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Factor Analysis

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Handbook of Market Research

Abstract

This chapter presents an overview of factor analysis in the broad sense of the term, comprising principal components analysis as well as exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis (in the narrow sense). Each procedure is first described intuitively and then developed more formally, and important issues associated with each method are covered in some detail. With respect to principal components and exploratory factor analysis, this includes decisions about the number of factors to be retained, factor rotation, and the estimation of factor scores. With regard to confirmatory factor analysis, critical steps involve the examination of the fit of the specified model in an overall sense, model modification, and local fit assessment (including evaluating the reliability of measurement as well as discriminant validity). A brief overview of measurement invariance testing is also provided. An empirical example dealing with the measurement of organizational culture in terms of the GLOBE dimensions is used to illustrate the methods discussed in the chapter.

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Correspondence to Hans Baumgartner .

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Baumgartner, H., Homburg, C. (2023). Factor Analysis. In: Homburg, C., Klarmann, M., Vomberg, A. (eds) Handbook of Market Research. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-05542-8_13-1

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-05542-8_13-1

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