Using partial least squares in operations management research: A practical guideline and summary of past research

Journal of Operations Management · 2012 · Volume 30 · Issue 6

DOI: 10.1016/j.jom.2012.06.002

Abstract

The partial least squares (PLS) approach to structural equation modeling (SEM) has been widely adopted in business research fields such as information systems, consumer behavior, and marketing. The use of PLS in the field of operations management is also growing. However, questions still exist among some operations management researchers regarding whether and how PLS should be used. To address these questions, our study provides a practical guideline for using PLS and uses examples from the operations management literature to demonstrate how the specific points in this guideline can be applied. In addition, our study reviews and summarizes the use of PLS in the recent operations management literature according to our guideline. The main contribution of this study is to present a practical guideline for evaluating and using PLS that is tailored to the operations management field.

Keywords

Partial least squares (PLS), Structural equation modeling (SEM), Empirical research methods, Operations management

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