Abstract

MAGANA MEDINA, Deneb Elí  and  AGUILAR MORALES, Norma. Student Perspectives for the Recovery of Economic Activity after the COVID-19 Pandemic. Validation of an instrument. Nova scientia [online]. 2022, vol.14, n.28, 00019.  Epub Aug 01, 2022. ISSN 2007-0705.  https://doi.org/10.21640/ns.v14i28.2910.

The objective of the study was the psychometric validation of a scale of own elaboration for the measurement of the perspectives of undergraduate students on the competences, training requirements, infrastructure, and human capital that the state of Tabasco, Mexico, requires for recovery of post-COVID-19 economic activity. Data was collected anonymously online, and each participant provided informed consent at the beginning of the questionnaire. A subsample of 368 students was selected. An exploratory factor analysis (EFA) was performed, using the factor extraction method by maximum likelihood with direct Oblimin rotation, reporting factor loadings greater than 0.5, thus meeting the minimum criteria to maintain all items. To validate the theoretical model, a Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA) was carried out, which allowed us to demonstrate the validity of the previously obtained structure. The model fit indicators (SRMR, AGFI, RMSEA, TLI, and CFI) were calculated, for which satisfactory values were obtained. The measurement model confirms the theoretical structure through the main adjustment indicators of both the exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis. The results present a contribution to the study of the rehabilitation process of economic activities after the COVID-19 pandemic. From a methodological perspective, it provides a solid and reliable diagnostic tool for the development of regional economic recovery programs.

Keywords : economy; skills; training; human capital; infrastructure; prospects; economic activity; COVID-19; pandemic; crisis; reactivation; diagnosis; business; companies; organizations.