Confirmatory Tetrad Analysis in PLS Path Modeling

The authors propose a CTA-PLS assessment routine for measurement models. This routine applies confirmatory tetrad analysis (CTA) in a manner which is consistentwith partial least squares (PLS) pathmodeling assumptions. The conceptualization employs a bootstrapping procedure to accomplish an appropriate statistical test examining vanishing tetrads in CTA-PLS. The approach allows distinguishing a formative indicator specification from a reflective indicator specification. Applications using experimental and empirical data demonstrate the usefulness and effectiveness of CTA-PLS. As a means of evaluating PLS path modeling results, the routine assists researchers in avoiding potentially unrepresentative consequences of measurement model misspecification