Diagnosing entrepreneurial readiness among women in family businesses: The WFBER scale and its institutional implications

Purpose: This study extends Srivastava’s earlier conceptual work on women’s entrepreneurial competencies in family business contexts by developing and validating the Women in Family Business Entrepreneurial Readiness (WFBER) scale. The study aims to diagnose skill and mindset gaps among women students and support higher education institutions in redesigning entrepreneurship programs for improved leadership outcomes. Design/methodology/approach: Following a multi-stage mixed-method design, 94 initial items were generated through literature synthesis and expert validation, refined to 67 through pilot testing, and finalized into a 51-item, seven-dimensional model after exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses. Findings: The seven dimensions—Family-driven factors, Society-driven factors, Individual-driven factors, Institutional-driven factors, Technology-driven factors, Education & learning orientation, and Entrepreneurial readiness & mindset—capture holistic readiness factors influencing women’s participation and leadership in family enterprises. Grouped interventions were developed under six actionable categories: Mentoring & networking, Skill-building/Workshops, Experiential learning/Practical exposure, Digital & technology enablement, Policy/Awareness/Ecosystem support, and Family/Community engagement. Practical implications: The WFBER scale offers a diagnostic and intervention-oriented framework for institutions to assess, analyze, and address readiness gaps, aligning program design with women’s entrepreneurial learning needs. Originality/value: This study bridges a significant gap by transforming conceptual insights into an empirically grounded, action-oriented tool that empowers both institutions and women learners toward equitable leadership in family business ecosystems.