Title: Ascertaining barriers and challenges of Indian floriculture exporting firms: scale development and validation using factor analysis approach

Authors: Diksha Sinha; Roopali Sharma

Addresses: Department of Management, Birla Institute of Technology, Mesra, Jaipur Campus, Jaipur, Rajasthan, 302017, India ' Department of Management, Birla Institute of Technology, Mesra, Jaipur Campus, Jaipur, Rajasthan, 302017, India

Abstract: The study explores and evaluates the contemporary barriers and challenges of Indian floriculture exporting firms by developing a valid measurement scale. Primary data is collected from 408 active exporters of floriculture products across the nation registered under Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA) through a structured questionnaire using a 5-point Likert scale. The scale is confirmed and validated using the two-stage methodology of exploratory factor analysis (EFA) and confirmatory factor analysis (CFA). The result of EFA revealed 16 measured variables extracted within three key factors indicating production, infrastructure, and marketing barriers. The factor structure is confirmed by applying CFA. The model fitness is confirmed by several model fit indices having convergent and discriminant validity. The study can assist the policymakers in framing the best suitable strategy specifically designed to combat the growth-resistant barriers and overcome the challenges that prevail in the floriculture industry.

Keywords: floriculture; exporting firms; barriers; challenges; scale development; exploratory factor analysis; confirmatory factor analysis.

DOI: 10.1504/IJBSR.2025.145482

International Journal of Business and Systems Research, 2025 Vol.19 No.2, pp.140 - 157

Received: 22 Oct 2024
Accepted: 19 Dec 2024
Published online: 01 Apr 2025 *

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