Thursday, June 21, 2007ICES3, June 18-21, 2007, Montreal1 Understanding the Decision to Participate in a Business Survey Ger Snijkers Martin Luppes Barbara Berkenbosch Statistics Netherlands Division of Business Statistics

Thursday, June 21, 2007ICES3, June 18-21, 2007, Montreal2 Understanding the Decision to Participate in a Survey Models: 1.Groves & Couper (1998) 2.Willimack, Nichols & Sudman (2002) 3.Hedlin, Dale, Haraldsen & Jones (2005) 4.Snijkers (2007)

Thursday, June 21, 2007ICES3, June 18-21, 2007, Montreal3 Response In time Complete Correct Decision to participateAnswering behaviourMotivation Respondent burden: De facto Perception More than one survey More than once in other ways: ○ registers ○ XBRL Internal business factors: Policy Data Resources Market position Informant: Mandate Data knowledge Job priority External Business factors: Econ. climate Regulatory requirements Political climate Image A business The survey: Topic Population and sample Sponsor / Survey organisation Resources Planning Authority/confidentiality The survey design Contact strategy Questionnaire Modes of data collection Statistical picture of a country NSI

Thursday, June 21, 2007ICES3, June 18-21, 2007, Montreal4 Understanding the Decision to Participate in a Survey 1.The perspective of the business 2.The perspective of a NSI

Thursday, June 21, 2007ICES3, June 18-21, 2007, Montreal5 Response In time Complete Correct Decision to participateAnswering behaviourMotivation Respondent burden: De facto Perception More than one survey More than once in other ways: ○ registers ○ XBRL Internal business factors: Policy Data Resources Market position Informant: Mandate Data knowledge Job priority External business factors: Econ. climate Regulatory requirements Political climate Image A business The survey: Topic Population and sample Sponsor / Survey organisation Resources Planning Authority/confidentiality The survey design Contact strategy Questionnaire Modes of data collection Statistical picture of a country NSI

Thursday, June 21, 2007ICES3, June 18-21, 2007, Montreal6 Request to Participate: Reactions by Businesses “What is the use of this survey? It is pointless!” “There is no connection with my business activities.” “It only costs money and time!” “The costs outweigh the added value.” “There is no added value.” “The tone of voice is irritating; in stead of emphasizing the why of surveys, CBS poses threats of penalties in her correspondence.”

Thursday, June 21, 2007ICES3, June 18-21, 2007, Montreal7 Request to Participate: Reactions by Businesses Conclusion (The Netherlands): Statistical obligations are considered as the administrative burden that irritates entrepreneurs the most, despite the fact that statistical obligations are not even mentioned in the summary of the main causes for administrative burden.

Thursday, June 21, 2007ICES3, June 18-21, 2007, Montreal8 Request to Participate: Reactions by Businesses Conclusion (The Netherlands) con’d: Businesses want to get rid of the obligations that are most removed from their own business processes. As soon as they do see the value of these obligations, and there is a connection with their business activities, the irritation decreases immediately.

Thursday, June 21, 2007ICES3, June 18-21, 2007, Montreal9 Request to Participate What can we do? The perspective of a NSI

Thursday, June 21, 2007ICES3, June 18-21, 2007, Montreal10 Response In time Complete Correct Decision to participateAnswering behaviourMotivation Respondent burden: De facto Perception More than one survey More than once in other ways: ○ registers ○ XBRL Internal business factors: Policy Data Resources Market position Informant: Mandate Data knowledge Job priority External Business factors: Econ. climate Regulatory requirements Political climate Image A business The survey: Topic Population and sample Sponsor / Survey organisation Resources Planning Authority/confidentiality The survey design Contact strategy Questionnaire Modes of data collection Statistical picture of a country NSI

Thursday, June 21, 2007ICES3, June 18-21, 2007, Montreal11 Request to Participate What can we do? Tailoring the survey design! Mode of data collection -“I will participate when I get a paper/internet questionnaire.” Questionnaire design -“The questionnaire is too complicated to complete.” Contact strategy

Thursday, June 21, 2007ICES3, June 18-21, 2007, Montreal12 Tailoring the Survey Design: Contact Strategy Communicating your survey = essential in influencing the motivation of a business respondent to participate

Thursday, June 21, 2007ICES3, June 18-21, 2007, Montreal13 Influencing Survey Participation: Compliance Principles 1.Reciprocation 2.Consistency 3.Social validation 4.Authority 5.Scarcity 6.Liking Groves, Cialdini & Couper (POQ, Winter, 1992)

Thursday, June 21, 2007ICES3, June 18-21, 2007, Montreal14 Influencing Survey Participation: Compliance Principles 1. Reciprocation “One should be more willing to comply with a request to the extent that the compliance constitutes the repayment of a perceived gift, favor, or concession.” “What is in it for me.” “It only costs me.” “I want you to repay me for the costs I’ve made to complete this questionnaire.”

Thursday, June 21, 2007ICES3, June 18-21, 2007, Montreal15 Influencing Survey Participation: Compliance Principles 2. Commitment & Consistency “After committing oneself to a position, one should be more willing to comply with requests for behaviors that are consistent with that position.” “I will comply with requests from the government.” “I am a responsible entrepreneur towards society.” “Your statistics are not useful for me.” “Explain to me why this is useful?” “I will not participate unless the topic is of interest.”

Thursday, June 21, 2007ICES3, June 18-21, 2007, Montreal16 Influencing Survey Participation: Compliance Principles 3. Social validation “One should be more willing to comply with a requests to the degree that one believes that similar others would comply with it.” “My trading organization has a negative attitude towards surveys. So have I.” “My trading organization is positive about participating in your surveys. So I will.” “The political party I vote for is in favor of reducing business survey burden. That is why I do not participate.”

Thursday, June 21, 2007ICES3, June 18-21, 2007, Montreal17 Influencing Survey Participation: Compliance Principles 4. Authority “One should be more willing to yield to the requests of someone whom one perceives as a legitimate authority.” “The survey is mandatory. So I cooperate. If I don’t, I will be fined.” “The request comes from the government.”

Thursday, June 21, 2007ICES3, June 18-21, 2007, Montreal18 Influencing Survey Participation: Compliance Principles 5. Scarcity “One should be more willing to comply with requests to secure opportunities that are scarce.” “My response is important, since there are not many companies like mine.” “Once CBS has located you, it will not let you go.” “I am not unique. Take another one. “I am not relevant for you.”

Thursday, June 21, 2007ICES3, June 18-21, 2007, Montreal19 Influencing Survey Participation: Compliance Principles 6. Liking “One should be more willing to comply with the requests of liked others.” “The statistical obligations are considered as the administrative burden that irritates entrepreneurs the most.” -SN = statistics => SN ≠ likable organisation “SN is not customer-oriented” Personal contact is helpful

Thursday, June 21, 2007ICES3, June 18-21, 2007, Montreal20 Compliance Principles businesses are sensitive to 1.Reciprocation+++ 2.Consistency ++ 3.Social validation + 4.Authority+++ 5.Scarcity – 6.Liking ++

Thursday, June 21, 2007ICES3, June 18-21, 2007, Montreal21 Compliance Principles used by businesses Literature review Focus groups with -Helpdesk -Interviewers: business interviewers, CATI interviewers -Maintenance department -Data cleaning department Analysis of customer satisfaction inquiry Analysis of inquiry on image of SN

Thursday, June 21, 2007ICES3, June 18-21, 2007, Montreal22 Compliance Principles businesses areused by sensitive toStats Neth 1.Reciprocation+++ 2.Consistency ++ 3.Social validation + 4.Authority+++ 5.Scarcity – 6.Liking ++

Thursday, June 21, 2007ICES3, June 18-21, 2007, Montreal23 Compliance Principles businesses areused by sensitive toStats Neth 1.Reciprocation+++ – 2.Consistency Social validation + – 4.Authority Scarcity – + 6.Liking ++ ++

Thursday, June 21, 2007ICES3, June 18-21, 2007, Montreal24 Compliance Principles used by Stats Netherlands Content analysis Advance and reminder letters CBS website Helpdesk: letters, s, telephone calls Interviewer protocols: Business interviewers, CATI interviewers Protocols of Maintenance department

Thursday, June 21, 2007ICES3, June 18-21, 2007, Montreal25 Compliance Principles used by Stats Netherlands 1.Authority (+++)  Mentioning Stats Netherlands  Referring to CBS act: Participation is mandatory by law, and non-response will be fined  Results will be used by the Dutch government, Eurostat, and other organisations  Response is due before a certain data

Thursday, June 21, 2007ICES3, June 18-21, 2007, Montreal26 Compliance Principles used by Stats Netherlands 2.Liking (++)  Envelope that needs no stamps  Mentioning helpdesk  “Thank you, in advance”  Explaining confidentiality of use of data  Trying to be friendly in the tone of voice  Apologizing in reminder letters  Explaining reminders

Thursday, June 21, 2007ICES3, June 18-21, 2007, Montreal27 Compliance Principles used by Stats Netherlands 3.Commitment & consistency (+)  Mentioning the name of the survey  The why of the survey  The importance of the survey 4.Scarcity (+)  Unique opportunity: SN is dependent on the response of a specific company.  “Your response is important to us”  Helping

Thursday, June 21, 2007ICES3, June 18-21, 2007, Montreal28 Compliance Principles used by Stats Netherlands Conclusions:  This communication strategy is not effective in influencing the respondent’s motivation to participate,  apart from the authority principle: -mandatory character of surveys -“Irritating”  Liking: We think we are friendly in our communication  SN is not considered a likable organization  Businesses are not interested in questionnaires and general statistics

Thursday, June 21, 2007ICES3, June 18-21, 2007, Montreal29 Response In time Complete Correct Decision to participateAnswering behaviourMotivation Respondent burden: De facto Perception More than one survey More than once in other ways: ○ registers ○ XBRL Internal business factors: Policy Data Resources Market position Informant: Mandate Data knowledge Job priority External Business factors: Econ. climate Regulatory requirements Political climate Image A business The survey: Topic Population and sample Sponsor / Survey organisation Resources Planning Authority/confidentiality The survey design Contact strategy Questionnaire Modes of data collection Statistical picture of a country NSI

Thursday, June 21, 2007ICES3, June 18-21, 2007, Montreal30 Compliance Principles: Conclusions Contact Strategy To be effective, more use should be made of:  Reciprocation (+++): -make statistics useful for businesses -incentives (benchmarking)  Liking (++): -use the language of the businesses -do not treat them as numbers, but with respect -do not stress authority that much  Consistency & Commitment (++): -explain the necessity of statistics  Social validation (+): -cooperate with trading organizations -look for equal interests