Hello Elita,

A large part of the answer depends on what sort of analysis/analyses you intend to complete with your pilot and full study data sets, and what sort of data and variables each will include, respectively. Beyond that, you'd have to ask your lecturer/advisor for clarification.

If you could flesh out your query a bit to elaborate on these details, I'm confident you'd get some better focused recommendations.

Good luck with your work.

I guess you have to ask your supervisor to give you the rationale behind the suggestion. As someone who is conversant with PLS-SEM, I do not see why SPSS is preferred to PLS-SEM to run a pilot study. Maybe to run the demographic information or normality test. As a matter of fact, PLS is considered to test the structural equation models with the following arguments by researchers:

1. On sample size, PLS requires fewer sample demand than other methods;

2. Normal-distributed input data is not required using PLS;

3. Complex structural equation model with a large number of constructs can apply PLS

4. Both formative and reflective constructs can be handled by PLS; and

5. Prediction is easily achieved through PLS

Diekola M. Akanmu thank you for your answer, actually, I also think this way at some point now, so I will have to ask my supervisor then.