Multi-level moderation

[Bence Boross]

Dear All,

I am trying to perform a multi-level moderation analysis. In my data, I am investigating the influential factors of growth ambition. So my dependent variable is growth ambition (GrowthA) and my independent variable is product newness (ProductN). Furthermore, I am trying to see whether the level of competitiveness of a country (Competitiveness) moderates the effect of ProductN on GrowthA. In my null model, I only include the dependent, independent and control variables. In this model, I get a significant positive coefficient for ProductN. However, when I introduce the interaction term, ProductN becomes insignificant with a negative coefficient while the interaction term is also insignificant.

I used the following syntax:

mixed GrowthA ProductN Age Gender Education HousehouldI SocialC Ln_FirmS || Country:, mle

mixed GrowthA i.ProductN##c.Competitiveness Age Gender Education HousehouldI SocialC Ln_FirmS || Country:, mle

* Example generated by -dataex-. To install: ssc install dataex
clear
input float GrowthA double Competitiveness float ProductN
         0 3.9492109 0
 1.6739764 3.9492109 0
  .6286086 3.9492109 0
         0 3.9492109 0
         0 3.9492109 0
         0 3.9492109 0
         0 3.9492109 0
 1.0986123 3.9492109 0
         0 3.9492109 0
  .4054651 3.9492109 0
         0 3.9492109 0
  .6931472 3.9492109 0
 .37469345 3.9492109 0
         0 3.9492109 0
  .5596158 3.9492109 1
  1.570598 3.9492109 0
  .3483067 3.9492109 0
  .5596158 3.9492109 0
 1.3862944 3.9492109 0
         0 3.9492109 0
         0 3.9492109 1
 -.2876821 3.9492109 0
         0 3.9584222 0
         0 3.9584222 1
  1.011601 3.9584222 0
  .6466272 3.9584222 0
  .6931472 3.9584222 0
         0 3.9584222 1
         0 3.9584222 0
         0 3.9584222 0
 1.0986123 3.9584222 0
         0 3.9584222 1
  .6931472 3.9584222 1
-.22314355 3.9584222 0
  .5877867 3.9584222 0
         0 3.9584222 0
  .2876821 3.9584222 0
         0 3.9584222 0
  2.397895 3.9584222 0
 .37469345 3.9584222 0
 -.6061358 3.9584222 0
         0 3.9584222 1
 .51082563 3.9584222 0
         0 3.9584222 0
         0 3.9584222 0
         0 3.9584222 0
  1.252763 3.9584222 1
 .51082563 3.9584222 0
  .5596158 3.9584222 1
         0 3.9584222 0
  .2876821 3.9584222 0
-.22314355 3.9584222 0
  .2876821 3.9584222 0
         0 3.9584222 0
         0 3.9584222 0
         0 3.9584222 0
  .9808292 3.9584222 0
         0 3.9584222 0
         0 3.9584222 0
  .6931472 3.9584222 0
 .13353139 3.9584222 0
         0 3.9584222 0
 1.0986123 3.9584222 0
         0 3.9584222 0
-.14953174 3.9584222 1
 -.6931472  3.716077 0
         0  3.716077 0
  .3308542  3.716077 0
  .6466272  3.716077 0
 -.6931472  3.716077 0
         0  3.716077 0
 -.6931472  3.716077 0
 -.6931472  3.716077 0
         0  3.716077 0
         0  3.716077 0
         0  3.716077 0
 .51082563  3.716077 0
  .4054651  3.716077 0
 -.2876821  3.716077 0
  .8472978  3.716077 1
         0  3.716077 0
  1.252763  3.716077 1
         0  3.716077 0
 -.4054651  3.716077 0
  .6931472  3.716077 0
 .51082563  3.716077 1
-1.0986123  3.716077 0
         0  3.716077 0
         0  3.716077 0
         0  3.716077 0
         0  3.716077 0
  .3364722  3.716077 0
         0  3.716077 0
         0  3.716077 0
  .3184537  3.716077 0
         0  3.716077 0
 .26072627  3.716077 0
  .6931472  3.716077 0
-.22314355  3.716077 0
  .4054651  3.716077 0
end
label values ProductN eb_cust_3
label def eb_cust_3 0 "None or Some", modify
label def eb_cust_3 1 "All", modify

Can anyone help me what could go wrong?

Thank you so much!