A Methodology for Examining the Congruency of Factors Derived from Different Samples

This paper introduces the factor comparison methodology as a tool for comparative research efforts where the researcher is investigating similarities and differences in the responses of subjects from different samples. A factor congruency test, originally developed by Tucker (1951), is defined and illustrated using a comparative study of exporting firms from United States, Canada and Norway. The factor congruency test produces a congruency coefficient which relates each factor of one factor matrix to each factor of another matrix. This coefficient ranges in value from ∓ 1 for perfect agreement to zero for no agreement.