspan=\"4\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eSource\u003c/b\u003e: Authors\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003c/tfoot\u003e\u003c/table\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv id=\"Sec18\" class=\"Section2\"\u003e\u003ch2\u003e5.5 Checking for common method bias\u003c/h2\u003e\u003cp\u003eTo examine common method bias (CMB), Harman\u0026rsquo;s single-factor check was conducted (Podsakoff et al., \u003cspan citationid=\"CR25\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2003\u003c/span\u003e). The primary factor explained only 29.2% of the total variance, well below 50%. This indicates that CMB is not a worry in this research.\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv id=\"Sec19\" class=\"Section2\"\u003e\u003ch2\u003e5.6 Testing the research hypotheses\u003c/h2\u003e\u003cp\u003eFigure \u003cspan refid=\"Fig1\" class=\"InternalRef\"\u003e2\u003c/span\u003e and Table\u0026nbsp;\u003cspan refid=\"Tab6\" class=\"InternalRef\"\u003e6\u003c/span\u003e present the results of the direct and moderation hypotheses testing conducted with path analysis using PLS-SEM. Path analysis seeks to quantify the relationships between sets of variables in order to determine their causation (Henseler et al., \u003cspan citationid=\"CR18\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2016\u003c/span\u003e). The H1 was not confirmed by the statistically insignificant effect of BSD on CL (β\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;0.060, p\u0026thinsp;\u0026gt;\u0026thinsp;0.05). However, H2 was confirmed by the statistically significant effect of BS on CL (β\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;0.275, p\u0026thinsp;\u0026lt;\u0026thinsp;0.05), indicating that a unit increase in BS was associated a substantial increase of 27.5% in CL. Similarly, H3 was confirmed by the statistically significant effect of RQ on CL (β\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;0.734, p\u0026thinsp;\u0026lt;\u0026thinsp;0.05), indicating that a unit increase in RQ was associated with a substantial increase of 73.4% in CL. Additionally, the interaction term BSD*RQ was statistically insignificant (β = -0.142, p\u0026thinsp;\u0026gt;\u0026thinsp;0.05), suggesting that RQ insignificantly moderated the relationship between BSD and CL. The corresponding simple slope plot (Fig.\u0026nbsp;\u003cspan refid=\"Fig2\" class=\"InternalRef\"\u003e3\u003c/span\u003e) showed nearly parallel lines across different RQ levels, further supporting the absence of moderation. As a consequence, H4 is not confirmed. Moreover, the interaction term BS*RQ was statistically insignificant (β = -0.121, p\u0026thinsp;\u0026gt;\u0026thinsp;0.05). This suggests that RQ insignificantly moderated the relationship between BS and CL. The corresponding simple slope plot (Fig.\u0026nbsp;\u003cspan refid=\"Fig3\" class=\"InternalRef\"\u003e4\u003c/span\u003e) showed nearly parallel lines across different RQ levels, further supporting the absence of moderation. Hence, H5 is not confirmed. These findings collectively indicate that RQ does not significantly moderate the relationships between BS, BSD, and CL.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"gridtable\"\u003e\u003ctable float=\"Yes\" id=\"Tab6\" border=\"1\"\u003e\u003ccaption language=\"En\"\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"CaptionNumber\"\u003eTable 6\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"CaptionContent\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eStructural model assessment\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/caption\u003e\u003ccolgroup cols=\"10\"\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c1\" colnum=\"1\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"char\" char=\".\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c2\" colnum=\"2\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"char\" char=\".\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c3\" colnum=\"3\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"char\" char=\".\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c4\" colnum=\"4\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"char\" char=\".\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c5\" colnum=\"5\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"char\" char=\".\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c6\" colnum=\"6\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"char\" char=\".\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c7\" colnum=\"7\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"char\" char=\".\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c8\" colnum=\"8\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"char\" char=\".\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c9\" colnum=\"9\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"char\" char=\".\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c10\" colnum=\"10\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cthead\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003ePath\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/th\u003e\u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eOriginal sample (O)\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/th\u003e\u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eSample mean (M)\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/th\u003e\u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eSD\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/th\u003e\u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u003cp\u003et-value\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/th\u003e\u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e\u003cp\u003ep-value\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/th\u003e\u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e\u003cp\u003ef\u003csup\u003e2\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/th\u003e\u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c8\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eVIF\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/th\u003e\u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c9\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eLLCI\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/th\u003e\u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c10\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eULCI\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/th\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003c/thead\u003e\u003ctbody\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eH1. BSD\u0026rarr; CL\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0.060\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0.063\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0.053\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e1.127\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0.260\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0.009\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c8\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e1.009\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c9\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e-0.033\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c10\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0.173\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eH2. BS \u0026rarr; CL\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0.275\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0.268\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0.059\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e4.680\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0.000\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0.195\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c8\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e1.976\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c9\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0.153\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c10\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0.377\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eH3. RQ\u0026rarr; CL\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0.734\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0.739\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0.030\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e24.246\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0.000\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e2.798\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c8\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e1.765\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c9\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0.672\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c10\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0.790\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eH3. BSD*RQ \u0026rarr; CL\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e-0.142\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e-0.151\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0.076\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e1.866\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0.062\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0.036\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c8\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e1.022\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c9\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e-0.308\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c10\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e-0.017\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eH4. BS*RQ \u0026rarr; CL\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e-0.121\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e-0.112\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0.084\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e1.452\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0.147\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0.027\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c8\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e1.080\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c9\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e-0.263\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c10\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0.057\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003c/tbody\u003e\u003c/colgroup\u003e\u003ctfoot\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd colspan=\"10\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eSource\u003c/b\u003e: Authors\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003c/tfoot\u003e\u003c/table\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/div\u003e"},{"header":"6. Discussion","content":"\u003cp\u003eThe purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of non-financial services, namely business skill development and business support, on CL in microfinance. Additionally, the study examined how MFI-microenterprise relationship quality moderates the relationship between business skill development, business support, and customer loyalty in microfinance. The influence of business skill development on CL was statistically insignificant (Table\u0026nbsp;\u003cspan refid=\"Tab6\" class=\"InternalRef\"\u003e6\u003c/span\u003e). This suggests that simply providing business skill development training is not sufficient to enhance loyalty among microfinance clients in Tanzania. A possible explanation is that while training can improve knowledge, it may not translate into immediate perceived benefits or satisfaction that foster loyalty. In other words, business skill development may be perceived as abstract or future-oriented, reducing its ability to generate immediate loyalty responses. The result differs from earlier studies ( Carter et al., \u003cspan citationid=\"CR5\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2003\u003c/span\u003e; Isidore, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR19\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2011\u003c/span\u003e; Thaher et al., \u003cspan citationid=\"CR36\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2021\u003c/span\u003e) that show a direct correlation between business skill training and business performance.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe effect of business support on customer loyalty was statistically significant (Table\u0026nbsp;\u003cspan refid=\"Tab6\" class=\"InternalRef\"\u003e6\u003c/span\u003e). These results suggest that tangible, hands-on support matters more than skill training in driving loyalty within Tanzanian microfinance. A possible explanation is that Tanzanian microfinance clients value immediate, practical assistance over theoretical or classroom-style training that takes time to apply. This resonates with social exchange theory (Blau, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR4\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e1964\u003c/span\u003e), which predicts that clients reciprocate more strongly when rewards are clear, salient, and practically beneficial. The finding also aligns with prior research (Carter et al., \u003cspan citationid=\"CR5\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2003\u003c/span\u003e; Thaher et al., \u003cspan citationid=\"CR36\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2021\u003c/span\u003e) that demonstrated a direct and noteworthy influence of business support services on business success. Specifically, these studies show that business support services like management and financial advisory, business planning, marketing guidance, and market linkages enable microenterprises to formalize operations, access information, and connect with larger businesses. These services help entrepreneurs overcome experience-related barriers, achieve sustainable growth, and build profitable ventures, ultimately driving customer loyalty. Therefore, MFIs should integrate such business support services into their loyalty strategies.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eRelationship quality positively and significantly predicted CL in microfinance\u0026rsquo;s B2B context (see Table\u0026nbsp;\u003cspan refid=\"Tab6\" class=\"InternalRef\"\u003e6\u003c/span\u003e). This aligns with SET (Blau, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR4\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e1964\u003c/span\u003e), which suggests that individuals assess relationships based on costs and benefits and are likely to continue relationships that they perceive as equitable and rewarding. The result also aligns with prior studies highlighting a strong impact of interpersonal (B2C) relationships on loyalty in a Tanzanian microfinance setting (Tegambwage, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR35\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2025\u003c/span\u003e; Tegambwage \u0026amp; Kasoga, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR22\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2024\u003c/span\u003e). The significant influence of RQ on CL highlights need to invest in staff training focused on client engagement, trust, respect, and reciprocity, alongside core service delivery. However, the result is inconsistent with Tegambwage and Kasoga (\u003cspan citationid=\"CR35\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2025\u003c/span\u003e) who found statistically insignificant effects of reciprocity and trust on CL in B2C context of the Tanzanian microfinance sector. These findings indicate that relationship quality may influence loyalty differently in B2C versus B2B contexts within microfinance, possibly because contextual or economic challenges such as widespread low income and low financial literacy diminish the importance of B2C relationships in developing economies like Tanzania (Tegambwage \u0026amp; Kasoga, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR21\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2022\u003c/span\u003eb).\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eAdditionally, relationship quality did not significantly moderate the impact of business skill development and business support on loyalty (Table\u0026nbsp;\u003cspan refid=\"Tab6\" class=\"InternalRef\"\u003e6\u003c/span\u003e, Figs.\u0026nbsp;\u003cspan refid=\"Fig2\" class=\"InternalRef\"\u003e3\u003c/span\u003e \u0026amp; \u003cspan refid=\"Fig3\" class=\"InternalRef\"\u003e4\u003c/span\u003e), meaning their effects were consistent regardless of the strength of the MFI\u0026ndash;microenterprise relationships. This suggests that clients view business skill development and business support services as transactional services rather than relational ones. In this context, the influence relationship quality may not interact meaningfully with such services. Further, in Tanzanian MFIs, non-financial services are fragmented or underdeveloped (Kasoga and Tegambwage, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR20\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2021\u003c/span\u003e), which could limit the potential of relationship quality to moderate their effects. Thus, MFIs should ensure that non-financial services such as business skill development and support are well-integrated into broader relationship management, with improved consistency and follow-up to help clients perceive these services as part of a valuable, ongoing relationship.\u003c/p\u003e"},{"header":"7. Conclusion","content":"\u003cp\u003eThis research investigated the relationship between NFS namely business skill development and business support and CL in microfinance, with a particular focus on the moderation effect of RQ. In support of the study\u0026rsquo;s conceptualization based on SET, the results indicate that business support has a positive and significant direct effect on CL. However, business skill development has an insignificant effect on CL. This suggests that in low-income, low-financial literacy, and stressful business environments, practical and immediate benefits like business support services foster stronger reciprocal behavior in terms of loyalty than business skill development training which may be seen as abstract, slower in payoff, or poorly adapted. In other words, contextual factors, particularly the distinction between tangible support and abstract training may affect how non-financial services translate into loyalty. Moreover, the results show that relationship quality independently predicts CL but does not strengthen the influence of NFS on CL. This suggests that these two pathways may function independently in clients\u0026rsquo; minds. MFIs should thus enhance both the quality of relationships and the delivery of non-financial services, but not assume they automatically reinforce each other.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe findings suggest that while social exchange theory is useful for framing MFI\u0026ndash;microenterprise interactions, it may have limited applicability in contexts where clients prioritize transactional benefits over relational ones. In resource-constrained environments, such as subsistence-level microenterprises in developing countries, tangible and immediate support, particularly business support services matter more to clients than relationship quality. This calls for a contextualized adaptation of social exchange theory that accounts for economic vulnerability and survival-driven decision-making. Additionally, the study highlights the need to differentiate non-financial services in theoretical models, as not all forms exert equal influence on customer loyalty. Business support services have a stronger impact than skill development initiatives. Finally, the lack of a significant moderating effect of relationship quality challenges its assumed universality in B2B contexts, suggesting it should be treated as context-dependent rather than a generalizable moderator.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe findings suggest that MFIs should reallocate non-financial service resources to prioritize direct, hands-on business support such as mentorship, consultancy, and market linkages, which have a more immediate and meaningful impact on client loyalty, which in turn contributes to enhanced poverty reduction and the long-term sustainability of MFIs. In contrast, general skill development training may offer limited practical value unless tailored to the specific needs of microenterprise clients. Additionally, the strong effect RQ on CL underscores the importance of training staff in client engagement, trust, respect, and reciprocity, in addition to delivering core services. Business skill development and support services should be fully embedded within relationship management practices, with greater emphasis on consistency and follow-up to ensure l clients view these offerings as integral to a meaningful, long-term partnership.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003ePolicymakers should implement incentive mechanisms such as subsidies or performance-based grants to promote the provision of practical business support services by MFIs. Policy frameworks should formally recognize and integrate these services as essential components of financial inclusion. Additionally, regulations should avoid one-size-fits-all instructions for business training. Instead, they should encourage flexible, evidence-based approaches that align with clients\u0026rsquo; specific needs and make efficient use of available resources.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThis study has several limitations. First, its context-specific nature limits the generalizability of the findings beyond Tanzania or similar developing economies. Second, the cross-sectional design restricts the ability to draw causal inferences between variables. Third, only a limited set of moderating variables was examined, leaving out potentially influential factors such as perceived value and cultural norms. To address these limitations and extend current knowledge, future research should explore additional moderators in the relationship between non-financial services and customer loyalty, including cultural norms and perceived value. Longitudinal studies are also recommended to assess how client loyalty and business outcomes evolve over time in response to different forms of non-financial services. Qualitative follow-up studies could provide deeper insights into l client perceptions and preferences, particularly regarding why certain business support services are more impactful. Comparative studies across countries and regions would further help evaluate the generalizability of these findings.\u003c/p\u003e"},{"header":"Abbreviations","content":"\u003cp\u003eB2B Business to business\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eB2C Business to customer\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBS Business support\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBSD Business skills development\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eRQ Relationship quality\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eCL Customer loyalty\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMFIs Microfinance institutions\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003ePLS-SEM Partial least squares-structural equation modeling\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSET Social exchange theory\u003c/p\u003e"},{"header":"Declarations","content":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eEthical Approval\u003c/strong\u003e\u003cp\u003e This study was reviewed and approved by the Institutional Research Review Ethical Committee of the University of Dodoma, Tanzania. The study complied with all established ethical research standards. The committee approval number (for animal and human studies) is not applicable.\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eConsent to Participate\u003c/strong\u003e\u003cp\u003eAll participants were provided with detailed information regarding the study\u0026rsquo;s objectives, procedures, and the intended use of the data. Written informed consent was obtained from every participant prior to data collection. Participation was voluntary, and participants were free to withdraw at any stage without consequences.\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eConsent to Publish\u003c/strong\u003e\u003cp\u003eParticipants were assured that all data would remain confidential and anonymous. As such, consent to publish anonymized data and findings derived from the study was obtained. No identifiable information is included in this manuscript.\u003c/p\u003e\u003ch2\u003eCompeting interests\u003c/h2\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe authors declare no competing interests.\u003c/p\u003e\u003ch2\u003eAuthorship statement\u003c/h2\u003e\u003cp\u003e The corresponding author affirms that all listed authors have reviewed the manuscript, approved its final version, and agreed to be accountable for their respective contributions. Furthermore, the authors confirm that the submission complies with the journal\u0026rsquo;s policies on authorship and author responsibilities.\u003c/p\u003e\u003ch2\u003eFunding\u003c/h2\u003e\u003cp\u003eNo funding was received for this research.\u003c/p\u003e\u003ch2\u003eAuthor Contribution\u003c/h2\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;AGT conceptualized the introduction, reviewed the literature, and wrote the conclusion. PSK collected the data, analyzed the data, discussed the findings, and proofread the paper. All authors read and approved the final manuscript.\u003c/p\u003e\u003ch2\u003eAcknowledgement\u003c/h2\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe authors sincerely thank the Editor of this Journal for initiating the desk review and coordinating a rigorous blind peer review process. The authors also extend gratitude to the anonymous reviewers for their valuable and constructive feedback, which contributed to the revision, enhancement, and refinement of the paper. Additionally, the authors appreciate the support of colleagues and assistant researchers who played a crucial role in completing this work.\u003c/p\u003e\u003ch2\u003eData Availability\u003c/h2\u003e\u003cp\u003eAvailability of data and materials: Available upon request.\u003c/p\u003e"},{"header":"References","content":"\u003col\u003e\u003cli\u003e\u003cspan\u003eAbebe A, Kegne M. The role of microfinance institutions on women\u0026rsquo;s entrepreneurship development. J Innov Entrepreneurship. 2023a;12(1):17.\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003cli\u003e\u003cspan\u003eAbebe A, Kegne M. The role of microfinance on women\u0026rsquo;s entrepreneurship development in Western Ethiopia evidence from a structural equation modeling: Non-financial service is the way forward. Cogent Bus Manage. 2023b;10(3):2256079.\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003cli\u003e\u003cspan\u003eBerenguer-Contri G, Gil-Saura I, Ruiz-Molina M-E, Gil R, Juma-Michilena I. How to generate economic satisfaction in b2b contexts? The role of value co-creation and relationship quality. J Industrial Bus Econ. 2024;51(1):189\u0026ndash;209.\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003cli\u003e\u003cspan\u003eBlau PM. (1964). Justice in social exchange. Sociol Inq, 34(2).\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003cli\u003e\u003cspan\u003eCarter N, Brush C, Greene P, Gatewood E, Hart M. Women entrepreneurs who break through to equity financing: the influence of human, social and financial capital. Venture Capital: Int J Entrepreneurial Finance. 2003;5(1):1\u0026ndash;28.\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003cli\u003e\u003cspan\u003eCarter NM, Gartner WB, Shaver KG, Gatewood EJ. The career reasons of nascent entrepreneurs. J Bus Ventur. 2003;18(1):13\u0026ndash;39.\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003cli\u003e\u003cspan\u003eCheung GW, Cooper-Thomas HD, Lau RS, Wang LC. Reporting reliability, convergent and discriminant validity with structural equation modeling: A review and best-practice recommendations. Asia Pac J Manage. 2024;41(2):745\u0026ndash;83.\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003cli\u003e\u003cspan\u003eChurchill C, Halpern S. (2001). C\u0026oacute;mo desarrollar la lealtad del cliente. USAID\u0026rsquo;s Microenterprise Best Practices, 5\u0026ndash;57.\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003cli\u003e\u003cspan\u003eCohen J. (2016). A power primer.\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003cli\u003e\u003cspan\u003eDabic M, Daim T, Bayraktaroglu E, Novak I, Basic M. 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Service quality and customer loyalty perspectives on two levels of retail relationships. J Serv Mark. 2003;17(5):495\u0026ndash;513.\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ol\u003e"}],"fulltextSource":"","fullText":"","funders":[],"hasAdminPriorityOnWorkflow":false,"hasManuscriptDocX":true,"hasOptedInToPreprint":true,"hasPassedJournalQc":"","hasAnyPriority":false,"hideJournal":true,"highlight":"","institution":"","isAcceptedByJournal":false,"isAuthorSuppliedPdf":false,"isDeskRejected":"","isHiddenFromSearch":false,"isInQc":false,"isInWorkflow":false,"isPdf":false,"isPdfUpToDate":true,"isWithdrawnOrRetracted":false,"journal":{"display":true,"email":"[email protected]","identity":"researchsquare","isNatureJournal":false,"hasQc":true,"allowDirectSubmit":true,"externalIdentity":"","sideBox":"","snPcode":"","submissionUrl":"/submission","title":"Research Square","twitterHandle":"researchsquare","acdcEnabled":true,"dfaEnabled":false,"editorialSystem":"","reportingPortfolio":"","inReviewEnabled":false,"inReviewRevisionsEnabled":true},"keywords":"Customer loyalty, microenterprises, microfinance, non-financial services, relationship quality","lastPublishedDoi":"10.21203/rs.3.rs-7471850/v1","lastPublishedDoiUrl":"https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-7471850/v1","license":{"name":"CC BY 4.0","url":"https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/"},"manuscriptAbstract":"\u003cp\u003eThis research investigates the role of non-financial services in enhancing customer loyalty within microfinance institutions (MFIs) in Tanzania, focusing on business skill development and business support, and the moderating effect of relationship quality. Guided by social exchange theory, a cross-sectional survey of 387 entrepreneurial clients was analyzed using PLS-SEM. Findings reveal that business support services significantly improve customer loyalty, while business skill development trainings do not. Relationship quality positively influences loyalty but does not moderate the link between non-financial services and client loyalty. This highlights that MFIs should prioritize practical business support such as mentorship and market linkages over training programs, as these yield stronger loyalty outcomes. Policymakers are advised to provide incentives, including subsidies or performance-based grants, to enable MFIs to strengthen non-financial service delivery. The study emphasizes the strategic importance of customer loyalty for the sustainability and poverty reduction role of MFIs in competitive markets.\u003c/p\u003e","manuscriptTitle":"Promoting sustainability in microfinance through the moderating role of relationship quality between non-financial services and client loyalty","msid":"","msnumber":"","nonDraftVersions":[{"code":1,"date":"2025-09-23 14:18:18","doi":"10.21203/rs.3.rs-7471850/v1","editorialEvents":[{"type":"communityComments","content":0}],"status":"published","journal":{"display":true,"email":"[email protected]","identity":"researchsquare","isNatureJournal":false,"hasQc":true,"allowDirectSubmit":true,"externalIdentity":"","sideBox":"","snPcode":"","submissionUrl":"/submission","title":"Research Square","twitterHandle":"researchsquare","acdcEnabled":true,"dfaEnabled":false,"editorialSystem":"","reportingPortfolio":"","inReviewEnabled":false,"inReviewRevisionsEnabled":true}}],"origin":"","ownerIdentity":"d1335327-435d-4a95-85b2-36c058e4d69f","owner":[],"postedDate":"September 23rd, 2025","published":true,"recentEditorialEvents":[],"rejectedJournal":[],"revision":"","amendment":"","status":"posted","subjectAreas":[],"tags":[],"updatedAt":"2025-11-26T12:08:15+00:00","versionOfRecord":[],"versionCreatedAt":"2025-09-23 14:18:18","video":"","vorDoi":"","vorDoiUrl":"","workflowStages":[]},"version":"v1","identity":"rs-7471850","journalConfig":"researchsquare"},"__N_SSP":true},"page":"/article/[identity]/[[...version]]","query":{"redirect":"/article/rs-7471850","identity":"rs-7471850","version":["v1"]},"buildId":"8U1c8b4HqxoKbykW_rLl7","isFallback":false,"isExperimentalCompile":false,"dynamicIds":[84888],"gssp":true,"scriptLoader":[]}