Entrepreneurial scaled behavioural indicators: Concept development and measure validation

Abstract

The paper validated an instrument for measuring institutional profile for entrepreneurial activity in three economies in the Sub-Saharan Africa—specifically: Ghana, South Africa and Nigeria. The application of Scott’s taxonomy and Busenitz survey instrument consisting of regulatory, cognitive and normative dimensions of the institutional environment was used for the study. Ajzen’s theory of planned behavior was also employed as a theoretical underpinning of the study. A cross-sectional assessment design with three samples—one from each country was employed. The findings were extracted using Structural Equation Modelling with Amos version 24 software. A total of 663 questionnaires were elicited from different Business Schools in Ghana, South Africa and Nigeria. It was observed that Busenitz and others taxonomy was appropriate in measuring entrepreneurial activity in Africa, characterised with significant differences in the three dimensions of the institutional profiles across the countries towards entrepreneurial campaign. Inferences for future research, managerial practice and policy initiatives were all discussed.

Keywords

• entrepreneurship
• measure validation
• institutional profile