Sources of Motivation in Business Surveys Vanessa Torres van Grinsven, Irena Bolko, Mojca Bavdaž,

Outline Introduction Methodology The conceptual model of motivation in business surveys Recommendations Further research

Introduction (1) Data collection: In official statistics, efforts on reducing response burden have mainly failed to reduce perceived burden. In academic surveys, response rates have been maintained (though at low level) by response enhancing techniques. Driving force behind the response task is missing or problematic.

Introduction (2) Burden – negative connotation Motivation – emphasis on the positive counterpart of burden Motivation as the driving force behind behavior Understanding motivation increases capability to achieve better survey outcomes

Research aims Theoretical foundation for motivation in business surveys Identification of sources of motivation related to the business survey task Development of general recommendations  Specific strategies to enhance response, accuracy and timeliness.

Methodology (1) Primary data: BLUE-ETS research on official surveys One of three broad issues addressed: Motivational aspects in business survey response behavior Secondary data: Research on response process in a specific official survey Visits during or immediately after the questionnaire’s completion Contextual topics

Methodology (2) Qualitative research interviews Analysis based on thematic analysis: 42 (+13) interviews (11 NL, 31 (+13) SI) 73 interviewees (43 respondents to business surveys, 15 data users, 2 both roles (+13 other key people)) 48 businesses (size: 17 L, 12 M, 19 S; economic activity and other business characteristics taken into consideration)

Methodology (3) 1)Inductive thematic analysis (Torres van Grinsven, Bolko, Bavdaž, 2011) 2)Literature review 3)Conceptual model of motivation in business surveys (Torres van Grinsven, Bolko, Bavdaž, unpublished) 4)Theoretical coding of empirical data 5)“Expressions” (Ryan & Bernard, 2003) and subthemes point towards recommendations

Model of motivation

Types of motivation In the business setting extrinsic motivation seems at least as important as intrinsic motivation In contrast to household surveys where intrinsic motivation plays a prominent role Extrinsic motivation may override intrinsic motivation This concerns not only participation but also accuracy and timeliness Thus recommendations focused on all types of motivation  Sources of motivation that are relevant to the business survey task lead to recommendations

Sources of motivation (implicit) Two kinds of dispositional trends: Disposition for precision and accuracy. General curiosity visible in the attraction to performing new tasks or learning new things.

Sources of motivation (intrinsic) Enjoyment and challenge Mood Perceived competence Relatedness Autonomy

Sources of motivation (extrinsic) External regulation: legal mandate Introjection: ₋ work tasks ₋ social responsibility (principle of reciprocity) Identification: value for own business or self Integration: survey task is not questioned at all

Sources of motivation (general extrinsic) Easiness Predictability Simplicity

Recommendations Recommendations are not all new, but: Thanks to the model now theoretically based Model can serve as a guide to develop new strategies and interventions Recommendations go beyond questionnaire design Communication with the business and respondent is extremely important

Enhancing intrinsic motivation Make survey participation as enjoyable as possible Improve a respondent’s mood Enhance a respondent’s perceived competence Build a good relationship with the business and the respondent Enhance the respondent’s and the business’ feeling of autonomy

Enhancing extrinsic motivation Continue with current response enhancing practices (!) Improve the real and the perceived value of: response task, survey, survey sponsor… Make response task as easy, simple and predictable as possible Alleviate factual response burden, and communicate businesses the limits Feedback in different forms seems a promising technique to enhance both intrinsic and extrinsic motivation.

Further research Model as a guide to develop other possible strategies and interventions Implement and experimentally test interventions to: evaluate model of motivation; and proposed recommendations Evaluate specific impact of different sources of motivation and recommendations Relationship intrinsic – extrinsic motivation and their impact on different behaviors

Thanks for your attention Vanessa Torres van Grinsven Irena Bolko Mojca Bavdaž

Appendix: quotes (1) Implicit motives “If I do something, I do it well, that’s in a bookkeeper.” “I`m a searcher in my soul. It`s a challenge for me to search for new ways of obtaining and using data.” Intrinsic motivation “I always found that the survey on finances and enterprises was a very enjoyable form. Yes, I like that. That’s the kind of work I like to do.” (Enjoyment) “When I`m in a good mood then I usually participate in all those surveys, but if I`m in a bad mood then I probably reject.” (Mood)

Appendix: quotes (2) Relatedness: “Questions seem to be clear enough, at least the majority of them.” “The advantage is that you’ve seen each other a couple of times. When I’m talking to somebody on the phone now, then I think, I know his face.” “If the requests are not polite, we cancel them immediately.” “But they do look at that, and yes, I like that, because if you get an answer then at least you know they do look at it. So that’s pleasant.” Autonomy: “We don`t have all the data available at the deadline and as we are a large company that provides a great share of aggregated data, we made an agreement with the NSI that we report with a few days of delay in order to assure accurate and reliable data.”

Appendix: quotes (3) External “The only reason to participate is the legal mandate.” (obligation) “Preferably we want to prevent that we receive letters [with fines].” (obligation) Introjection “The agreement in this company is that we neatly comply with the request and send it [the survey] back in time.” (work tasks) “It`s in my work description.” (work tasks) “I think everybody has to just contribute their part, because the whole picture has to be right, because it will be used by politics, the national economic planning institution or any other institution.” (social responsibility)

Appendix: quotes (4) Introjection “You probably don`t like it and you ask why do I have to do it, but if you know that you have to do something to get something, then you just do it.” Integration “This is not debated. It’s just something that has to happen.” “We just presuppose we will fill it in in good faith and accurately.” “I find it important to get notifications on changes of the questionnaires. I do things automatically, thus I need to know if there are any changes so that I can pay attention to them.” Extrinsic overrides intrinsic “It doesn`t matter what I think about the survey. We are obliged to collect data and that`s it.”