Assessing Unidimensionality within PLS Path Modeling Framework

Abstract

In very many applications and, in particular, in PLS path modeling, it is of paramount importance to assess whether a set of variables is unidimensional. For this purpose, different methods are discussed. In addition to methods generally used in PLS path modeling, methods for the determination of the number of components in principal components analysis are considered. Two original methods based on permutation procedures are also proposed. The methods are compared to each others by means of a simulation study.