Development and validation of the entrepreneur hardiness scale for immigrant entrepreneurs in the UAE: a comprehensive study

This study introduces the Entrepreneur Hardiness Scale (EHS), tailored to evaluate the hardiness of immigrant entrepreneurs in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). It derives from an analysis of three crucial traits – commitment, challenge, and control and their underlying eighteen categories of variables. The effectiveness of the EHS as an assessment tool for immigrant entrepreneurs in the UAE is emphasized. Structural Equation Modeling (SEM), along with Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA) and Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA), is employed in a multi-step approach to develop and validate the EHS. This process includes the analysis of three cross-sectional samples across five studies. The psychometric properties of the scale are thoroughly examined. The initial item pool of 35 items undergoes expert evaluation, resulting in the selection of 18 items through exploratory factor analysis and item analysis with 360 participants. Reliability and convergent validity are established using Cronbach’s alpha and correlation with the Dispositional Resilience Scale in a sample of 1273 participants. The three-factor model of the EHS proves beneficial for entrepreneurs, especially in the Middle East, aiding them in focusing their entrepreneurial executions on commitment, challenge, and control. While rooted in interpersonal traits, this model utilizes a data reduction technique (three-factor model/18-factor loading) for better comprehension. By examining the entrepreneurial traits of immigrlant entrepreneurs, the study sheds light on the UAE’s broader support for entrepreneurship. The study furnishes insights from the EHS for entrepreneurs of diverse backgrounds, facilitating their engagement in various business ventures and identifying strategic opportunities in foreign markets. It aims to inspire and motivate emerging entrepreneurs with immigrant backgrounds, particularly in the Middle East, contributing a valuable instrument for understanding and supporting the resilience of entrepreneurial populations in multicultural contexts. The EHS-18 exhibits robust psychometric properties, making it suitable for assessing hardiness among immigrant entrepreneurs in the UAE. CFA confirms the theoretical sensitivity of the three-dimensional structure of the scale, comprising commitment, control, and challenge dimensions.