Social entrepreneurial opportunity recognition among higher education students: scale development and validation
- Title
- Social entrepreneurial opportunity recognition among higher education students: scale development and validation
- Creator
- Viswanath P.; Annapally S.R.; Kumar A.
- Description
- Purpose: This study aims to develop and validate a multidimensional scale to measure the motivating factors that lead to opportunity recognition in social entrepreneurship among higher education institute (HEI) students. Design/methodology/approach: The scale was developed through two phases; in phase 1, semi-structured interviews with social entrepreneurs and aspiring students were conducted to explore themes for item generation. Phase 2 included developing and validating the scale using exploratory (EFA) and confirmatory factor analysis (CFA). The sample included HEI students (n = 300 for EFA, n = 300 for CFA) with either academic background or volunteering experiences in social entrepreneurship. Findings: A 24-item scale is developed in the study, with six factors measuring the motivating factors influencing opportunity recognition in social entrepreneurship: life experiences, social awareness, social inclination, community development, institutional voids and natural option for a meaningful career. Research limitations/implications: The scale facilitates the development of theories and models in social entrepreneurship. The scale also enables policymakers and social entrepreneurship educators to understand the motivating factors that lead to opportunity recognition among students. It would help them to provide target-specific support to students. Originality/value: To the best of the authors knowledge, this study is the first attempt to develop a scale that measures opportunity recognition in social entrepreneurship based on specific motivating factors. The study used the model by Yitshaki and Kropp (2016) as the conceptual framework. This study is the first attempt to triangulate the models findings using a quantitative methodology and through the development of a measurement scale. Besides, the scale adds value to social entrepreneurship research, which lacks empirical research on HEI students. 2024, Emerald Publishing Limited.
- Source
- Social Enterprise Journal, Vol-20, No. 3, pp. 339-363.
- Date
- 2024-01-01
- Publisher
- Emerald Publishing
- Subject
- Factor analysis; Higher education students; Motivation; Opportunity recognition; Scale development; Social entrepreneurship
- Coverage
- Viswanath P., Department of Psychology, Christ (Deemed to be University), Bengaluru, India; Annapally S.R., Department of Psychology, Christ (Deemed to be University), Bengaluru, India; Kumar A., Department of Psychology, Christ (Deemed to be University), Bengaluru, India
- Rights
- Restricted Access
- Relation
- ISSN: 17508614
- Format
- Online
- Language
- English
- Type
- Article
Collection
Citation
Viswanath P.; Annapally S.R.; Kumar A., “Social entrepreneurial opportunity recognition among higher education students: scale development and validation,” CHRIST (Deemed To Be University) Institutional Repository, accessed February 25, 2025, https://archives.christuniversity.in/items/show/13132.