Development and Validation of Digital Readiness Assessment Instrument for Rural Enterprises: Evidence from BUMDES in Indonesia

Abdurokhim Abdurokhim; Dendi Pratama; S. Sulastri; Whan Augustin Ainul Amri; Askarno Askarno

doi:10.35877/454RI.daengku4898

Authors

Abdurokhim Politeknik Siber Cerdika Internasional, Cirebon, Indonesia
Dendi Pratama Universitas Media Nusantara Citra, Jakarta 11520, Indonesia
S. Sulastri Universitas Pendidikan Indonesia, Bandung. Indonesia
Whan Augustin Ainul Amri Universitas Insan Pembangunan Indonesia, Tangerang, Indonesia
Askarno Politeknik Siber Cerdika Internasional, Cirebon, Indonesia

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.35877/454RI.daengku4898

Keywords:

Digital readiness assessment, instrument development, reliability and validity, rural enterprises, BUMDES digital transformation

Abstract

Digital transformation remains a critical challenge for rural enterprises in developing economies, yet validated instruments to assess digital readiness in this context are scarce. This study develops and validates a comprehensive Digital Readiness Assessment (DRA) instrument specifically tailored for Badan Usaha Milik Desa (BUMDES) – Indonesia's village-owned enterprises. Through mixed-method research involving literature review, expert consultation, and empirical testing with 100 BUMDES in Cirebon Regency, we developed a 60-item instrument measuring five dimensions: awareness, management support, infrastructure, skills, and budget allocation. The instrument demonstrated excellent reliability (Cronbach's ? = 0.924) and strong construct validity through confirmatory factor analysis. Results reveal a significant paradox: while 67.4% of BUMDES show high awareness of digital importance, only 34.2% possess adequate digital skills and 31.8% allocate sufficient budget. ANOVA analysis (F=84.73, p<0.001) confirms significant differences across readiness dimensions, with awareness-capability gap identified as the primary barrier. Cluster analysis identifies three distinct readiness profiles: 'High Awareness-Low Capability' (43%), 'Moderate Readiness' (49%), and 'Digital Ready' (8%). The validated DRA instrument provides researchers and practitioners with a robust tool for assessing and benchmarking digital readiness in rural enterprise contexts, while findings inform targeted intervention strategies for digital transformation support.

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