Abstract:

This conference paper presents a systematic framework for developing and validating four complementary instruments to assess entrepreneurial competencies among professional workers. Grounded in the EntreComp framework [1] and supported by Amabile's componential theory of creativity and Frese and Fay's personal initiative model, the study targets five core competencies: opportunity identification, creative problem-solving, idea maximization, resource mobilization, and initiative, in the context of a digital marketing agency. The instrument suite comprises a semi-structured interview guide for organizational leaders, a focus group guide with an observational checklist for team members, a 25-item Likert-scale self-report questionnaire, and a behavioral indicator matrix enabling cross-method triangulation.

Instrument development followed a three-phase epistemological construction process: literature synthesis, categorical matrix construction, and item design guided by established psychometric criteria. Validation involved three sequential expert review phases (thematic, methodological, and institutional) followed by pilot testing with a purposive sample. The quantitative questionnaire achieved a Cronbach's alpha of 0.968, demonstrating excellent internal consistency, with item-total correlations ranging from 0.48 to 0.91 (23 of 25 items exceeding 0.50) and subscale alphas ranging from 0.729 to 0.920.

Qualitative instruments were evaluated for auditability through systematic expert review, parallel item construction, and pilot testing with structured debriefing. Findings confirm the feasibility of rigorous mixed-method assessment instrument development beyond academic settings. The validated toolkit offers researchers an adaptable model for context-specific competency measurement and provides practitioners with evidence-based tools for workforce assessment and development.
The study advances entrepreneurship education research by bridging theoretical frameworks and applied measurement in organizational contexts.

Keywords:

Entrepreneurial competencies, instrument validation, mixed-method assessment, EntreComp framework, professional development.