10 Structural Equation Modeling

Purpose This study aims to find evidence of a possible relationship between three constructs that are generally investigated separately: entrepreneurial orientation, understood as entrepreneurship on the organizational level; marketing capability, seen as a highly competitive factor for the organization; and business performance, highlighted as a focus of the entire organization. Design/methodology/approach A survey-based quantitative approach was adopted with a cross-sectional temporal perspective. To arrive at results that can be compared, the study uses factor analysis and structural equations modeling techniques, with estimations of maximum likelihood for testing the quality of fit of the measures to the structural models, using SPSS 21 and AMOS 16 software. Data were collected at the 27th EXPOSUPER, which is a trade fair at which 35,000 visitors were present. The data collection instrument used is a questionnaire previously validated by Reis Neto et al. (2013a). The first section covers control variables chosen to profile the firms, the second contains entrepreneurial orientation variables, the third comprises marketing capability variables and the fourth section contains business performance variables, all using seven-point Likert response scales. Findings Tests of the entrepreneurial orientation measurement scale produced interesting results in this application within the retail supermarket industry. The results of exploratory factor analysis indicated that a scale with three dimensions was significant. The relationship between entrepreneurial orientation and marketing capability (H1) is positive, through the intermediate dimensions of innovation, proactiveness and risk-taking, used by firms’ management, contributing to their efforts to research and manage the market, to develop products and services and to offer better prices. Exploratory factor analysis and confirmatory factor analysis showed that four of the scale’s dimensions of the marketing capability were significant: market research, market management, new product development and pricing. Comparison of these results with those of Reis Neto et al. (2013a) reveals a difference, as although their result, achieved using structural equations modeling, also had four factors; the promotion dimension was the most significant and absorbed the other variables. Despite these differences, confirmatory factor analysis and structural equations modeling demonstrated that this construct met the minimum conditions for adequacy, where (H2), formulated to test the relationship between the marketing capability construct, was confirmed. The final construct analyzed in this study was business performance, initially suggested by González-Benito et al. (2009), and also used by Reis Neto et al. (2013a). They used the dimensions profitability, market value and market response, and in the present study, after exploratory factor analysis, confirmatory factor analysis and structural equations modeling, the results were identical to those authors results, in that (H3), formulated with the objective of testing the relationship between the entrepreneurial orientation construct and business performance, was confirmed, and although this was not the most robust of the relationships postulated in the three hypotheses, but was of lower significance. Research limitations/implications Although this study has achieved its objective, one of the study’s limitations relates to the data collection instrument, which was subject to failures in terms of the number of variables to be analyzed in each dimension. This led to elimination of certain dimensions during the analyses. Another limitation is related to the method used in the study. When questionnaires are used as data collection instruments, respondents often may not understand the true meaning of questions, which could lead them to choose any option, thereby stripping the results of credibility. In view of this limitation, it is suggested that future researchers conduct qualitative studies, using the case study method, which could offer greater clarity and increase understanding of the results related to these subjects. Even considering that this study has certain limitations and restrictions affecting generalization, it is hoped that it raises new questions, interests and inspirations, improving and complementing understanding of this strong social and economic sector. Originality/value It is identify the relationship between entrepreneurial orientation and marketing capability, since to date there is no evidence from studies confirming the existence of such a relationship. This statement was based on the results of a bibliographic survey conducted using the ProKnow-C, knowledge development process-constructivist methodology, in which, this originality was positive and significant, offering new studies from this point of view.

Aim: Lean is a set of operating philosophies and methods that help create maximum value for patients by reducing waste and waits. It emphasizes the consideration of the customer's needs, employee involvement, and continuous improvement. The aim of this study was of factors affecting lean management in public hospitals in Kohgiluyeh and Boyerahmad and Bushehr provinces. Materials and Methods: This research was descriptive correlation study. The questionnaire was used to collect the data. Factor analysis and multiple regression analysis were conducted to understand the relationship between these factors and lean implementation success. With using 60 questions questionnaire, the content validity of the method developed by the researchers and expert judgment and Cronbach's alpha and test–retest reliability of the method was investigated, and the opinions of 500 primary health-care practitioners were collected. Then, a two-stage exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis and structural equation modeling with the use of statistical software SPSS for Window 17.0 software (SPSS Inc., lllinois, USA) (Leland Stanford Junior University) and AMOS 20 carried out to review and modify the conceptual model. Results: Exploratory factor analysis identified five factors of human, technology, management, processes, and relational that explains 58.5% of the total variance. Confirmatory factor analysis also showed that among identified factors, technology factor with 0.953 coefficient has greatest impact and management factor with 0.615 coefficient has the lowest impact on the pattern of lean management in public hospitals to improve the quality of services. Conclusions: The factors affecting the deployment of lean management in public hospitals and appropriate strategy for using the lean management to improve the delivery of primary health care and reduce waste. The results represent guidelines for using effective implementation of lean management to increase efficiency and ability to compete in the global market offers.

This was presented in August 2016 to the EARLI SIG 1 Assessment and Evaluation Summer School in Munich. It provides an introduction to CFA and SEM techniques. It presumes understanding of exploratory factor analysis and multivariate statistical techniques. It extends basic CFA into SEM and multigroup invariance testing. It illustrates procedures and problems that can occur in testing models (e.g., negative error variance, not positive definite covariance matrices) and suggests solutions to overcome these issues. All illustrations are given using AMOS software.

Equations for the Edgeworth expansion of the distributions of the estimators in exploratory factor analysis and structural equation modeling are given. The equations cover the cases of non-normal data, as well as normal ones with and without known first-order asymptotic standard errors. When the standard errors are unknown, the distributions of the Studentized statistics are expanded. Methods of constructing confidence intervals of population parameters with arbitrary asymptotic confidence coefficients are given using the Cornish-Fisher expansion. Simulations are performed to see the usefulness of the asymptotic expansions in exploratory factor analysis with rotated solutions and confirmatory factor analysis. The results show that asymptotic expansion gives substantial improvement of approximation to the exact distribution constructed by simulations over the usual normal approximation.

PurposeThe purpose of this study is to assess customers’ perceptions of Islamic banks (IBs) of customers who have used or intend to use Ijarah service to purchase a car. The study further examines the mediating role of clarity and accuracy (CAA) of service offered between customer perceptions and customer satisfaction. This paper focuses on connecting in quantitative terms customers’ perceptions of IB services to customer satisfaction by providing the first evidence of this relationship in the context of car Ijarah financing.Design/methodology/approachIn this paper, a model is proposed to assess customers’ perceptions of the Ijarah service used by IBs to finance car purchases. The model connects customers’ perceptions to customer satisfaction with thisShariah-compliant service. The data are drawn from 300 randomly selected customers living in five major cities in Pakistan, and factor analysis and structural equation modeling are used to understand the patterns of correlation/covariance among a set of variables and to evaluate customers’ perceptions of Ijarah financing for car purchases.FindingsThe results of the study show a significant positive relationship between customers’ perceptions and customer satisfaction. In particular, the CAA of the services provided is a significant predictor of customer satisfaction. This paper finds that CAA is a partial mediator between customers’ perceptions and customer satisfaction.Research limitations/implicationsAs this study is based on only one country and one simple car Ijarah financing product, the results cannot be generalized to the entire industry. Therefore, deeper research is needed in which data from other countries are used and a range of models and approaches are applied to secure knowledge about the multinational and multifactor variations of Ijarah financing.Practical implicationsIn terms of their implications for IBs, the study results provide a basis for the banks to more effectively cater to their customers by improving the services offered in line with customers’ expectations and thereby increasing profitability. This investigation is much needed in academia and industry because the market share for Ijarah financing is growing and competition between IB products and conventional banking products is increasing.Originality/valueThis study presents the first endeavor to use exploratory factor analysis, confirmatory factor analysis and structural equation modeling to assess customer satisfaction in Ijarah financing using Pakistani banking clients’ data. This approach is also applicable to various IB financial products andShariahcontracts.

PurposeOwing to religious and economic preferences in Muslim-dominated countries, middle-income customers are at the heart of banks’ strategic targeting. This study aims to investigate selected middle-income Islamic bank customers from Sylhet, one of Bangladesh’s top religious and cultural cities, to examine their perceptions of the Islamic banking services.Design/methodology/approachThis study forwards three determinants of overall satisfaction. These are perceived relative advantage (PRA), perceived risk management (PRM) and perceived customer engagement (PCE). The study has used structured questionnaire and collected complete data on 300 middle-income Islamic bank users. The data was analysed using exploratory factor analysis (EFA), confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) and structural equation modelling (SEM).FindingsWhile all the three selection factors significantly influence overall satisfaction, PCE has greater positive impact on overall customer satisfaction, followed by PRA and PRM. “Convenient location”, “competitive charges” and “return on deposit despite low earnings” are the top three instruments measuring “PCE”. Religion did not qualify as a standalone selection factor. The results are robust across tests conducted by using EFA, CFA and SEM.Practical implicationsGross purchasing power of middle-income class in Bangladesh grew from 7% to over 30% during the past decade, and the purchasing power of this class stood at US$100bn. Having a greater portion of this population as Muslims, banks can design products and marketing campaigns by using the three selection criteria that offer a combination of faith and non-faith-based variables.Originality/valueSimilar studies on the middle-income customer group have been rare, especially from the Islamic banking perspective. These findings offer a concise list of three factors for the bank managers to build their strategies. With respect to the Vision 2021, these findings carry greater socio-economic significance given the transition of Bangladesh to a middle-income country.

With the Internet entering the inventory stage, subscription services have become a major trend in the industry. As a technology company driven by artificial intelligence and with beauty as core, Meitu has launched VIP subscription services in several image processing applications. By December 2022, the number of VIP members grew to about 5.6 million, becoming a new engine for the company to open up more business space. At present, there is few research in academia on the VIP subscription intention of image processing APP. Combining the characteristics and usage experience of image processing APP, this thesis constructed the research model by introducing the concept of user’s mental model in the technology acceptance model. Using the structural equation modeling method, the hypothetical model and the relationship between critical variables was validated. With SPSS28.0 and AMOS24.0 software, the confirmatory factor analysis, exploratory factor analysis and structural equation modeling was conducted. The results indicate that both quality of system interface and quality of subscription service positively influence user’s mental model; mind model of users influences purchase intention through the direct path. At the same time, it also influences purchase intention through perceived ease of use and perceived usefulness, and the chain mediating path between them. Based on the findings, this thesis claims that Meitu should increase the investment in scientific research; it should not only focus on the optimization of system interface design, pay attention to the professionalism and personalized upgrade of subscription services, but also dig deeper into users’ needs and occupy their minds. At the same time, Meitu App should promote the subscription model with precise positioning and tiered payment, so as to increase users’ intention of subscription.

Structural Equation Modeling of the Relationships Between Food Safety Knowledge, Attitudes, and Practices Among Older Adults in Dhaka, Bangladesh.

Objective:The aim of this study is to adapt Khalfa Hyperacusis Questionnaire (HQ) into Turkish for the use in the diagnosis and treatment of patients with hyperacusis.Method:HQ and Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI) were administered to a total of 529 participants (320 female, 209 male), aged 18 to 73 (mean age: 29.76±10.59) years who were randomly selected from the general population. For the evaluation of the data, confirmatory and exploratory factor analysis, correlation analysis, descriptive statistics, t-test, analysis of variance, and Sidak correction test were used.Results:In the reliability analysis, the Cronbach’s alpha (aC) internal consistency coefficient was found to be 0.81. Factor analysis revealed three subdimensions (attentional, social, and emotional). The total variance of these three subdimensions were 63%, and the internal consistency of the subdimensions was also high (αC >0.70). Confirmatory factor analysis and structural equation modeling results indicated that three-factor solutions with 14 items met the criteria for the adequacy of fit among the Turkish patients. The mean score for hyperacusis was estimated as 15.69±6.63 points.There was a positive, weak, but significant association between hyperacusis and anxiety (r=0.357, p=0.01, p<0.05). The patients who were exposed to noise were found to have higher levels of hyperacusis, compared to those who were not (t=6.78, p=0.01, p<0.05). The patients who had decreased noise tolerance over time were found to be higher hyperacusis levels than those without (t=4.83, p=0.01, p<0.05).ConclusionBased on these measurements, 14 questions and three-factor solutions were found to be a valid and reliable tool.

With its emphasis on practical and conceptual aspects, rather than mathematics or formulas, this accessible book has established itself as the go-to resource on confirmatory factor analysis (CFA). Detailed, worked-through examples drawn from psychology, management, and sociology studies illustrate the procedures, pitfalls, and extensions of CFA methodology. The text shows how to formulate, program, and interpret CFA models using popular latent variable software packages (LISREL, Mplus, EQS, SAS/CALIS); understand the similarities and differences between CFA and exploratory factor analysis (EFA); and report results from a CFA study. It is filled with useful advice and tables that outline the procedures. The companion website offers data and program syntax files for most of the research examples, as well as links to CFA-related resources. New to This Edition *Updated throughout to incorporate important developments in latent variable modeling. *Chapter on Bayesian CFA and multilevel measurement models. *Addresses new topics (with examples): exploratory structural equation modeling, bifactor analysis, measurement invariance evaluation with categorical indicators, and a new method for scaling latent variables. *Utilizes the latest versions of major latent variable software packages--

Working within a gender relations paradigm, the voluntary same-sex relationships of white, middle-class, middle-aged men are theorized to conform to two separate and distinct patterns; friendship and comradeship. Complicity with both the current manifestation of dominant masculinity as well as the underlying epistemological structure is seen to determine the interactional choices, friendship or comradeship, of men. A Web-based survey is used to gather data from a sample of the target population. Data are analyzed through exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis, multiple regression, and structural equation modeling. Statistical findings support the hypothesis that complicity with hegemonic masculinity tends to predict comradeship while resistance to hegemonic complicity predicts the practice of friendship.

Background: This paper examine the role that social responsibility can play in advancing orthodontic clinics’ management. Social responsibility is a valuable potential area of strategic development that causes consumer’s positive perception toward service providers. Objectives: The study also sought to determine the role of social responsibility and trust in strengthening of customer satisfaction. Lack of previous studies caused researcher to analyze the effect of corporate social responsibility on customer trust and satisfaction toward orthodontic clinics in this way. Materials and Methods: The cause and effect relationship between tree variables were analyzed including social responsibility, trust, customer satisfaction. Having 4 hypotheses. To test the hypotheses the personal questionnaire was used and data from 405 individuals who were the clients of orthodontic clinic in Iran, were collected. Using randomly sampling method and analyzed by statistical instruments. The descriptive statistics was performed using SPSS software and referential statistics was conducted using exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis and structural equation models was done using AMOS software. Results: Results showed that the positive and significant relationship between social responsibility trust, and also relationship between customer satisfaction and trust were supported. The relationship between corporate social responsibility and customer satisfaction was rejected. Nevertheless, the indirect effect of social responsibility on customer satisfaction was approved. Conclusions: The results also support that customer trust is the most important attribute in the context of services. In the other word it is trust of clients that lead to client satisfaction.

This study aims to clarify the perdicitive model of the relationship between performance continuous intentionand performance continuous behaviors from the viewpoint of the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB). For this purpose, 180 copies of questionnaire sheets were collected from the performers who participated in a play of taekwondo performance arts. Excluding 38 copies of questionnairesheets completed inadequately, 142 of them were used for final analyses. The collected data were analyzed using SPSS 12.0 and AMOS 7.0 software programs. Specifically, frequency analysis, exploratory factor analysis, confirmatory factor analysis, correlation analysis, and structural equation modeling were conducted. From the results of these analyses, the following conclusions were drawn. First, the attitudes of the taekwondo performer had positive influences upon their continunos intentions. Second, the subjective norms of the taekwondo performer had positiveinfluences upon their continuous intentions. Third, the perceived behavioral control of the performer had positive influences upon their continuous intentions. Fourth, the perceived behavioral control of the taekwondo performer had positive effects on their continuous behaviors. Finally, the continuous intentions of the taekwondo performer had positive impacts on their continuous behaviors.

The purpose of the study is to filling the gap in the literature by testing the role of employee envy on the abusive supervision perception and contextual performance empirically based on Social Exchange Theory and Victim Precipitation Theory. The study was conducted on the 630 employees from service sector in last quarter of 2016 in Istanbul. Exploratory Factor Analysis with SPSS and Confirmatory factor analysis and structural equation modelling were used to test the data in AMOS. Findings show that envy for others that is one of the sub-dimensions of emploeye envy is a statistically significant and negative predictor of contextual performance, it is also a positive and statistically significant predictor of abusive supervision. On the other hand, it was found that being envy is positive and statistically significant predictor of abusive supervision, while the effect of it is not significant on the contextual performance. The study contributes to understanding the role of negative emotions on employees behaviors and perceptions e.g. contextual performance, abusive supervision.

This study focuses on determining the impacts of organizational culture on the accounting information system and the operational performance of small and medium-sized enterprises in Ho Chi Minh City. The paper is organized in five parts: introduction, literature review, research methodology, research results, and conclusion and policy implications. Based on the samples of 353 respondents working in small and mediumsized enterprises in Ho Chi Minh City, the research employs both qualitative and quantitative methods to find the answers for research questions. Group discussion, which yields final observed variables of the factors of organizational culture is used for qualitative method. Statistics, assessment of the reliability of Cronbach's Alpha scale, exploratory factor analysis (EFA), confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) and structural equation modeling (SEM) are used for quantitative procedure. The results show that mission, involvement and inconsistency in organizational culture positively affect the accounting information system of small and medium-sized firms in Vietnam. In addition, mission, involvement, adaptability and consistency in organizational culture are found to have positive impacts on the firm operational performance. Another finding of the study is that the accounting information system has a positive effect on operational performance of small and medium-sized firms in Vietnam.