Abraham, Elizabeth2020-05-042020-05-042020-01https://hdl.handle.net/11299/213075University of Minnesota Ph.D. dissertation.January 2020. Major: Work and Human Resource Education. Advisor: Brad Greiman. 1 computer file (PDF); 215 pages.This sequential design mixed methods study was conducted to understand the factors contributing to the development of ESE among tribal farmers having entrepreneurial intentions in Nagaland, India. This study involved 106 participants in the quantitative phase and 15 participants in the qualitative phase. The majority of the participants in the quantitative phase were 26-45-year-olds, female, and educated until the high school level. The ESE of the tribal farmers suggested high confidence and a statistically significant association of ESE with prior experience, monthly income, and the tribe was noted. The findings of this study resulted in the development of an ESE model for entrepreneurial farmers that describes nine factors that helped the tribal farmers of Nagaland develop high ESE. These factors are prior experiences, training, education, modeling experiences, verbal persuasion, awards and recognitions, constructive feedback and criticisms, personality characteristics, and social interactions and support systems. Prior experience was the most predominant factor, followed by social interactions and support systems. A six-dimensional ESE instrument with 27 items was also developed through this study. The multidimensionality of the ESE instrument was confirmed through CFA, and a high hierarchical omega (.99) and alpha (.96) were obtained indicating good reliability. This study also offers several practical recommendations for future research and practice.enThesis or Dissertation