Development and validation of a unidimensional domain-specific entrepreneurial self-efficacy scale

Purpose Given the nature of entrepreneurship, a domain-specific self-efficacy scale should pertain to venture creation, be unidimensional, and be developed and validated using nascent entrepreneurs – persons for whom self-efficacy may be most important. Extant measures employed in entrepreneurship research do not meet all these criteria. The purpose of this paper is to develop and validate a unidimensional entrepreneurial self-efficacy (ESE) scale based on samples of nascent entrepreneurs. Design/methodology/approach Data from a sample of nascent entrepreneurs and items from PSED I were used to develop and assess the validity of a new ESE scale. To further establish scale validity, a comparison group from PSED I along with a sample of nascent entrepreneurs from PSED II were employed. Findings A unidimensional three-item self-efficacy scale for assessing a person’s belief that s/he can create a new business successfully is developed and validated using samples of nascent entrepreneurs and a control group. Research limitations/implications The scale offers opportunity to enhance research-based assessment using a parsimonious, reliable, and valid unidimensional measure of ESE. The scale may enhance future research findings, as well as promoting reconsideration of past research findings, on many issues in the entrepreneurship literature. Originality/value This research uses a sample of nascent entrepreneurs to provide a new three-item scale for assessment of ESE that is parsimonious, valid, and unidimensional.