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Essential new PLS-SEM analysis methods for your entrepreneurship analytical toolbox

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Abstract

Rigorous research across the wide spectrum of entrepreneurship is important for developing knowledge and innovation in the field, which in turn offers building blocks for future inquiry, practice, innovation, and economic growth. For this reason, scholars continually seek new empirical analysis tools to examine constructs and variables included in their research. While many familiar tools remain at the core of the scholar’s tool box, PLS-SEM offers valuable options that have been accentuated by recent developments. This article provides a thorough review of PLS-SEM and its application to current entrepreneurship research, summarizes the emergent confirmatory composite analysis (CCA) processes for applying and interpreting the analysis, explains why PLS-SEM can be especially advantageous for research in this field, and concludes with suggestions for scholars as they plan future research projects. In addition, recent PLS-SEM developments are shared that may effectively apply to entrepreneurship research.

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Notes

  1. Using ABI/Inform, we conducted a search of peer reviewed articles including “entrepreneur” or “entrepreneurship” in the article title, and that search produced 10,228 pieces. We next limited that search to articles including “multiple regression” anywhere in the article, and that constriction reduced the findings to 7802 pieces, or 76.28% of the original search results. This supports our estimate that approximately 75% of entrepreneurship studies in peer reviewed journals apply multiple regression.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Munir Abdul Lalani Center for Entrepreneurship & Free Enterprise, Dillard College of Business Administration, Midwestern State University, 3410 Taft Blvd, Wichita Falls, TX, 76308, USA

    Scott C. Manley

  2. Mitchell College of Business, University of South Alabama, Mobile, AL, 36688, USA

    Joseph F. Hair Jr

  3. Jones College of Business, Middle Tennessee State University, MTSU Box 75, Murfreesboro, TN, 37132, USA

    Ralph I. Williams Jr

  4. Foster College of Business, Executive and Academic Director, Turner School of Entrepreneurship and Innovation, 1501 W. Bradley Ave., Peoria, IL, 61625, USA

    William C. McDowell

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Correspondence to William C. McDowell.

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Appendix

Appendix

Table 4 Entrepreneurship journals found in our search for each keyword with number of studies published applying PLS-SEM for each journal
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Manley, S.C., Hair, J.F., Williams, R.I. et al. Essential new PLS-SEM analysis methods for your entrepreneurship analytical toolbox. Int Entrep Manag J 17, 1805–1825 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11365-020-00687-6

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