Distinguishing valid from invalid causal indicator models

We highlight the difference between valid causal indicator models, that provide useful information on the variance of theoretical latent variables, and invalid causal indicator models, which do not. We suggest that invalid causal indicator models are of the type typically used in the causal indicator literature, and urge for research to reflect on how to advance the use of valid causal indicator models

A survey of burn professionals regarding the mental health services available to burn survivors in the United States and United Kingdom

© 2016 Elsevier Ltd and ISBI. All rights reserved. This investigation surveyed burn health professionals in the UK and US to investigate the psychosocial issues facing burn survivors and the psychological services available to them through their burns service. Methods One hundred and sixty six burn care professionals (132 from the United States and 34 from the United Kingdom) from 76 different hospitals (60 in the US and 16 in the UK) completed an online survey. Mental health practitioners (MHPs) answered questions regarding their psychotherapy practice with burn survivors. Results Respondents reported that psychosocial issues are common among burn survivors. Burn teams in the UK were more likely than those in the US to include psychologists, but social workers were more common in the US. Participants reported that routine screening for psychosocial issues was more common in the UK than the US, and indicated it was easier for burn survivors to access mental health care after discharge in the UK. Burn services in both countries routinely referred burn survivors to support organizations such as the Phoenix Society or Changing Faces. The preferred mental health treatment modality in the UK was psychotherapy without medications. Reported psychotropic medications use was more common in the US. MHPs had two primary orientations - eclectic and cognitive behavioral therapy. Among MHPs there was a modest tendency to favor evidence-based interventions. Discussion The provision of mental health services varies between these two countries. Creating international standards for assessing and treating psychosocial complications of burns could facilitate the improvement of burn mental health services

Scientific realism, the necessity of causal contact in measurement and emergent variables

Purpose This study aims to correct errors in, and comment on the claims made in the comment papers of Rigdon (2022) and Henseler and Schuberth (2022), and to tidy up any substantive oversights made in Cadogan and Lee (2022). Design/methodology/approach The study discusses and clarifies the gap between Rigdon’s notion of scientific realism and the metaphysical, semantic and epistemological commitments that are broadly agreed to be key principles of scientific realism. The study also examines the ontological status of the variables that Henseler and Schuberth claim are emergent using emergence logic grounded in the notion that variables are only truly emergent if they demonstrate a failure of generative atomism. Findings In scientific realism, hypothetical causal contact between the unobserved and the observed is a key foundational stance, and as such, Rigdon’s concept proxy framework (CPF) is inherently anti-realist in nature. Furthermore, Henseler and Schuberth’s suggestion that composite-creating statistical packages [such as partial least squares (PLS)] can model emergent variables should be treated with skepticism by realists. Research limitations/implications Claims made by Rigdon regarding the realism of CPF are unfounded, and claims by Henseler and Schuberth regarding the universal suitability of partial least squares (PLS) as a tool for use by researchers of all ontological stripes (see their Table 5) do not appear to be well-grounded. Practical implications Those aspiring to do science according to the precepts of scientific realism need to be careful in assessing claims in the literature. For instance, despite Rigdon’s assertion that CPF is a realist framework, we show that it is not. Consequently, some of Rigdon’s core criticisms of the common factor logic make no sense for the realist. Likewise, if the variables resulting from composite creating statistical packages (like PLS) are not really emergent (contrary to Henseler and Schuberth) and so are not real, their utility as tools for scientific realist inquiry are called into question

A miracle of measurement or accidental constructivism? How PLS subverts the realist search for truth

Purpose This study aims to determine whether partial least squares path modeling (PLS) is fit for purpose for scholars holding scientific realist views. Design/methodology/approach The authors present the philosophical foundations of scientific realism and constructivism and examine the extent to which PLS aligns with them. Findings PLS does not align with scientific realism but aligns well with constructivism. Research limitations/implications Research is needed to assess PLS’s fit with instrumentalism and pragmatism. Practical implications PLS has no utility as a realist scientific tool but may be of interest to constructivists. Originality/value To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this study is the first to assess PLS’s alignments and mismatches with constructivist and scientific realist perspectives

ENTREPRENEURIAL AND MARKET-ORIENTED ACTIVITIES, FINANCIAL CAPITAL, ENVIRONMENT TURBULENCE, AND EXPORT PERFORMANCE IN AN EMERGING ECONOMY

This study examines the impact of the simultaneous implementation of entrepreneurial and market-oriented export activities on export success and whether this relationship depends on levels of financial capital and market environment turbulence. The findings from a study of 164 Ghanaian exporting small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) indicate that high levels of both entrepreneurial and market orientation generate better export performance. The relationship is stronger when firms have greater financial capital and operate in more turbulent export market environments. These results extend existing knowledge of how SMEs can improve export performance by seeking fit between firm-specific capabilities and external environment conditions

The quality of sales manager:salesperson exchanges perspective under problem resolution conditions

Building on social exchange theory and qualitative inquiry, managerial responsiveness, caring, and aggressiveness were uncovered as three key social exchange dimensions used by sales managers when dealing with problem situations in the salesforce. We used Australian data to develop measures of these three constructs. Results of the development process indicate that the measures show good validity. Further to this, we also provide examination of the relationship of the three exchange dimensions with key organizational outcomes. Overall the findings suggest that the three constructs are important in sales manager problem resolution exchanges, and that they may ultimately influence the success of sales organizations

The empirical link between export dispersion and export performance: a contingency-based approach

Practitioners and scholars point out that firms are increasingly dispersing their capabilities across organizational functions. However, it is not clear whether all forms of dispersion, of any function, result in the same consequences. This study initiates investigation into the link between the cross-functional dispersion of influence on export marketing decisions (export dispersion) and export performance. Drawing on data from a sample of 225 UK exporters, the findings support the argument that active participation of non-export functions in export-marketing decisions affects export success. However, those performance consequences are dependent on internal and external contingencies. Export dispersion is beneficial for export performance when the export customer environment is more turbulent and, simultaneously, the export technological environment is more stable and the firm has lower levels of export information sharing. In all other scenarios examined in this study, greater levels of concentration of export decision-making (i.e. lower levels of export dispersion) appear to be more beneficial for export performance. Our findings imply that the management of the firm’s level of export dispersion is a complex task, whereby the degree of export dispersion pursued needs to match external environmental and internal firm factors

Consumer-based brand equity measurement: lessons learned from an international study

Purpose – The paper examines the performance of Aaker’s dominant conceptualization of consumer-based brand equity (brand awareness, brand associations, perceived quality and brand loyalty) in a multi-national and multi sector European context and highlights important lessons vis-à-vis the measurement of brand assets across countries. Design/methodology/approach – Cross-category data was collected through a survey over a period of two months from a representative sample of consumers in three European countries (n=1829), the UK (n=605), Germany (n=600) and Greece (n=624). Findings – The findings suggest that Aaker’s dimensions of consumer-based brand equity cannot be clearly separated. More specifically the dimensions of brand awareness, brand associations and brand loyalty could not be always clearly discriminated in all national contexts. Originality/value – The paper contributes to the limited amount of cross-national research on brand equity by assessing the most widely used conceptualization of consumer-based brand equity. Contrary to previous research, this study has used data from real consumers who evaluated a range of brands across product categories (including goods, services and Internet)

Stereotypes of salespeople in Taiwan:an empirical examination and research agenda

Stereotypes of salespeople are common currency in US media outlets, and research suggests that these stereotypes are uniformly negative. However there is no reason to expect that stereotypes will be consistent across cultures. The present paper provides the first empirical examination of salesperson stereotypes in an Asian country, specifically Taiwan. Using accepted psychological methods, Taiwanese salesperson stereotypes are found to be twofold, with a negative stereotype being quite congruent with existing US stereotypes, but also a positive stereotype, which may be related to the specific culture of Taiwan

The empirical link between export entry mode diversity and export performance : a contingency- and institutional-based examination

This study examines, for the first time, the critical issue of whether firms ought to adopt various entry modes in their export activities, i.e. whether firms ought to carry-out greater levels of export entry mode diversity, as a route to increase export performance. Underpinned by contingency and institutional theories this research also examines the role of institutional barriers, investment uncertainty, and geographical scope as moderators of the export entry mode diversity-export performance link. Findings suggest that greater export entry mode diversity is beneficial for export performance. Furthermore, higher export entry mode diversity levels are particularly recommended for firms that operate in export environments with higher institutional barriers, and for firms that have greater levels of export geographical scope. Results concerning the moderating role of investment uncertainty on the export entry mode diversity-export performance link are modest, and vary in signal across different levels of export entry mode diversity