Publishing Research in Marketing Journals Using Structural Equation Modeling

This paper takes an objective look at how papers using structural equation models are received in the review process of academic marketing research journals. The focus is examining whether or not papers with structural equation modeling (SEM) applications enjoy an advantage in the review process and what the nature of such an advantage may be. A sample of submission records from a top marketing research journal is used to examine this issue. Results suggest that papers with SEM applications enjoy a modest advantage in the review process but that this difference is partially due to the fact that papers with SEM applications are rated more highly on multiple paper characteristics. For example, authors using SEM tend to have their papers rated more highly than others on the theoretical and conceptual development attribute. Thus, learning and applying SEM may have advantages not directly related to the application of the statistical approach.