Designing and Conducting Business Surveys

640 Pages·2013·12.21 MB·English

by  Ger Snijkers, Gustav Haraldsen, Jacqui Jones, Diane K. Willimack(eds.)

Designing and Conducting
Business Surveys
surveymeth-cp_surveymeth-cp.qxd 6/7/2013 11:20 AM Page 1
WILEY SERIES IN SURVEY METHODOLOGY
Establishedin Partby WALTERA. SHEWHARTANDSAMUELS. WILKS
Editors: Mick P. Couper, Graham Kalton, J. N. K. Rao, Norbert Schwarz,
Christopher Skinner
Editor Emeritus: Robert M. Groves
A complete list of the titles in this series appears at the end of this volume.
Designing and Conducting
Business Surveys
GERSNIJKERS
StatisticsNetherlands,Heerlen,TheNetherlands
GUSTAVHARALDSEN
StatisticsNorway,Kongsvinger,Norway
JACQUIJONES
OfficeforNationalStatistics,Newport,Gwent,UnitedKingdom
DIANEK.WILLIMACK
UnitedStatesCensusBureau,Washington,DC,USA
Disclaimer
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LibraryofCongressCataloging-in-PublicationData:
Snijkers,Ger,1963-
Designingandconductingbusinesssurveys/GerSnijkers,GustavHaraldsen,JacquiJones,
DianeK.Willimack.
pagescm.–(Wileyseriesinsurveymethodology;568)
Includesbibliographicalreferencesandindex.
ISBN978-0-470-90304-9
1. Surveymethodology. 2. Establishment/Organizationalsurveys 3. Socialsurveys
4. Research–OfficialStatistics–Statisticalmethods
HB137.S632013
338.007203–dc23
2012020962
PrintedintheUnitedStatesofAmerica
10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
WededicatethisbookinmemoryofSeymourSudman
Weaddourpersonaldedications:
FromGer,forSjaakSnijkers(mylatefather)andIngrid;
FromGustav,forEllinorandKatarina;
FromJacqui,forJonah,Owain,Rhiannon,andmygirls
(DelilaandSophie);and
FromDiane,forSteven,myparentsEdwinandBettyWillimack,and
mylatesisterJeannePaulsen.

Contents
Preface xix
Contributors xxiii
Abbreviations xxv
1. SurveysandBusinessSurveys 1
JacquiJones,GerSnijkers,andGustavHaraldsen
1.1. TheObjectiveofthisBook, 1
1.2. TheStatisticalProductionProcess, 2
1.3. Surveys, 4
1.3.1. DefinitionofSurveys, 4
1.3.2. SurveyConstraints,Considerations,andTradeoffs, 5
1.3.2.1. SurveyErrorsandtheProcessQuality
Approach, 5
1.3.2.2. ResponseBurden, 7
1.3.2.3. Trust, 7
1.3.3. ABriefHistoricalLookatSurveys, 8
1.4. TypesofBusinessDataOutputs, 10
1.4.1. OfficialStatistics, 10
1.4.1.1. NationalAccounts, 11
1.4.1.2. StructuralBusinessStatistics, 12
1.4.1.3. Short-TermStatistics, 13
1.4.1.4. InternationalandEuropeanComparisons, 13
1.4.2. OtherTypesofBusinessDataOutputs, 14
1.5. UseofBusinessDataOutputs, 16
1.5.1. National,Regional,andLocalEconomic
Performance, 17
1.5.2. IndividualBusinessMonitoringandPolicymaking, 18
1.5.3. EverydayDecisions, 18
vii
viii
CONTENTS
1.6. ObtainingBusinessData, 19
1.6.1. BusinessDataCollectionMethods, 19
1.7. BusinessSurveys, 22
1.7.1. TypesofBusinessSurveys, 22
1.7.2. TheBusinessSurvey–OutputProductionProcess, 23
1.7.2.1. BusinessSurveyConstraints,Considerations,
andTradeoffs, 23
1.7.2.2. UniqueFeaturesofBusinessSurveys, 25
1.7.3. PerspectivesoftheBusinessSurveyProcess, 26
1.7.3.1. SurveyOrganizationPerspective, 26
1.7.3.2. RespondentPerspective, 27
1.7.3.3. UserPerspective, 28
1.8. OverviewoftheBook, 28
1.8.1. TheAudience, 28
1.8.2. OrganizationoftheBook, 29
1.8.3. ChapterSummaries, 29
Acknowledgments, 33
Appendix, 33
2. TheBusinessContextanditsImplicationsfortheSurvey
ResponseProcess 39
DianeK.WillimackandGerSnijkers
2.1. TheBusinessContextfromthePerspectiveoftheOrganizational
Sciences, 40
2.1.1. BusinessGoalsandBehaviorsandImplicationsfor
SurveyResponse, 40
2.1.2. DimensionsofSocialBehaviorinOrganizationsPertinent
totheSurveyResponseTask, 45
2.1.3. TheResponseProcessViewedasWork, 49
2.1.3.1. HowWorkisAccomplished, 49
2.1.3.2. SocialBehavioralDimensionsofWork, 49
2.1.3.3. AccomplishingtheWorkofSurvey
Response, 50
2.2. AComprehensiveApproachIntegratingtheBusinessContextand
theSurveyResponseProcess, 51
2.2.1. TheDecisiontoParticipate, 54
2.2.1.1. ExternalEnvironmentFactors, 54
2.2.1.2. Business/ManagementFactors, 55
2.2.2. PerformingResponseTasks, 60
2.2.2.1. OrganizationalContextforPerformingResponse
Tasks, 61
2.2.2.2. OrganizationalContextandSocialBehavior, 66
ix
CONTENTS
2.2.2.3. OrganizationalContextandtheCognitive
ResponseProcess, 69
2.2.3. ReleaseoftheQuestionnaire, 75
2.2.4. RoleoftheSurveyOrganizationintheBusinessSurvey
ResponseProcess:ImplicationsforSurveyDesign,75
2.3. Summary, 79
Acknowledgments, 82
3. QualityIssuesinBusinessSurveys 83
GustavHaraldsen
3.1. SurveyQualityfromaUser/producerPerspective, 84
3.1.1. UsersandUserEvaluationsofBusinessSurveys, 86
3.1.2. TheTotalSurveyErrorApproach, 88
3.1.2.1. QualityConstraints, 90
3.1.2.2. Survey-RelatedEffects, 93
3.2. Sample-RelatedQualityIssues, 96
3.2.1. AGlimpseintoTransactionStudies, 96
3.2.2. SpecifyingObservationalUnits, 97
3.2.3. TheConvenienceSampleElement, 99
3.2.4. SamplingErrorIssues, 101
3.2.5. ReportingUnitsandInformants, 102
3.2.6. ResponseRateIssues, 103
3.2.6.1. TheSignificanceofLegalObligations, 104
3.2.7. QualityEffectsofPostsurveyAdjustments, 106
3.3. Measurement-RelatedQualityIssues, 106
3.3.1. ValidityChallengesduringSurveySpecification, 107
3.3.2. SourcesofMeasurementErrorinBusinessSurveys, 108
3.3.2.1. TheBusinessSurveyContext, 110
3.3.2.2. QuestionandQuestionnaireElements, 112
3.3.2.3. TheContentofBusinessQuestionnaires, 116
3.3.3. MeasurementIssuesSummarized, 118
3.4. SampleandMeasurementIssuesCombined, 120
Acknowledgment, 125
4. PlanningtheSurvey 127
GerSnijkers,GustavHaraldsen,andJacquiJones
4.1. Introduction, 127
4.2. BusinessSurveysandProjectManagementPrinciples, 128
4.3. SpecifyingandPlanningtheSurvey, 131
4.3.1. SpecifyingtheSurvey, 132
4.3.2. PlanningtheSurveyinDetail:ThePlanning
Process, 135
x
CONTENTS
4.3.2.1. TheProjectPlan, 135
4.3.2.2. TheBusinessSurveyProduction
Environment, 138
4.3.3. PlanningtheFieldwork, 142
4.3.4. PlanningtheDesigning,Building,andTestingoftheSurvey
Components, 143
4.3.4.1. PlanningMode(s)ofDataCollectionand
QuestionnaireDesign, 143
4.3.4.2. PlanningtheSampleDesignandEstimation, 146
4.3.4.3. PlanningtheSurveyCommunicationStrategy
Design, 147
4.3.4.4. PlanningtheDataCollectionProcess, 148
4.3.4.5. PlanningtheDataProcessingProcedures, 150
4.3.5. PlanningtheDataAnalysis,Dissemination,and
Archiving, 151
4.3.6. PlanningtheSurveyEvaluation, 152
4.4. RequiredResources, 153
4.5. TheTimetable, 153
4.6. PlanningManaging,Controlling,Monitoring,andEvaluation
oftheSurveyProject, 154
4.7. RiskManagement, 156
4.8. FinalizingtheProjectPlanandGettingStarted, 162
4.9. SummaryandProgressStatusOverview, 162
Acknowledgment, 163
5. SamplingandEstimationforBusinessSurveys 165
PaulSmith
5.1. BasicPrinciples, 165
5.2. RegistersandFrames, 167
5.2.1. BusinessRegisters, 167
5.2.1.1. SourcesforConstructingRegisters, 170
5.2.1.2. Classification, 170
5.2.1.3. FramesfromRegisters, 171
5.2.1.4. UpdatingRegisters, 171
5.2.2. ConstructingaFrame(withoutaBusinessRegister), 174
5.2.3. RegisterandFrameQuality, 175
5.2.4. Dual-FrameSurveys, 176
5.3. SampleDesign, 177
5.3.1. SomeBasicIdeas, 177
5.3.2. StratifiedSampling, 178
5.3.2.1. StratificationVariables, 179
5.3.2.2. DefiningtheStrata, 180
5.3.2.3. SampleAllocation, 188