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The development and commercialization of extra‐early quality protein maize (QPM)–provitamin A (PVA) hybrids that are tolerant of low soil N (LN) and Striga resistant are essential for addressing the food insecurity and undernourishment challenges currently faced by sub‐Saharan Africa (SSA). This study was designed (a) to determine the genetic effects regulating grain yield (GY) and important secondary traits of extra‐early yellow and orange QPM–PVA inbred lines under LN, Striga‐infested, and high‐N (HN) conditions, (b) to investigate whether maternal genes influenced the inheritance of GY and other secondary traits, (c) to assess the GY and stability of the hybrids across the three management conditions, and (d) to examine the relationship between single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) marker‐based genetic distances and GY. Twenty‐four inbred lines were used to produce ninety‐six single cross hybrids using the North Carolina Design II. The performance of the hybrids plus four checks was assessed across LN, Striga‐infested, and HN management conditions in Ghana and Nigeria in 2018. Additive genetic variances were preponderant over nonadditive genetic variances for GY and most secondary traits in each and across environments. TZEEQI 358 exhibited significant and positive male and female GCA effects for GY under LN, Striga infestation, HN, and across management conditions indicating that favorable alleles for GY could be donated by TZEEQI 358. Maternal effects regulated the inheritance of plant height under the Striga‐infested conditions. Genetic distances were associated with GY under LN, Striga infestation, and HN conditions. TZEEIORQ 58 × TZEEQI 397 demonstrated high GY and stability of performance; therefore, it should be further tested under multiple environments for commercialization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Drawing on network theory, this study examines how the entrepreneurship orientation (EO)-performance nexus is intermediated by networks firms establish with government agencies, suppliers, and resource acquisition. Structural equation modelling is used to test the model on a sample of 556 women tourism entrepreneurs in Ghana and Nigeria. Findings indicate that EO positively influences firms' social ties, resource acquisition, and performance. The results also indicate that establishing strong ties with government agencies leads to more resource acquisition among women owned tourism businesses than strong business ties with suppliers. Furthermore, business ties are more beneficial when they mediate the effect of EO on performance and become weak and negative when the effect is sequentially mediated by business ties and network resource acquisition. Political ties negatively influenced performance. This study provides novel insights into the EO, networks and performance nexus in resource-scarce contexts. The managerial implications for supporting women entrepreneurs are critically examined. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]