Going beyond the untold facts in PLS–SEM and moving forward

Purpose This paper aims to discuss recent criticism related to partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM). Design/methodology/approach Using a combination of literature reviews, empirical examples, and simulation evidence, this research demonstrates that critical accounts of PLS-SEM paint an overly negative picture of PLS-SEM’s capabilities. Findings Criticisms of PLS-SEM often generalize from boundary conditions with little practical relevance to the method’s general performance, and disregard the metrics and analyses (e.g., Type I error assessment) that are important when assessing the method’s efficacy. Research limitations/implications We believe the alleged “fallacies” and “untold facts”…