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This chapter presents and discusses various steps to ensure empirical reliability and theoretical validity in the construction of competence scales in graduate surveys. The development of a scale to assess demands of the teacher profession and related abilities in graduates for a German tracer study project serves as an example. Confirmatory factor analysis (CFA), principal component analysis (PCA) and Cronbach’s coefficient alpha are employed to test the reliability of the scale. Differing results illustrate how the method applied influences decisions in the process of developing a scale. Our findings show that multidimensionality can only be tested appropriately by CFA; PCA renders no feasible or similar results to CFA depending on the predetermination of the number of factors; Cronbach’s alpha produces misleading results as the prerequisite assumption of unidimensionality is violated by the data.

This study considers the impact of an experiential visual-based learning pedagogy on students undertaking a business start-up module. The current undergraduate student is different with a dependency culture on a range of electronic media (e.g. mobile phone, laptop, tablets) underpinning their existence. The term ‘digitally demanding’ has been coined to describe such individuals. Such individuals think and act in a different way expecting immediate personal solutions to problems they encounter. Thus, there is a need to challenge their mindsets and thought processes to think in a creative and innovative manner to identify appropriate decisions. Educational pedagogy requires a significant mind shift to create enterprising and creative individuals for the modern organisation. The focus of this study is upon enabling students to develop a valid and robust business idea through use of visual learning methods that is described here as ‘rapid entrepreneurial action’.