A Critical Study of Theoretical Models of Sustainability through Structural Equation Systems

Abstract

This article presents the results of a comparative analysis of three models: the identification model (IM), the cohesion model (CM), and the general model (GM) proposed by the City-Identity-Sustainability (CIS) Network. These models have been designed for the description of sustainability and all try to explain its relationship with identity and urban development using structural equations. The analyzed items were selected from a longer questionnaire as part of the general CIS Network study. Ten samples from different origins were obtained, with a total of 1, 421 participants. To test the models to the concept of sustainability, the parameters are presented in a comparative way. The indicators show a moderate fit. The IM presents a better fit in samples with high levels of urban development, whereas the CM shows a better fit in samples with less developed areas. The best general fit is in the GM model for all the samples.