Skills assessment and development scale for rural women entrepreneurs: conceptualization and validation

Purpose Women entrepreneurship is a key driver of economic development and social empowerment, specifically in rural areas; yet sociocultural, economic and psychological factors greatly influence the entrepreneurial journey. This paper seeks to provide a comprehensive scale to measure entrepreneurial skills among rural women entrepreneurs. Design/methodology/approach Expert consultations, panel discussions and a literature review were employed to refine a scale measuring entrepreneurial skills among rural women entrepreneurs, encompassing six key dimensions: Awareness, Entrepreneurial Ability, Motivational, Psychological, Cultural and Social, and Legal and Government factors. Exploratory factor analysis (EFA) and confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) were conducted to validate the model, based on which 32 reliable and valid items were selected. Findings The findings offer insights into the factors influencing rural women entrepreneurs and guides government agencies, non-profits and microfinance institutions in identifying training needs, tracking progress and measuring the impact of entrepreneurship programs. Research limitations/implications The scale can assist government agencies in identifying training programs. By including variables, such as psychological resilience and legal awareness, it highlights key factors in analyzing women’s entrepreneurial behavior amid limited institutional support and cultural barriers. Originality/value The study makes a novel contribution by developing a scale to measure entrepreneurial skills among rural women entrepreneurs based on the push–pull theory of motivation and the personality trait framework.