Development of a tool to measure social entrepreneurial orientation

Abstract

Social entrepreneurial orientation (SEO) is an evolving concept. Though adequate literature has been accumulated about the concept, there is a lack of appropriate tool to measure individual SEO. The tools presently available mostly measure organizational SEO. The purpose of this study is to develop and validate a tool to measure the concept of individual SEO. Data for the study was collected using a questionnaire, from 342 randomly collected samples. Various time-tested methods and statistical techniques, including exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis, were used to scientifically construct and validate the scale. In tune with the purpose of this study, a 4-factor, 13-item SEO scale has been developed and scientifically validated through various acceptable and proven techniques. The developed tool is ideal to measure the orientation toward social entrepreneurship. A review of literature revealed that there is paucity of a scientific tool to measure individual SEO. The study has succeeded in bridging this gap by constructing and validating a scale to measure SEO. This tool, it is expected, will help social scientists, academicians and researchers in conducting empirical examinations about SEO.