Gustav Haraldsen, Ger Snijkers, Elisabeth Falnes-Dalheim NTTS Brussels 14-16 March 2017 What can we learn from Computerised Business Surveys Gustav Haraldsen, Ger Snijkers, Elisabeth Falnes-Dalheim

Household Surveys: Simple process, Cognitive challenges Sample management Survey Communication Questionnaire Communication Motivate Comprehend Retrieve Judge Respons Report NTTS, 14 March 2017, Brussels

Business Surveys: Two-step Processes Sample management Survey Communication Questionnaire Communication Information distributed… Between people Between sources Over time Three illustrations Respons NTTS, 14 March 2017, Brussels

Illustration 1: Feasibility study New survey on Financial Data from large enterprises Study the complexity of collecting financial data: “Is the requested information available and easy to retrieve?” 5 large enterprise groups visited on site Cross section of very large enterprise groups in NL Different activities (NACE codes) Different internal structures Company 1: A Private equity company Company 2: Centralised accounting Company 3: Accounting offshore Company 4: Complex project organisation Company 5: A foreign owned mulitinational, limited accounting in NL NTTS, 14 March 2017, Brussels

Conclusion of Feasibility study: Complex response processes Many data sources, at various locations Many people, at various locations Many sub-units Time: when data are available, and businesses have time All structures apply! or a combination Observational unit Reporting unit Respondent Data source Centralised accounting Data bron Data bron Observational unit Reporting unit Respondent Data sources Complex project organisation Rapporteurs Data bron Rapporteurs Data bron Observational unit Reporting unit Respondents Data sources Private equity company Accounting offshore Rapporteurs Data bron Rapporteurs Data bron Observational unit Reporting units Respondents Data sources Foreign owned multinational NTTS, 14 March 2017, Brussels

Illustration 2: Norwegian SBS survey Observational units Reference period = Annual Enterprise = 13 367 Establishments = ? Enterprise specifications Economic turnover Costs Investments Establishment specifications Quality indicators Sample Questionnaire Contact information Reporting unit Respondent Data source Simple = 57,6 % Reporting unit Respondent Data bron Data sources Multisource = 16,4 % Reporting unit Respondent Data source Helping hand = 12,1 % Reporting unit Data sources Respondents Complex = 13,9 % NTTS, 14 March 2017, Brussels

Perceived Response Burdens (PRB) Comprehend Retrieve Judge Report NTTS, 14 March 2017, Brussels

PRB given different Information Contexts NTTS, 14 March 2017, Brussels

PRB given different Versions of Questionnaire NTTS, 14 March 2017, Brussels

Illustration 3: Norwegian Public Transport Statistics; Communication between Questionnaires Observational units Reference periods = Annual & Quarterly Enterprises = ca. 1000 Establishments = 18 county adm / transport companies Enterprise Bus (public & commercial) Passenger Boat Tram / Suburban railway Establishment Gross contracts County revenue responsibility Quality indicators Sample Questionnaire Rapporteurs Data bron Reporting units Respondents Data sources County adm Individual transport companies 10 Questionnaires Answers given in one Questionnaire, decide which Questionnaires different reporting units need to answer in the future Sample management for the whole survey managed by one of the Questionnaires. Updating population characteristics from questions in two of the questionnaires. NTTS, 14 March 2017, Brussels

Communication between Questionnaires NTTS, 14 March 2017, Brussels

Epilog about Questionnaire Design: Complex Calculations Ask for the factors which go into the calculations Let the computer calculate NTTS, 14 March 2017, Brussels

More Features in Computerized Business Questionnaire Communication Anchor new questions to… previous Questionnaires previous Questions Let the computer help with computations Adding up to totals Subtracting from totals Pose control questions Split complex tasks into series of simpler tasks Filter out irrelevant questions Hybrid matrices NTTS, 14 March 2017, Brussels