Measurement in the Social Sciences: Where C-OAR-SE Delivers and Where It Does Not
- Author(s)
- Thomas Salzberger, Marko Sarstedt, Adamantios Diamantopoulos
- Abstract
Purpose – This paper aims to critically comment Rossiter’s “How to use C-OAR-SE to design optimal standard measures” in the current issue of EJM and provides a broader perspective on Rossiter’s C-OAR-SE framework and measurement practice in marketing in general.
Design/methodology/approach – The paper is conceptual, based on interpretation of measurement theory.
Findings – The paper shows that, at best, Rossiter’s mathematical dismissal of convergent validity applies to the completely hypothetical (and highly unlikely) situation where a perfect measure without any error would be available. Further considerations cast serious doubt on the appropriateness of Rossiter’s concrete object, dual subattribute-based single item measures. Being immunized against any piece of empirical evidence, C-OAR-SE cannot be considered a scientific theory and is bound to perpetuate, if not aggravate, the fundamental flaws in current measurement practice. While C-OAR-SE indeed helps generate more content valid instruments, the procedure offers no insights as to whether these instruments work properly to be used in research and practice.
Practical implications – This paper concludes that great caution needs to be exercised before adapting measurement instruments based on the C-OAR-SE procedure, and statistical evidence remains essential for validity assessment.
Originality/value – This paper identifies several serious conceptual and operational problems in Rossiter’s C-OAR-SE procedure and discusses how to align measurement in the social sciences to be compatible with the definition of measurement in the physical sciences.- Organisation(s)
- Department of Accounting, Innovation and Strategy
- External organisation(s)
- Wirtschaftsuniversität Wien (WU), Otto-von-Guericke-Universität Magdeburg, University of Newcastle
- Journal
- European Journal of Marketing
- Volume
- 50
- Pages
- 1942-1952
- No. of pages
- 11
- ISSN
- 0309-0566
- DOI
- https://doi.org/10.1108/EJM-10-2016-0547
- Publication date
- 2016
- Peer reviewed
- Yes
- Austrian Fields of Science 2012
- 502052 Business administration
- Keywords
- ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Marketing
- Portal url
- https://ucrisportal.univie.ac.at/en/publications/91565e43-177d-4050-b779-757a7717a4eb