Measuring Readiness of Women Entrepreneurship in Emerging Economies: Scale Validation and Contextualization

Shazia Manzoor; Danish Mehraj; AmiraWali

Shazia Manzoor Shazia Manzoor : Sr. Asst. Professor, Head Department of Social Work, University of Kashmir, Srinagar
Danish Mehraj Danish Mehraj : Ph.D. Research Scholar, Dept. of Management Studies, University of Kashmir, Srinagar
AmiraWali AmiraWali : Ph.D. Research Scholar, Dept. of Social Work, University of Kashmir, Srinagar

Keywords: Ajzen'sTheory of Planned Behaviour,Women Entrepreneurship, EFA, CFA, Entrepreneurship Readiness Scale

Abstract

Inexisting body of literature on entrepreneurship, suggests lack of a scientific measurementtool, which can
be used to study the readiness forwomen entrepreneurshipparticularlyin Indian context. The keyintention of
this research was to develop a specific measurement tool toassess the entrepreneur readiness especially
among women.This research paperis based on the variables linkedwith entrepreneurial readiness
activityextracted from theexisting literature of the subject.The questionnaire was developed using four
constructs identified as attitude, subjective norm, perceived behavioural control and entrepreneurial
readiness, in line withthe Theory of Planned Behaviour. The operationalization of factors was done with the
help of existing insightful and validatedscales. In order to validate the women entrepreneurship readiness
scale,a researcher controlled sampling methodwas employed to collect data from the
femalestudents(N=294) of the university of Kashmir. The research used Exploratory Factor Analysis
(EFA)technique for dimensionality of scale, was further subjected to construct validityusing Confirmatory
Factor Analysis (CFA).The Exploratory Factor Analysis(EFA), techniquefactorized the entrepreneurship
readiness instrumentto 04 factor structures. The Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA) results also showed
adequate construct validity (CR, CV and DV) for the entrepreneurship readiness construct. In conclusion,
this research work usedscientific approach to developa valid instrument for the measuring entrepreneur
readiness and put forward significant implications for the future research course of action.