1. 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

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

3. 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

4. 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

5. 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

6. Illustration 2: Norwegian SBS survey
Observational units
Reference period = Annual
Enterprise =
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

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

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

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

10. 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

11. Communication between Questionnaires
NTTS, 14 March 2017, Brussels

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

13. 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