A review of exploratory factor analysis in tourism and hospitality research: Identifying current practices and avenues for improvement

Abstract

We perform a literature review of exploratory factor analysis (EFA) in six premier tourism and hospitality journals to (1) identify best practices, (2) ensure that researchers apply these best practices, and (3) enable future authors to be more precise in their reporting of EFA. Our results identify that researchers (1) frequently obtain large sample sizes and perform data quality checks, (2) overwhelmingly prefer the principal component approach rather than the common factor approach, (3) are reliant on varimax and other orthogonal rotations, (4) utilize the Kaiser criterion rather than more supported approaches, (5) produce large primary and secondary loadings, and (6) have never identified concerning common method variance via Harman’s one-factor test. We urge researchers to utilize oblique rotations and supported factor retention approaches, and we recommend that researchers should place more attention on their secondary loadings. We lastly call for a moratorium on Harman’s one-factor test.