Suchergebnisse

The confirmatory factor-analytic model of analysis is discussed in terms of the general process of constructing social theory-the generation of parameter estimates for a proposed structure, the assessment of a proposed structure, the interpretation of a proposed structure, and example applications. First-order, second-order, and structural equation confirmatory factor models are discussed in relation to Joreskog's model for the estimation of parameters in general theoretical structures, LISREL.

Some scholars have argued that we are witnessing a new social revolution—social "informatization"—that is comparable in scope and impact to that of the Industrial Revolu‐tion of the eighteenth century. Others have argued that it is a much more modest phase in the ongoing development of communication and information‐processing technology. While there are a number of reasons for disagreement about what exactly "informatization" is, and what its impact will be, two are paramount: (1) conceptual imprecision, and (2) issues of measurement. Using factor analysis, this study aims to clarify its conceptualization, and, then, rather than focusing on a single dimension (e.g., technological or economic), it will develop a comprehensive multiple‐indicator measure that captures the economic, technological, and size (stock) dimensions of social informatization. We find that this measure of social informatization strongly correlates with the general level of socioeconomic development. This result implies that social informatization may be a more continuous and cumulative process than a disjunctive or discontinuous "revolution."